Rural America
How states are tackling the broadband worker shortage
COMMENTARY | The U.S. is investing more than $42 billion to bring affordable high-speed internet to all Americans, but there aren't enough skilled workers to get the job done.
Small towns are paying remote workers to move in
With remote work apparently here to stay, rural communities are trying to attract new residents with everything from cash to potlucks, and farm-fresh eggs.
Montana could be a model as more GOP states weigh Medicaid work requirements
The state has a program that can help Medicaid enrollees get job training, career guidance.
‘We can’t exist without child care’: Rural towns use state funding to open local centers
State grants are infusing over $3.7 million into helping rural communities build collaborative, innovative solutions to address child care needs across South Dakota.
Holdout states consider expanding Medicaid—with work requirements
The prospect of a second Trump administration has renewed interest in the idea.
City-country mortality gap widens amid persistent holes in rural health care access
As rural health services continue to erode, population health declines and mortality rates increase. That endangers local economies and employment, rural health experts say.
Community groups step up to help rural agencies’ disaster recovery
Organizations like long-term recovery groups can help rural agencies get housing, financial, health care and food assistance to victims of natural disasters.
‘Brain gain’ in rural America and who is behind it
Young people leave their homes to explore and learn everywhere, not just in rural America. But rural spaces offer some unique advantages that inspire many to return and bolster their communities.
As COVID-19 emergency funding dries up, some rural schools may face a steep fiscal cliff in 2024
Lower-income districts are likely to face bigger budget reductions, along with districts who spent relief aid on teacher salaries and new faculty hires.
Rural employment edges back to pre-pandemic numbers
The number of jobs grew in November 2023, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Workforce shortages plague rural hospitals, legislation to address it stalls
Experts worry that without legislation incentivizing entry into various medical professions, rural healthcare systems will increasingly suffer from personnel shortages.
How governments are tackling medical debt
Medical debt can stymie communities’ economic mobility as unpaid hospital bills chip away at public dollars. That’s why local governments are looking to forgive residents’ medical debt, which experts say can be especially helpful for rural areas.
Rural counties dependent on recreation industry show best recovery from pandemic employment loss
Rural recreation counties added to their pre-pandemic employment numbers, but other rural economies struggled to recover.
Help for rural governments tackling the opioid crisis
The Reaching Rural Initiative helped officials in Harnett County, North Carolina, develop an opioid emergency response plan and a program to direct formerly incarcerated individuals to treatment.
A robust digital equity plan can boost rural broadband access
A new toolkit from a rural broadband association calls on local leaders to build partnerships, engage in community outreach, and emphasize digital literacy and cybersecurity skills among residents.
Study: Rural communities still at disadvantage when competing for federal grants
Despite efforts by the Biden Administration to level the playing field for low-capacity communities, applying for government funding remains a tougher challenge for rural communities.
For rural communities, broadband expansion is no single thing
Small communities trying to take advantage of massive federal funding now available for broadband expansion deal with multiple hurdles. Resistance from major providers is just one of them.
Study looks at climate change effects on rural electrical grids
Investigators from universities in South Dakota, Puerto Rico, Maine and Alaska are working together for the next four years to study severe weather events and electrical grids.
How will rural Americans fare during Medicaid unwinding? Experts fear they’re on their own
Rural residents face additional barriers to renewing their Medicaid coverage, including longer distances to eligibility offices, less access to the internet or a lack of health insurance counselors in their communities.
You might need an ambulance, but your state might not see it as ‘essential’
Ambulance services can receive state money once declared essential services.
