Breaking Down U.S. Debt Trends to the Neighborhood Level

The updated Consumer Credit Explorer offers an easy way to visualize trends in U.S. consumer debt at the national, state, and even regional level. What’s new? The go-to resource from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has been enhanced with data through Q4 2023. You can also now compare trends in up to two U.S. regions, up to two debt or credit characteristics, and up to two borrower or neighborhood demographics at once.

The tool allows you to see overall debt and types of debt, broken down by borrower age or credit score type, neighborhood income level or majority race/ethnicity, and much more, providing a unique view into household financial well-being.

See the new Consumer Credit Explorer and learn more.

New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC

rural health Clinic

– Thursday, May 9 at 1:00 pm Eastern. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host the free, FORHP-supported webinar with information on incorporating Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) and Mental Health Counselors (MHCs) into Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Medicare coverage of Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors in RHCs began January 1, 2024. This webinar will feature representatives from the National Board for Certified Counselors and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, who will provide information to ensure RHCs are equipped to consider expanding behavioral health services. Additional time for Q&A will be provided. Advanced registration is required.

Understanding HRSA Modifications to the Definition of Rural for FORHP Grants

– Comment by May 28. On April 26th, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) announced a proposed modification to the definition of ‘rural’ used to designate eligible areas for rural health grants. Because access to needed health care is likely to be reduced when roads are most difficult to traverse, FORHP proposes to modify the definition of rural areas by integrating the new Road Ruggedness Scale (RRS) released in 2023 by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The proposed modifications are based on a data-driven methodology to identify areas with difficult mountainous terrain.  All areas included in the current definition of rural would remain included.

HHS Releases Nondiscrimination in Health Program and Activities Final Rule

Effective May 6.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act advancing protections against discrimination in health care. At a minimum, the rule will restore protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. It will also reduce language access barriers, expand physical and digital accessibility, and address bias in health technology. With the restoration of the rule, HHS aims to increase meaningful access to health care for communities across the United States.

Navigating the Application Guide for HRSA Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project

-Apply by August 15. Five small rural hospitals and certified Rural Health Clinics will be selected to receive one year of focused, virtual technical assistance designed to strengthen their organization’s understanding of the key elements of value-based care. Project focus areas include quality, efficiency, patient experience, and safety. Details on the application process can be found in the 2024-2025 Application Interview and Process Guide. Selected applicants will be notified in September, and project activities begin in October 2024.

Using the Updated Financial Distress Index to Describe Relative Risk of Hospital Financial Distress

Researchers at the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis used a recent revision of the Financial Distress Index (FDI) model to describe the relative risk of experiencing financial distress for rural hospitals and selected urban hospitals. Among the findings: over 60 percent of hospitals at highest relative risk of financial distress are in seven states:  Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, and Georgia.

Research Demonstrates Non-Urgent Use of Emergency Departments by Rural and Urban Adults

Among findings from the Maine Rural Health Research Center: rural adults aged 18-64 are more likely than their urban counterparts to visit the emergency department in a given year; socio-demographics associated with higher rates of non-urgent ED use by rural residents include younger age, fair or poor mental and physical health, low income, public insurance coverage, and lower access to primary care.

New Data from the CDC Released on Preventable Premature Death

New Data from the CDC on Preventable Premature Death. The new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an extension of an earlier CDC study, which showed a higher percentage of early death from the five leading causes in rural counties compared with urban counties during 2010-2017.  More recent data show that the rural-urban gap in all-cause mortality continues to widen.  In 1999, the death rate in rural areas was 7 percent higher than in urban areas; by 2019, it was 20 percent higher.  View CDC’s rural health website and  Rural Public Health At-a-Glance to find out what CDC is doing to improve the health and well-being of rural communities.

Volunteer Opportunities Open for 2024 Pop-Up Dental Clinics in Pennsylvania

Looking to volunteer at a dental event in 2024? The PA Coalition for Oral Health compiled a list of pop-up clinics happening across the state. Click on the locations/dates for more information on each clinic. Looking to make a difference year-round? Free clinics rely on volunteers to provide quality, accessible healthcare in their communities. The Free Clinic Association of Pennsylvania can connect you with clinics in your region.

Click here for more info on volunteering with free clinics that see patients year-round.

Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinics
Sharon, PA – June 8 & 9
Scranton, PA – August 3 & 4
Philadelphia, PA – August 24 & 25
Erie, PA – September 7 & 8
Allentown, PA – October 19 & 20

MOM-n-PA
Reading, PA – June 21 & 22

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA – November 1 & 2