The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) breaks down the federal-state partnership that delivers meals to about 100,000 public and private not-for-profit schools. The report examines supply and demand in the last decade, the flow of funding, and challenges during and after the pandemic.
Click here to read the report.
The PBDA is announcing a tentative timeline for Round Two of the BEAD Program. This timeline is available on the BEAD Program webpage. Additional resources and guidance, to include a revised list of BEAD eligible locations and updated FAQs, will be available on or before July 8th.
If you have additional questions or needs, please reach out to the PBDA at ra-dcpbda_bead@pa.gov.
In 2024, 19 people died of injuries suffered in farm-related incidents in Pennsylvania, according to researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
The Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health Program in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering — which also is affiliated with Penn State Extension — releases the “Pennsylvania Farm Fatal Injury Summary” annually. Researchers and extension educators use these data to identify hazards and risks associated with agricultural production and to inform the development of trainings and resources.
The 19 farm-related deaths in the state last year is lower than the 25-year average of 28 deaths per year. However, agricultural fatalities can fluctuate significantly from year to year, and reported incidents may represent just the tip of the iceberg, experts noted, as injuries — another concern — are not well tracked.
Nearly one in every 10 infants in the United States is born preterm, or before 37 weeks of gestational age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infants born with very low birthweights — under 3.3 pounds at birth — are disproportionately very preterm — 29-weeks gestation or earlier. These infants make up 1% of births, but account for more than half of infant deaths in the United States each year. The mortality rate for infants born very preterm, and length of hospital stay, may vary across health systems, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State.
Led by Jeannette Rogowski, professor of health policy and administration at Penn State, the team found that where a very preterm baby is born or receives care immediately after birth can increase or decrease the chance of survival by two percentage points. The findings, which the researchers said demonstrate potential for quality improvement among the nation’s neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in health systems, were published in JAMA Network Open.
A previous study led by Rogowski found that approximately 84% of very preterm infants are born in a hospital that is part of a consolidated multi-hospital system — a system with two or more hospitals. Among pediatric patients, very preterm infants are the most vulnerable population. However, the variation in the quality of care for very preterm infants across health systems was unknown. This study was the first to address this question, according to Rogowski.
The Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics and the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Children Program launched the School Professional Oral Health Training toolkit. This resource is designed to support school professionals in promoting oral health within the school community. The toolkit includes practical guidance, engaging materials, and evidence-based strategies to help integrate oral health into everyday school life. Please consider sharing this toolkit with your school networks and anyone else that would benefit.
Modernization of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) aims to create a more fair, safe, and effective organ donation, procurement, and transplantation system. At the heart of this effort is stakeholder engagement, an essential component for ensuring that reforms are grounded in real-world experiences and responsive to the needs of those most affected.
Patients, clinicians, donor families, organ procurement organizations (OPOs), transplant centers, histocompatibility labs, and others invested in the success and safety of the system bring critical perspectives that help us build a stronger system together. Input from the people who wait on a lifesaving phone call, the people who wake up in the middle of the night to care for a patient at bedside, and the people who transport an organ from a compassionate donor to a sick patient, provide firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities that may arise from proposed changes.
By actively listening to stakeholders, HRSA is working to improve OPTN system performance through on-the-ground expertise from healthcare providers and facilities. This approach promotes fairness by identifying and addressing barriers within the organ procurement and transplant process—and ensures patient-centered outcomes by aligning reforms with the real needs of both donors and transplant recipients.
Modernizing the OPTN isn’t just about updating technology or policies, it’s about building a system that reflects the voices and needs of the broader organ procurement and transplant community. Stakeholder engagement ensures this process is not only informed but also collaborative.
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) drove the expanded use of telehealth, during which time healthcare providers deferred elective and preventive visits and many patients avoided necessary healthcare services to minimize their risk of exposure, resulting in a shift to telehealth to provide access to essential healthcare services.
To date, little information has been available on the organizational challenges associated with the provision of telehealth services by Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). This project asked leaders in selected RHCs and FQHCs to identify challenges, trends, and resources needed in adapting telehealth services to their settings.
Finding of this study include implementation and operational challenges as well as opportunities.
Please click here to read the brief.
Rural Telehealth Research Center
Rural Telehealth Research Center, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, 1008 RCP, Iowa City, IA 52242
Email: rtrc-inquiry@uiowa.edu
www.ruraltelehealth.org
The loss of Community Health Center (CHC), sites in the United States is associated with a significant increase in county-level mortality, particularly in underserved areas, according to a new national study.
The peer-reviewed study, which was published in April 2025 in Health Services Research, analyzed data from 3,142 U.S. counties between 2011 and 2019, and found that counties that lost CHC sites in 2014 experienced an average increase of 3.54 age-adjusted all-cause deaths per 100,000 residents in the year following the loss. This increase was most pronounced in cancer-related deaths, which rose by 2.61 deaths per 100,000 residents. The closures appeared to have a lasting impact in the years that followed, according to the researchers.
Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) reimburse employees for medical expenses and are offered and funded by employer contributions. If an employer offers an HRA the employee can use that benefit to enroll in health coverage through Pennie, but this may affect their eligibility for tax credits. This information must be added to their Pennie application and the Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTC) amount adjusted to prevent tax liability.
There are several types of HRAs, including individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRA) and qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements (QSEHRA). Individuals offered an ICHRA are not eligible for APTC, but those offered a QSEHRA might be based on other factors. If an individual is offered an HRA, they should receive information from their employer regarding the type of HRA offered. This information will also include the amount of the benefit, effective dates, other family members who may be covered, if minimal essential coverage is required, and any other terms set forth by the employer.
Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics and the Healthy Teeth, Healthy Children program is excited to announce that the School Professional Oral health Training (SPOT) toolkit is now ready to view and share. This comprehensive resource is designed to support all school professionals in promoting oral health within their school communities. The SPOT toolkit includes practical guidance, engaging materials, and evidence-based strategies to help integrate oral health into everyday school life.
