New NEPA Nonprofit Aims to Help People Heal in the Outdoors 

Wild Wellness NEPA is a new local nonprofit promoting outdoor activity as a foundation for physical and mental healing.

Backed by the Luzerne Foundation, Wild Wellness NEPA is looking to collaborate with other organizations in the area.

Some studies suggest that time in nature reduces stress and helps with various illnesses.



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Philadelphia Now Has a Mental Health Walk-In Clinic

Philadelphia is unveiling its first urgent care facility for mental health next month.

Funded by Merakey, a regional behavioral health organization, the sensory-conscious urgent care will provide psychiatric evaluations, counseling services, and prescription refills.

This comes as a response to the record-high demand for mental health care that the region is facing, where facilities such as these can bridge the care gap for at-risk communities.



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What This Year’s State Budget Means for PA’s Rural Areas

Officials in rural Pennsylvania report that the state’s $47.6 billion is being allocated to agriculture, healthcare, and workforce development.

Especially in regards to healthcare and workforce, officials hope that bolstering these areas will help to address a shrinking population in coming years.

Spotlight PA discusses what made it into the state’s final budget, and what that means for rural communities across the state.



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Native American Public Health Officials are Stuck in Data Blind Spot

Health workers for Native American communities claim that they are being restricted by state and federal agencies for data access.

The Indian Health Care Improvement Act requires that the federal Department of Health and Human Services grant access to health information distributed to other state officials; however, many tribal healthcare workers say that this is not what is happening.

KFF Health discusses the current barriers to accessible health information in tribal communities, and the repercussions that data blind spots cause. 



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New Recompete Awards Seek to Jump-Start Economic Renewal from Rust Belt to Rural Places

A new round of recompete awards are aiming to spread economic development nationally, from urban to rural business programs.

The recompete outline is long-term and flexible grants that allow rural and urban communities to have an equal chance at growth and opportunity.

Brookings Research discusses the record-high demand for recompete grants, their structure, and how investing in rural communities is more important than ever. 



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The Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Accessibility Act: What's in the Bill

Last month a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the Unemployment Insurance Integrity and Accessibility Act.

This Act is an improvement upon certain weaknesses in ARPA funding, and seeks to better serve workers, employers, and administrators.

The Bipartisan Policy Center breaks down what the bill includes, and what is means for future relief funding.   



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