- Request for Information (RFI): Evolving the Network of the National Library of Medicine
- Dental Therapists, Who Can Fill Cavities and Check Teeth, Get the OK in More States
- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
- Food Stamps Go Further in Rural Areas — Until You Add Transportation Costs
- CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in the State of Texas
- CMS Proposes New Payments for Digital Health Under CY2025 PFS Draft Rule
- Improving Public Health by Strengthening Community Infrastructure
- Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities
- Nearly Half of U.S. Counties Don't Have a Single Cardiologist
- Randolph County, Ill. Turns Unused Part of Nursing Home Into State-Of-The-Art Behavioral Health Center
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- Expert: Rural Hospitals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Increasing Cyberattacks Targeting Healthcare Facilities
- Biden-Harris Administration Invests Over $200 Million to Help Primary Care Doctors, Nurses, and Other Health Care Providers Improve Care for Older Adults
SAMHSA and FDA Letter Promotes the Medication First Model
A letter (PDF) issued by SAMHSA and the FDA emphasizes that counseling and other services should not be prerequisites for a patient to receive medications for opioid use disorder. Practitioners must work collaboratively with patients, meeting them where they are, to create supportive and tailored treatment plans.
Free Mental Health State Guidebooks Have Been Released
PsychU Mental Health System Guidebooks is a comprehensive resource for understanding each state’s mental health system. The guidebooks provide a detailed overview of the state agencies responsible for managing mental health, as well as information on Medicaid coverage, healthcare reform initiatives, and the largest health plans and accountable care organizations in each state. Registration to access the guides is free.
The Risk for New MPOX Cases Continues
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to receive reports of new cases of mpox, indicating ongoing community transmission in the United States. On May 15, the CDC released a Health Alert Network (HAN) noting that a cluster of 12 mpox cases was identified in Chicago between April 17 and May 5, 2023. Travel history for nine cases was available and four individuals recently traveled to New York City, New Orleans, and Mexico. The CDC expects new breakthrough cases to occur and warns that spring and summer 2023 could lead to a resurgence of mpox as people gather for festivals and other events. On May 17, the PA Department of Health (DOH) released PA HAN 695 with additional information for providers on when to consider testing for mpox as well as treatment and vaccination information. For more information on clinical evaluation, treatment, vaccination, or testing, please refer to the HAN or reach out to Erin Babe, PACHC Public Health Program Specialist.
Read About Recent Research on Stigma and Opioid Use Disorder
More than 450 clinicians and counselors in rural New England were surveyed about stigma as a barrier to treating patients for opioid use disorder (OUD) as well as practitioners’ beliefs about medications for OUD. Over half (55 percent) ranked stigma as the highest barrier among other factors such as time and staffing, medication diversion, and organizational/clinic barriers. Many clinicians (60 percent) and counselors (51 percent) disagreed that medications for opioid use disorder “replace addiction to one kind of drug with another.” But among clinicians with the ability to prescribe, there was a significant difference in this belief depending on whether they were currently treating with medications for OUD (MOUD). More than 80 percent of those currently treating with MOUD believed it is not an addiction replacement; among those not currently treated with OUD, fewer than half felt that way. The study was conducted by the FORHP-supported Center on Rural Addiction at the University of Vermont.
Here is An Important Notice for HRSA Grantees
On May 26, HRSA will follow a federal upgrade to security measures for online systems requiring a login for external users. The new multi-factor login procedure will affect those who access HRSA’s Electronic Handbook (EHB) system, including grantees, grant applicants, service providers, and consultants. To avoid issues with upcoming application and reporting deadlines, it is important to set up the new login procedure ahead of the change on May 26.
Here You Can Find the Factors Associated With Lengths-of-Stay for Inpatients With Substance Use Disorder
The NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis finds that lengths of stay for rural inpatients in areas with no access to buprenorphine-waivered physicians were more than nine times higher than for urban patients.
Read About Distribution of Direct Care Workforce COVID-19 Funding Between Rural and Urban Counties in Minnesota and Illinois
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center examine the differences in the distribution of federal funding between rural and urban counties in Minnesota and Illinois.
You Can Find a Suicide Prevention Resource Center Here – Best Practices Registry
A listing of resources with demonstrated effectiveness organized by population served, approaches, and location – including urban vs. rural.
Here You Can Read About Telehealth and the End of the PHE
The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) officially ended on May 11, but many Medicare telehealth flexibilities remain in place temporarily. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a fact sheet to provide clarity around federal telehealth flexibilities. HHS will release additional guidance on updates and timing relating to the continuation of these flexibilities in the coming weeks. Learn more about telehealth policy changes with the end of the PHE. Earlier this spring, NRHA sent a letter to HHS on PHE flexibilities we would like to see made permanent, including telehealth provisions, and we continue to advocate for legislative change in Congress.
GAO Released a Report on Rural Health Care Accessibility
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled, “Why Health Care is Harder to Access in Rural America.” The report found many rural residents face several challenges, including fewer health care providers, longer travel distances to get to health care, fewer transportation options, and less broadband internet. The report recommends that federal agencies learn more about the needs of rural residents and address the gaps in information regarding the healthcare needs of people living in rural areas. Join NRHA in fighting for rural health.