Exploring Rural Health

Today’s podcast features an interview with Xiomara Owens, PhD, Director of Behavioral Health Aide Training at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Tonya Horn, PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation in the Behavioral Health Program at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. They explain the flexibility of Alaska’s Behavioral Health Aide program and how it can be adapted to serve communities in other parts of the country.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/ak-behavioral-health-oct-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Alycia Bayne, Associate Director for Public Health Research at the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. She shares highlights from a resource she recently helped to develop, Practical Guide to Supporting Innovation in Rural Health, published on RHIhub’s website.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/innovation-guide-sep-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Kelsea O’Leary, Behavioral Health Program Manager for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. She tells us about how the Recovery Is Possible program’s physicians and social workers team up to ensure continuity of care for tribal citizens, during and after incarceration. Part 3 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s work winning second place.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/choctaw-care-continuity-aug-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Amanda Kennedy, manager of the Mercy Virtual Substance Use Recovery Program. She tells us about Mercy’s award-winning RCORP-funded virtual outreach program and the obstacles they have overcome to provide seamless care to patients with substance use disorder. Part 2 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Mercy vSURP’s work winning third place.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/recovery-care-jul-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Lincoln County Ambulance District Chief Ray Antonacci and Battalion Chief Sarah Czarnecki. They tell us about an award-winning RCORP-funded initiative allowing them to administer buprenorphine to incarcerated individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms. Part 1 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Lincoln County Ambulance's work winning first place.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/jail-opioid-treatment-jun-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Casey Balio, PhD, research assistant professor at the East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research, and Betty Bekemeier, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. They share new insights about the rural public health workforce from their recent article published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/public-health-workforce-may-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Kathy Griffis, Chief Operating Officer of Titus Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, TX. We learn about how they have developed routines and protocols to reduce violence and ensure safe healthcare environments for their staff and patients.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/workplace-violence-apr-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Chris Laman, Vice President of Strategy at Columbia Memorial Hospital. We learn about the importance of developing and maintaining the rural allied health workforce.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/allied-health-mar-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Joe Theine and Jen Gero, MD. We learn about community-based recruiting and how it benefits providers and patients alike.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/recruiting-feb-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Dwain Harris, Chief Executive Officer of the National AHEC Organization, along with Brianna Sheppard, PhD, Director of West Virginia Area Health Education Centers, and Meredith Lair, Executive Director of the Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center. We learn about Area Health Education Centers and how they help to ensure consistent healthcare professional workforce availability in rural areas.
The transcript and a list of resources and organizations mentioned in the episode can be found at:
https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/podcast/ahecs-jan-2026
Exploring Rural Health is an RHIhub podcast.