- Weathering the Storm Together: Community Resiliency Hubs Hold the Promise of Local Self-Sufficiency and Supportive Mutual Aid
- Virginia Tech Researchers Bring Rural Families into the Nation's Largest Study of Early Brain and Child Development
- Expanding Access to Cancer Care for Rural Veterans
- VA: Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting
- Scaling Rural Wellness with Clever Collaboration
- Stroudwater Associates Enhances Rural Healthcare Dashboard with New Data to Support State Rural Transformation Grant Applications
- Harvest Season Is Here: Busy Times Call for Increased Focus on Safety and Health
- HHS Dispatches More Than 70 Public Health Service Officers to Strengthen Care in Tribal Communities
- Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Team up to Form Network
- CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
- American Heart Association Provides Blood Pressure Kits at Southeast Arkansas Regional Libraries to Support Rural Health
- Broadening Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery Could Narrow Rural-Urban Health Gaps
- Instead of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
- Help Line Gives Pediatricians Crucial Mental Health Information to Help Kids, Families
- Rural Health: A Strategic Opportunity for Governors
Pennsylvania Releases Results of the 2026 Family Health Needs Assessment Survey
The Pennsylvania Department of Heath released the results of the 2026 Family Health Needs Assessment Survey which summarizes the input received on maternal, child, and family health across the state.
The survey was launched for 1 month in April 2026 and responses were received from 1,159 Pennsylvanians, representing all 67 counties, including:
- 378 recipients of maternal or child healthcare or support services
- 361 parents or caregivers of someone who received healthcare or support services
- 420 service providers, public health or health care professionals, or partner organizations
Survey respondents described the top three unmet maternal and child health needs in their communities across populations and suggested responsive solutions that could be prioritized:
- Health-related social needs such as transportation, housing, and paid parental leave or childcare
- Improved access to mental healthcare and support before, during, and after pregnancy
- Quality and respectful care and increased autonomy in healthcare decision-making
The results will help the Department of Health Bureau of Family Health identify new and emerging health needs that it should consider as it seeks to advance maternal, child, and family health in communities and networks of care across the state.
This survey is a component of the Bureau of Family Health’s Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant interim needs assessment.
To learn more about maternal and child health programming supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Bureau of Family Health, visit the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant website.
Pennsylvania Governor Unveils New Statewide Action Plan to Strengthen State’s Behavioral Health Care System
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro met with the Commonwealth’s Behavioral Health Council and Advisory Committee to unveil a new statewide action plan for behavioral health.
The Governor created the Council when he signed Executive Order 2023-20, which directed the Council to develop a plan for state leaders, local governments, and community providers to deliver improved, faster and higher quality behavioral health care services for all Pennsylvanians.
The Council delivered on the Governor’s directive by examining the current state of Pennsylvania’s behavioral health care system, finding points for improvement, and offering 41 recommendations to improve access to care and strengthen support for Pennsylvanians seeking mental health and addiction care services.
The statewide action plan outlines six goals:
- Develop an Integrated Care System
- Expand Access to Services
- Strengthen the Workforce and Provider Support
- Enhance Accountability and Transparency
- Advance Equity in Behavioral Health
- Improve Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health Integration
Pennsylvania Insurance Exchange Customers Face 17% Increase in 2027
More than 177,000 Pennsylvanians have dropped their health care coverage through Pennie, the state’s healthcare marketplace. Pennie customers are facing a 17% to 40% premium increase since federal subsidies expired at the end of last year.
Advocates delivered a petition with over 600 signatures to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department on Wednesday asking the agency to reject the proposed rate increase. “The proposed 17.1% average increase in monthly premiums for 2027 Pennie health insurance plans would place an unacceptable burden on Pennsylvania families,” Antoinette Kraus, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, said in a statement.
Pennsylvania Insurance Exchange Extends Call Center Hours
Beginning August 17 through the end of 2026, the hours for Call Center for Pennsylvania Insurance Exchange, Pennie, will be 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Starting November 7, 2026 during Open Enrollment, the Pennie Call Center will be open on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. These changes come amidst anticipated increases in the need for assistance due to new state and federal changes for confirmation of eligibility.
What’s Trending in Family Physician Hiring?
The Family Medicine pipeline is in crisis with national shortages increasing and driving billions of dollars in lost revenue across the healthcare industry.
Health eCareers teamed up with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR), and Resolve to develop a new Family Medicine Hiring Guide.
Download this free guide to discover where the talent is, what candidates expect, and how to speed up hiring.
Pennsylvania’s Warm Handoff Program Has Connected Nearly 68,000 Pennsylvanians with Treatment Services
Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones announced that Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s Administration’s Warm Handoff Program has connected nearly 68,000 Pennsylvanians with treatment and recovery supports immediately following an overdose or substance use crisis.
Right after an overdose survivor leaves the emergency department, there is often a high risk of a repeat overdose. The goal of DDAP’s warm handoff program is to reduce that risk by providing a referral which directly transfers overdose survivors from a hospital emergency department to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and resources.
Senate “Group of Six” Releases Long-Awaited Comprehensive 340B Reform Bill
After more than five years of work, the bipartisan Senate 340B “Group of Six” (G6) released the text of its comprehensive 340B reform legislation, the SUSTAIN 340B Act. The G6 released a partial SUSTAIN draft in 2024 that addressed issues such as contract pharmacies, a neutral claims clearinghouse, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) “pick-pocketing.” The new bill expands on the partial version by adding provisions on additional issues including:
- Rebate Model: The bill would end any existing manufacturer rebate model within one year and require a transition to a neutral claims’ clearinghouse.
- Patient Definition: The bill establishes criteria for determining when an individual is considered a “patient” of a covered entity for 340B eligibility purposes. Importantly, it also limits the circumstances under which “referral prescriptions,” would qualify for 340B pricing.
- Child Sites: This section, which applies only to hospitals, establishes new requirements for creating new 340B-eligible child sites.
Additional information is available as part of a one-page summary. Look for a more detailed analysis and a comparison with the bipartisan House SECURE Act soon.
Now Available! 2026 State of the Child Profiles and Updated Interactive Maps
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) is committed to using data to improve outcomes for children and families across Pennsylvania.
The new 2026 State of the Child profiles provide county-by-county information on child well-being for all 67 counties, including:
- Diversity of the child and young adult population
- Poverty and homelessness
- Child abuse and neglect reports
- Subsidized child care and pre-kindergarten eligibility
- Families participating in evidence-based home visiting
- Career and technical education and K-12 enrollment
- Children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP coverage
- Children and youth participating in SNAP and WIC
- Infants and toddlers receiving Early Intervention services
Each profile includes demographic information that provides important context alongside data across PPC’s core policy areas, including Child Welfare, Early Care and Education, Home Visiting, K-12 Education, and Perinatal and Child Health. Together, these data offer a comprehensive picture of how children and families are faring throughout the commonwealth.
The expanded interactive maps include county-level SNAP participation and additional Child Abuse and Neglect and Home Visiting measures. The new maps highlight the most common reasons children are reported for suspected abuse or neglect and show how well counties are reaching families who could benefit from home visiting services.
Paired with relevant links to the KIDS COUNT® Data Center, the interactive maps make it easy to explore local trends, compare communities, and better understand the factors shaping child well-being.
The 2026 State of the Child profiles and interactive maps serve as valuable resources for advocates, policymakers, the media, and community partners working to improve outcomes for Pennsylvania’s children and families.
Pennsylvania Dentistry Board Shares Draft for Proposed Mobile Dental Unit Regulations
The Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry has released an exposure draft with proposed updates to regulations related to Mobile Dental Units (Rulemaking #16A-4629). Stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed changes and share any feedback or comments they would like considered.
Comments may be submitted to RA-STRegulatoryCounsel@pa.gov by August 24, 2026, and should reference Rulemaking #16A-4629 (Mobile Dental Units).
Pennsylvania Cost Containment Council Publishes Annual Report
The Pennsylvania Health Cost Containment Council’s (PHC4) 2025 Annual Report is now available, highlighting key initiatives and accomplishments from the past year. Explore the report here: Annual Reports – PHC4
PHC4 is an independent council formed under Pennsylvania statute (Act 89 of 1986, as amended by Act 15 of 2020) in order to address rapidly growing health care costs. PHC4 continues to produce comparative information about the most efficient and effective health care to individual consumers and group purchasers of health services. In addition, PHC4 produces information used to identify opportunities to contain costs and improve the quality of care delivered. For more information, visit phc4.org.