Small & Rural Provider Committee’s Purpose

1. Bring together providers serving small towns and rural communities to share experiences, strategies, and challenges unique to the rural practice system.

2. Identify policy, workforce, and funding solutions that support sustainability and access to behavioral health services in rural areas.

3. Foster collaboration song members to strengthen service delivery through shared learning, partnerships, and innovation.

4. Elevate the voices of rural providers within CBHA’s statewide initiatives to ensure equitable representation and impact. 

Current Initiatives

• Gathering Data About Rural Practice

In its infancy, the Small & Rural Providers Committee is focused on gathering data about the unique challenges and benefits to rural practice. This data-gathering process will be crucial to educate legislators, state departments, and other officials about the quantifiable differences between rural and non-rural practice. 

• Studying Transportation Solutions

Lack of reliable non-emergency transportation for clients remains one of the most pressing challenges facing rural providers. The Small & Rural Provider Committee is studying how this lack of transportation limits access to care and ways to increase access to reliable transportation for clients. 

• Expanding Access to Telehealth Services

Telehealth is a crucial tool for rural providers to ensure individuals across their service region have access to care. CBHA filed legislation (SB 1480) to ensure crisis care can be delivered via telehealth where requested to supplement and enhance in-person response.

Small & Rural Provider Committee Meetings

CBHA’s Small & Rural Provider Committee meets every other month. These meetings are open to CBHA Members only. To access the member-only Small & Rural Provider Committee with a directory and feature to chat with peers, login here.