Days cash on hand is an estimate of the number of days an organization could operate if no cash were collected or received. Many rural hospitals have a history of low cash levels and other short-term assets and are therefore ill-prepared for the loss of revenue during the pandemic. Read more here.
Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019
The Rural Health Information Hub has created a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19. Find more information here.
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis provides up-to-date data and maps on rural and urban confirmed cases throughout the United States. An animated map shows the progression of cases beginning January 21. Find more reports here.
CDC COVID-19 Updates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance. New the week of May 14: Guidance for Certifying Deaths Due to Coronavirus was the subject of a recent webinar for clinicians, part of ongoing Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA). Read more updates here.
COVID-19 FAQs and Funding for HRSA Programs
Find all funding and frequently asked questions for programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) here.
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19
A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from HRSA grantees and stakeholders, updated regularly. Find more information here.
Request for Comments: BPC Behavioral Health Integration
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a think tank combining ideas and solutions from both parties. The organization’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force is inviting comments for solutions that support improving the bi-directional integration of primary care and behavioral health care. Find more information here.
USDA on Extreme Poverty Counties Found Solely in Rural Areas
The Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) studies trends in poverty using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. For the most recent year studied, 2018, there were 664 high poverty counties in which an average of 20 percent or more of the population had lived below the Federal poverty level since 2014. Read more here.
Covid-19 Epidemic Severely Undermines Access to Substance Abuse Help in Rural America
From The Daily Yonder:
With lockdowns, self-quarantining, and financial strains on local healthcare providers, many rural residents with substance abuse problems face a sudden disappearance of their support systems. Read the article here.
Under Covid Cloud, Prisons in Rural America Threaten to Choke Rural Hospitals
From The Daily Yonder:
A rural Montana county with only 5,000 residents lays claim to the state’s highest Covid-19 infection rate. A private prison could put the county’s healthcare capacity under greater strain. Read the article here.