News stories via the Rural Assistance Center This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

'Domino Effect': Eastern Panhandle Residents Struggle to Get Vital Health Care after Closure of a Medical Transport Company
Highlights the impact from the closure of a medical transport service in West Virginia. Describes the service as one piece in a fragile ecosystem. The closure impacts hospital discharges, quick access to healthcare, patients needing specialized transport, and emergency room wait times. Workforce shortages and low insurance reimbursement rates in a region with higher than average disability prevalence are blamed for the closure. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 21, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

With Billions in Water Funding Available, Small Communities Risk Being Left out to Dry
Highlights the challenges at water treatment plants in rural communities. Aging infrastructure and understaffing put the water supply at risk at small plants. More than 90% of community water systems in the U.S. are defined as "small" by the Environmental Protection Agency. Access to funding is harder for small plants that lack the resources and staffing to apply for funds. Notes the public health implications of a compromised water supply as seen recently in Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi. Raising water prices could alleviate some of the challenges, but is not feasible in many rural places due to poverty, specif...
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 20, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Building Publicly Owned Broadband Starts with a Low-Tech Approach: Community Buy-in
Describes the process of planning and executing Islesboro Municipal Broadband, a publicly owned broadband network in a rural town in Maine. Local officials cite buy in from community social groups as the key to getting the project started, where other rural Maine towns have failed. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 20, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

'Homegrown' Program Addresses Need for Rural Mental Health Professionals
The Prairie Nebraska project is a virtual training program that leads to a state certification in school psychology. The program pays participants tuition and fees and provides a book stipend. Recruitment focuses on rural residents who want to remain rural for their career with increased attention to tribal communities and multilingual rural residents. The project aims to capitalize on the idea that people are more likely to work in the communities they train in to reduce the mental health professional shortages in rural areas of Nebraska. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 20, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

With Billions in Water Funding Available, Small Communities Risk Being Left out to Dry
Highlights the challenges at water treatment plants in rural communities. Aging infrastructure and understaffing put the water supply at risk at small plants. More than 90% of the U.S.'s community water systems are defined as "small" by the Environmental Protection Agency. Access to funds in harder for small plants that lack the resources and staffing to apply for funds. Notes the public health implications of a compromised water supply as seen recently in Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi. Raising water prices could alleviate some of the challenges, but is not feasible in many rural places due to poverty, specifica...
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 19, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Thune, Stabenow, Capito, Baldwin, Moran, Cardin Seek Feedback on 340B Drug Discount Program
The Senate 340B bipartisan working group is requesting feedback from 340B stakeholders on ways to improve the program. A letter from the group includes 6 questions addressing contract pharmacy arrangements, oversight policies, accountability and transparency, and more. Written responses can be emailed to bipartisan340BRFI@mail.senate.gov by July 28th. Responses will not be posted publicly. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 16, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Rural Nevada Counties Boost Services with New Health District
The new Central Nevada Health District will be established July 1st, a locally run district for 4 rural counties in Nevada. The health district will serve the needs of rural residents including food safety, public health, aging services, and more. Officials highlight the importance of health services under local control for not only convenience of the residents but also increased accountability of the department. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 15, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Combating Hunger in Mercer County
In a partnership with DoorDash and multiple West Virginia organizations, Mercer County families will get free groceries delivered to their homes this summer in an effort to fight rural child hunger. Project Dash from DoorDash allows organizations fighting food insecurity to utilize their services for food deliveries, particularly to those who do not have transportation to food banks. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 15, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

IHS and VA Launch a New Interagency Map Application for Native Veterans
Announcement of a new map application that will aid American Indian and Alaska Natives veterans in finding healthcare and other essential services. The map shows VA healthcare facilities as well as tribal organizations to address homelessness and other housing issues and employment programs. This map was created through a partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 15, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

340B Program Enrollment Led to More Oncology Services at Rural Hospitals
Summarizes a study that investigated oncology services at rural hospitals that did and did not enroll in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Using American Hospital Association data, researchers assessed 563 rural hospitals and found that hospitals that participated increased their oncology services. Other markers for adding oncology services include county insurance rates, state Medicaid expansion, county median household income, and more. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 15, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Rural Calling: Anya Cope
Profiles Anya Cope, a Tennessee physician and administrator at Lincoln Memorial University's DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. Discusses recruiting local rural students to medicine as early as pre-K and establishing graduate medical education programs as a way to increase the rural physician workforce. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 14, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Kids Housed in Casino Hotels? It's a Workaround as U.S. Sees Decline in Foster Homes
The U.S. has a shortage of foster homes, leading officials to find alternative housing for children that have included a casino hotel, a home purchased by the state, jails, and emergency rooms. Describes the negative impact this has on children and state budgets. Highlights the problem in rural Nevada, where limited access to services and poverty are barriers to increasing the number of foster homes. Relaxing regulations is one strategy being considered to remove these barriers. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 14, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Rural Illinois Hospital Says 2021 Ransomware Attack Partially to Blame for Closure
A rural Illinois hospital is closing, blaming in part the effects of a cyberattack in 2021. Cyberattacks are increasing against hospitals, and experts say this is the first hospital to close that linked the closure with a cyberattack. Experts also note that small and rural hospitals may be especially vulnerable to closure from cyberattacks because of they are more likely to be already financially strained. Recommends hospitals include an appropriate level of cybersecurity tools and training in their budgets. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 13, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

The Department of Transportation To Help Rural, Tribal Communities Access Funding Opportunities
The Department of Transportation has funded nearly $6 million for more than 60 rural and Tribal communities with the goal of creating jobs, improving safety, and strengthening economies. Discusses the challenges including coordinating stakeholders and capacity by the community to carry out projects. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 13, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Why a Future with More Extreme Heat Could Hit Parts of Rural Utah Especially Hard
Discusses the health impact for rural residents and visitors in Utah during extreme heat. Isolated communities make it difficult to both spread preventative messaging and access healthcare for someone experiencing a heat illness. Disparities are especially noticeable in tribal communities where one-third of homes are without running water or electricity. Includes recommendations for short-term solutions for communities. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - June 13, 2023 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news