This brief summarizes key challenges faced by the rural ambulatory safety net in delivering primary care and behavioral health services since COVID-19 and the policy changes that have been implemented in response to those challenges. It also offers state-level policy recommendations to improve rural-specific primary care and behavioral health care through sustaining and supporting the movement towards telehealth, addressing social needs, and advancing value-based payment and care.
This brief describes describes four key outcomes of the first phase of the Delta Center, which funded 12 state teams for its first cohort of the State Learning & Action Collaborative. Relationships built through the Delta Center helped support the safety net’s initial response to COVID-19 and will continue to contribute to greater alignment between primary care and behavioral health in future policy and practice changes.