NYSARH Rural Health Briefs

NYSARH Rural Health Briefs

Searchable database of policy and issue briefs
NYSARH engages with issues that matter to rural health stakeholders across New York State by developing policy briefs that explore timely and impactful topics. These briefs synthesize available data and prior research to provide clear, evidence-informed summaries of key rural health challenges. They also identify practical policy levers and opportunities for action that can drive meaningful, system-level change in rural communities.
Date Author(s) Topic(s) Title / Brief
09/2025 Abigail Duvall Opioid Treatment Administrative Barriers Cripple Implementation of Mobile Opioid Treatment in Rural New York
09/2025 Abigail Duvall Mobile Medication Increasing Access to Opioid Treatment Through Mobile Medication Units in Rural New York
09/2025 Samantha Ballas Stroke Time is Brain: Improving Rural Stroke Outcomes Through Timely Access to Care Policy Brief
09/2025 Samantha Ballas Stroke Time is Brain: Improving Rural Stroke Outcomes Through Timely Access to Care Issue Brief
07/2025 Grace Gugerty Obstetric Care Rural ED Obstetric Emergency – Policy Brief
04/2025 Grace Gugerty Access to Care Rewriting the Birth Plan: The Role of the Emergency Department and EMS After Rural Hospital Obstetric Unit Closures
09/2024 Natalie Toro Diversity Bridging the Diversity Gap in Rural Healthcare by Recruiting Underrepresented Minority Physicians
08/2024 Mitchell Brooks HIV Supporting HIV Prevention in Rural New York State
08/2024 Natalie Toro Workforce Supporting Underrepresented Minority Physicians in Rural Residencies
08/2024 Vuong Hoang Perinatal Health Nowhere To Go: Perinatal Health in Rural New York
07/2024 Namita Kulkarni Youth Mental Health Gaps in Youth Mental Health Infrastructure in Rural New York
07/2024 Namita Kulkarni Youth Mental Health Rural Youth Mental Health
06/2024 Mitchell Brooks HIV Prevention Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Remains Inaccessible for Those Most in Need
01/2024 Parna Shakouri Health Disparities Health Disparities Across New York’s Rural Counties
07/24/23 Gregory Forlenza Mental Health Mental Health Workforce Shortage in Rural New York State
07/26/22 Alison Coates Disparities Potential Effects of Rural Hospital Affiliation with a Health Network

Policy Briefs FAQ's

NYSARH is building a set of issue related documents and tools to assist members and stakeholders in better educating their communities, organizations, and lawmakers about timely topics relevant to rural health in New York State. The types of documents we produce include:

    • Issue Briefs: 5-8 page papers that include a problem statement, and summary of known data and research on the topic, an identification of policy challenges or opportunities, and a set of policy recommendations.
    • Research Briefs: 3-4 page papers introducing a topic, summarizing what we know on that topic from national data and research, and using available state data to contextualize the issue to rural New York State.
    • Policy Briefs: 2-3 page papers framing an issue within the policy context of New York State, identifying allies and audiences for advocacy, identifying state and federal policy levers related to the topic, and providing policy recommendations for future education and advocacy work.

Our existing policy briefs have been written by participants in some of NYSARH’s educational endeavors: our NYSARH Research and Policy Fellowship, Upstate Institute Field School collaborations with Colgate University, and other student internship opportunities. Are you interested in producing a brief for NYSARH? Please contact us to discuss your ideas for topics and policy opportunities.

Authors of our documents work closely with members of NYSARH’s education and policy committees to ensure that their products reflect the views and values of NYSARH and support its mission. Research papers are reviewed and approved by the Education Committee. Policy papers are reviewed and approved by the Policy Committee. Issue Briefs are reviewed and approved first by the Education Committee, then by Policy. All documents are reviewed and approved by the full NYSARH Board of Directors before being made available as a NYSARH brief.

Many of the topics are identified through the Policy Committee’s annual priority setting for the legislative agenda. At times, relevant issues arise as state or national policy changes bring them to the fore. If you would like to suggest a topic that you believe NYSARH should explore in future briefs, please let us know and email at info@nysarh.org

We welcome diverse participants and viewpoints in our process in order to enrich our understanding of rural health issues and how they impact our communities and stakeholders. There are several ways that you can be involved in the production of NYSARH briefs:

  • Participate in NYSARH’s Education Committee 
  • Participate in NYSARH’s Policy Committee
  • Volunteer your content expertise to inform a future brief
  • Apply for NYSARH’s Research and Policy Fellowship
  • Volunteer to mentor or advise a Research and Policy Fellow
  • Collaborate on experiential learning opportunities with and for your students (independent studies, capstones, class projects, etc.)