Each August, prior to going back to school, all school-age students and their parents in the southeast Ohio community served by the Gallia County Health Department have an opportunity to visit the county health fair. This program, which draws 350 to 400 people each year, is a collaborative effort of the county health department, job and family…

Previous research suggests that residence in non-metropolitan areas is associated with lower access to preventive care and poorer health. However, this research has been largely restricted to the general population, despite data demonstrating disparities in health status and access to healthcare services for people with intellectual and…

This brief details the significant strides made by the Paradise Unified School District (PUSD) in establishing robust school mental health systems to facilitate healing and recovery. PUSD, which serves the rural communities of Paradise, Magalia, and Stirling City--areas deeply affected by the 2018 Camp Fire--has launched several key initiatives…

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, children and families in rural communities have been experiencing unprecedented long-term social isolation and insufficient access to mental health services. Prior to the pandemic, access to mental healthcare in rural communities was already inadequate, leading rural populations to be routinely underserved when facing…

Background: More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care. Practice Learning: Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improved focus and higher test scores. Implication…

With health equity growing as a priority within health care, health systems must transform that calling into action within their social, economic, and political environments. The current literature has not compared how different organizations manage the same health disparities intervention. This qualitative study aims to illustrate how different…

The digital divide presents a significant challenge in rural Eastern Kentucky, where the absence of broadband internet access has hindered economic development, education, health care, and overall quality of life. Broadband, characterized by high-speed internet access that is always on and faster than traditional dial-up, is a convenience and a…

This study explored the experiences of individuals who utilized School Based Health Center (SBHC) mental health services when they were adolescents. This research specifically looked at how SBHCs serve primarily underserved, impoverished, and rural communities, particularly as they address adolescent mental health care needs in New Mexico. The…

Stay-at-home orders and public health safety concerns precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic facilitated rapid changes in policy and reimbursement regulations and resulted in the sudden uptake of telehealth in mental health practices across the United States. This study explored how mental health service providers experienced the use of telehealth…

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of mental health services from the perspectives of adolescents with no prior service experience. Thirty students in the Transition Year (fourth year) of secondary school participated in this study: 22 females and 8 males, aged 15 to 16. There was equal distribution across rural and urban settings.…

Rural healthcare providers face numerous challenges in caring for autistic individuals. Some of the most common obstacles to optimal services include lack of specialized training and expertise, resources, and collaborators, as well as large physical distances between providers and those they serve, region-specific cultural factors, and others.…

Objective: To describe the distribution of pediatricians and family physicians (child physicians) across school districts and examine the association between physician supply and third-grade test scores. Data Sources and Study Setting: Data come from the January 2020 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, the 2009-2013 and 2014-2018…

Sexual health promotion and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) are influenced by interrelated social and cultural factors, particularly in a rural setting. This paper reports on findings from interviews with young people when asked about experiences and perspectives accessing RSE and sexual health services in a small rural Australian…

Background: Mental health concerns for the collegial population are noted throughout the literature, with a recent focus on assessment, interventions and outreach. Concerns regarding individual resilience, barriers to seeking care and outreach opportunity venues have led careful consideration for further investigation of the rural college student.…

Chronic poverty presents components of chronic trauma with one major deficit being lack of access to needed quality health care services. Often needed therapeutic services are not available and when available, challenges exist with time or travel constraints of therapists. Students who need therapeutic services such as occupational, physical or…