Co-Director of the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, Carol Wright Kenderdine, talks about ways in which COVID-19 has spurred innovation in rural transportation.  The interview is the second episode of a new podcast, Exploring Rural Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing suicide rates were inversely related to county urbanization level, with the most rural (noncore) counties experiencing the highest rate (20.6 per 100,000). Overall, there was a three percent decline in the suicide rate in 2020, a downward trend that started in 2019.  While the rate is 13.9 per 100,000 in the general U.S. population, disparities persist.  The rates were highest among persons who were non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (23.9 per 100,000), followed by non-Hispanic White (16.9 per 100,000).

Pennsylvania Governor Wolf’s Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) are committed to improving the extent and quality of care for Pennsylvania women and families, especially our most vulnerable through a delicate and crucial period of their lives. Through Medicaid expansion, 3.3 million Pennsylvanians currently receive crucial services.

Expanding Perinatal Services 

DHS is working to improve the health and wellness of Pennsylvania mothers — especially those who historically and disproportionately experience health inequity, such as Black Pennsylvanians:

Pregnancy-Related Deaths

• In Pennsylvania, pregnancy-related deaths grew by more than 21 percent between 2013 and 2018.
• About 12 percent of pregnancy-related deaths occur between six weeks and one year postpartum, but almost 60 percent of those are preventable.
• Black women are almost two times more likely than white women to die after giving birth.

Perinatal Mental Health

• Perinatal depression is the most common complication during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
• 1 in 7 women experience depression during or following a pregnancy, but too often it can go undiagnosed.
• A 2018 study published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) reported that just 1 in 5 women report symptoms of depression or anxiety during or after a pregnancy to a health care provider, but follow through for treatment may be even lower, especially for women of color.

The American Rescue Plan Act allows states to implement a new Medicaid state plan option beginning in April 2022 that will expand the Medicaid coverage period for new moms from 60 days to one year after giving birth. This extension will help mothers continue to access physical and behavioral health care necessary to keep themselves healthy and their families on a path to good health and well-being.

Doula Pilot Program for Incarcerated Pregnant Women

DHS — in a partnership with the PA Department of Corrections, Tuttleman Foundation and Genesis Birth Services — established a pilot program at SCI Muncy offering doula services to women who are pregnant while incarcerated. The goal of the program is to support mothers through a difficult and vulnerable period and empower them as they prepare to reenter their communities.

Doulas are trained birthing and postpartum support professionals who work with expecting and new mothers to provide the following services, including:

• Non-clinical physical and emotional support through pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period.
• Work with mothers to help them prepare for childbirth.
• Create a birthing plan and plans for the postpartum recovery and care.
• Support the mother and infant as they navigate nursing and feeding.
• Support the mother through perinatal depression and anxiety.
• Other milestones through pregnancy and postpartum.

The seven women participating in the pilot will receive doula services during their pregnancy, at the birth of their child, and through 365-days post-partum. If a pilot participant reenters her community prior to the end of the post-partum period, the doula service will continue.

The doula providing services at SCI Muncy is also helping to facilitate parenting classes and discussion groups in conjunction with the facility’s on-staff counselors.

Apply for Medical Assistance

Medical Assistance coverage for pregnant women can begin as soon as your doctor or nurse informs you that you are pregnant. You can apply for benefits in any of the following ways:

• You may apply online using COMPASS. You can also use COMPASS to apply for other benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cash Assistance.
• You can also contact your local county assistance office for an application or you may download an application form (below) to send to your county assistance office. If you need help completing the application form and a friend or relative is unable to help you, trained county assistance office staff members can help you.
  • Application for Health Care Coverage
  • Solicitud de la cobertura medica

Additional Women’s Resources in Pennsylvania

• Governor’s Commission for Women
• Women’s Health Caucus — PA House Representatives
• Women’s Health and Advocacy Committee — PA Senate Democrats
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program
• Women On the Bench in Pennsylvania — The Unified Judicial System of PA
• Child Care Works Program — DHS

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) announced the 20 highest-ranked prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals in the country based on an evaluation by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The hospitals are identified using the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, the most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural PPS hospital performance. These hospitals will be recognized May 12 during NRHA’s Rural Hospital Innovation Summit in Albuquerque, NM.

The determining factors for the top 20 rural and community hospitals are based on eight indices: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and financial efficiency. “NRHA is committed to ensuring our members have the best information to manage their hospitals,” says Brock Slabach, NRHA membership services senior vice president. “We’re pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these rural and community hospitals.”

The top 20 rural and community hospitals are:

• Aurora Medical Center Manitowoc County,  Two Rivers, WI
• Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD
• Brookings Health System, Brookings, SD
• Castleview Hospital, Price, UT
• Cedar City Hospital, Cedar City, UT
• Garrett Regional Medical Center, Oakland, MD
• Hays Medical Center, Hays, KS
• Jefferson Hospital, Louisville, GA
• Lakes Regional Healthcare, Spirit Lake, IA
• Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, Jasper, IN
• Mercy Health–Tiffin Hospital, Tiffin, OH
• Munson Healthcare Cadillac Hospital, Cadillac, MI
• MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, Alpena, MI
• Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, Watertown, SD
• Punxsutawney Area Hospital, Punxsutawney, PA
• Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, Onancock, VA
• Schneck Medical Center, Seymour, IN
• Seymour Hospital, Seymour, TX
• Spencer Hospital, Spencer, IA
• UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, Steamboat Springs, CO

About NRHA

NRHA is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of rural Americans and provide leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education, and research. NRHA’s membership is made up of diverse individuals and organizations from across the country, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health.

About the Chartis Group

The Chartis Group® (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the health care industry. It brings critical thinking and deep industry experience paired with cutting-edge data, analytics, and technology to deliver #NextIntelligence. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, health analytics, informatics and technology, digital and emerging technologies, clinical quality and operations, and strategic communications, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children’s hospitals, and health care service organizations achieve transformative results and build a healthier world. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

Rural LISC has launched a new tool, developed in collaboration with Heartland Forward, that maps 2021 enrollment in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. The map presents a nationwide view of household EBB enrollment based on eligibility by ZIP Code. On average across the country, an estimated 17% of households that were eligible for the benefit enrolled.

The tool is designed to aid Digital Navigators and other partner organizations in identifying the communities that can benefit most from outreach and awareness efforts on broadband access. A new, long-term federal discount on internet service for low-income households, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), replaced EBB on January 1, 2022.

Users are invited to engage with the map by entering the ZIP Code, city name, county name, or an address of their choice. Users can also toggle on a terrestrial broadband layer, depicting if wired or fixed wireless broadband internet is available in an area.

Click here to access the map.

The Pennsylvnia Department of Human Services (DHS) leadership announced in mid-January that they intend to implement changes to the managed care plans operating the physical health (PH) HealthChoices program effective July 1, 2022. Approximately 460,000 Medicaid consumers will be required to choose a new managed care plan or be auto-assigned into one. The remaining 2.3 million consumers in the HealthChoices program will have the option to choose a new managed care plan and will have new plan options available. This will affect dental coverage and dental providers as well.

Click here to read more on this from the PA Health Law Project.