Rural communities have substantial strengths despite having less economic wealth, human capital, and physical capital (e.g., buildings, Internet) than urban communities. Rural communities also face a number of challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, unemployment, and lack of education–which are of particular concern because these are linked to child maltreatment.
Child Poverty Higher and More Persistent in Rural America (PDF - 2,744 KB)
Shaefer, Mattingly, & Johnson (2016)
National Issue Brief #97
Analyzes specific areas where high rates of child poverty has persisted throughout the last three decades.
Families in Crisis: The Human Service Implications of Rural Opioid Misuse (PDF - 948 KB)
National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (2016)
Discusses the opioid epidemic’s effect on the health and social service infrastructures. This resource also includes recommendations for service providers in rural communities.
Families Influences on Health and Well-Being of Rural Children in Low-Income Households
Rural Families Speak About Health Project (2016)
Highlights family factors that affect child development and overall health in rural communities.
The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2011–2012 (PDF - 4,958 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (2015)
Presents indicators of the health and well-being of children in rural communities.
Rural Natives’ Perceptions of Strengths and Challenges in Their Communications (PDF - 864 KB)
Ulrich-Schad (2013)
Carsey Institute
Shares the perspectives of Native Americans and Alaska Natives on the socioeconomic and environmental state of their communities.