Over the last 10 years, more than 129 rural and community hospitals have closed their doors, with the highest number in 2019. The current COVID-19 pandemic is certain to accelerate this rate of insolvency, so it is important to revisit the role of these vital providers in their respective communities. Without answers to important questions, the continued loss of these hospitals may jeopardize the health of rural residents and devastate communities across the country.
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The allure of being a child social worker in a rural area is strong. Social workers who decide to work in smaller communities may forgo an abundance of resources to support families, but they gain slower-paced, socially supportive neighborhoods with strong connections to the natural environment. So what happens during a first-in-our-lifetime pandemic in communities already lacking in resources? It gets complicated.
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