Home-School Pathways

Teachers who are informed about the children, families, and communities where they teach are better prepared to share resources and advocate for gaps in literacy and other services in rural communities. Despite the importance of home-school partnerships for children's academic success, aspects of parent involvement and community engagement are often omitted from teacher preparation programs. As a result, many new teachers do not feel adequately prepared to work with families. A variety of strategies are needed for teachers to successfully engage families from diverse cultures and in communities where they teach but not live. Included in this chapter are practices that university teacher preparation programs can initiate to better train teachers to look for engagement opportunities in their school communities.

Developing University-School Partnerships to Support Students and Teachers in Rural Schools

This chapter examines the potential for positive impact from partnerships between rural school districts and universities, currently underexplored and overlooked. The challenges facing rural schools offer opportunities for school districts and university partners to develop, organize, and implement strategies for productive collaboration. Examining the rural, educational landscape through the lens of children in poverty, this chapter offers a view of urgency for educational reform. This chapter examines the challenges of high-poverty, rural schools; the rationale for building university-school partnerships with rural schools; insight into building trust with rural school leaders and teachers; and suggestions for developing practical programs which benefit children in rural poverty. Practical suggestions for improving the quality of the educational experiences of children in poverty are included in this chapter.

Causes and Implications of the Opioid Crisis in Rural America

The purpose of this chapter is to outline the history and development of the opioid crisis; to identify impacts to rural America; to elaborate on the implications to individuals, families, and communities; and to identify resources for these communities. The level of use, misuse, and impact of opioids on communities has caught national attention and has been labeled a national crisis. The opioid epidemic has hit rural communities especially hard with community members citing opioid abuse as the biggest problem in their communities. To better understand the current epidemic, it is important to understand historical trends in relation to opioids and opioid related substances; the War on Poverty; the recession of 2007; job loss; and the shifting of urban/rural divide politically, financially, and economically. The flooding of opioids into these communities impacted every system, with layered consequences.

Housing Insecurities and Homelessness Among Children and Unaccompanied Youth in Rural Appalachian Communities

Homelessness may have a profound impact on a child's physical, socio-emotional, and/or cognitive development. Cultural context may further exacerbate the impact of such circumstances. Past literature confirms that the Appalachian culture is distinct from mainstream America, suggesting that various interventions, including mental health treatment, may not be received similarly or have the same impact as they would in other communities. This chapter addresses how to support children and unaccompanied youth facing homelessness or housing insecurity within rural Appalachian communities. Existing research addresses the developmental consequences of homelessness; however, there is limited literature dedicated to understanding how the unique context of the Appalachian culture may affect these conditions. The aim of this chapter is to provide educators, counselors, and similar professionals with an overview regarding how to best support homeless children and unaccompanied youth within Appalachian communities.

Finding Strength in the Struggle

Poverty is an intersectional issue, as children; women; men; people of color; people who identify as lesbian, gay, or transgender; and immigrant groups are all prone to experience the multifaceted impact of poverty. People who live in rural poverty are likely to experience more severe and persistent mental health disorders. This chapter provides an overview of how rural poverty impacts the mental health and wellbeing of diverse children and families. The authors discuss issues faced by residents living in rural poverty and provide multiple strength-based strategies that behavioral service providers can use to provide culturally relevant mental healthcare in impoverished rural communities. Lastly, the authors offer suggestions for future research.

Advocacy and Ac­tion in Appalachia Aimed at Adverse Childhood Experiences

Rural Appalachia faces extreme poverty-linked hardships, often referred to as ‘social determinants of health'. One social determinant of health often linked with rural poverty is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs refer to numerous experiences (e.g., forms of abuse and maltreatment, a dysfunctional household, mental illness in the household, etc.) that one encounters before the age of 18. Local leaders of a county in the heart of Appalachia in northwestern North Carolina (Watauga) embarked on a community level initiative (Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative) aimed at preventing and treating the effects of ACEs and building resiliency. This chapter delves into the academic research related to ACEs and poverty and details the background and ongoing story of the Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative, concluding with lessons learned and insights into what other rural communities can focus on when addressing ACEs, poverty, and other social determinants of health.

Stemming the Opioid Crisis With Three-Year-Olds in Rural America

The opioid crisis occurring within rural communities of America is inflicting a devastating effect on individuals, their families, and children. This amplifies a gap in the available support for families in rural communities. The national, state, and local responses to the needs have been inconsistent and uncoordinated, demanding a critical and appropriate frontline response from those who spend the most time with the youngest and most vulnerable. This chapter describes the urgency of this crisis with information about the effects of opioid and substance abuse disorder on maternal-fetal health and young children. It identifies the role of early childhood professionals as frontline responders to support children and families affected by trauma associated with opioid and substance abuse disorder.

Health Challenges for Rural Families

This chapter discusses the key health challenges faced by rural families, the major national policies and programs for rural health, and the process and political context of policymaking for rural health. It first provides an overview of the health condition in rural areas and health disparities as well as their linkage to poverty in rural communities, followed by an overview of the existing government health policies and programs for rural areas and a critical analysis of the federalist system in health policymaking. Then it offers a brief overview of the American federalism and major decision-making models for health policy and discusses their application to health policy decision-making in the United States. The last part concludes by providing policy recommendations for addressing health challenges for rural families and children. It is hoped that this chapter will help professionals in social, health, and human services understand the complexity of addressing health challenges faced by many rural families and children through policy and program interventions.

Providing Post-Secondary Options for Low-Income Students in Rural Schools

As the number of students living in poverty continues to grow, schools are being tasked with finding ways to provide opportunities for life in the post-secondary world. Financial barriers often restrict these students from entering college or technical schools. In Texas, many schools are using the early college high school model to provide students with college credit at no cost to the student. Additionally, career and technical education programs coupled with the District of Innovation designation are allowing schools to provide students with work related experience and skills that will allow them to enter the skilled labor market upon graduation. This chapter explains the framework of these programs and how they are providing students of poverty with opportunities to be successful after high school, while facing their current financial struggles. Along with the benefits provided to students, the schools and communities are also feeling the benefits of these programs.

Capacity-Building in Rural Communities Through University-School Partnerships

This chapter examines the impact of successful university-school partnerships on the growth and achievement of children whose families live in rural poverty in Appalachia. It describes two different university-school initiatives carried out in rural counties in East Tennessee. Part one of the chapter details the process of building a county-wide literacy team following a needs assessment by university faculty and with ongoing university support; part two details the implementation of family math and stem nights across rural counties in the region.