Rural health providers across the nation will receive more than $10.4 million to provide direct healthcare services to their communities. The HHS funding announced on May 2nd, as part of the Rural Health Services Outreach Grants program, will be used to meet a broad range of healthcare needs in rural areas.
These needs range from health promotion and disease prevention to expanding oral and mental health services. The emphasis is on service delivery through collaboration, adoption of an evidence-based or promising practice model, demonstration of health outcomes, and sustainability.
Funds to be distributed through HRSA within HHS, will go to 70 grantees to receive approximately $450,000 over a three years will address low income families and individuals, but also the elderly, pregnant women, infants, adolescents, minorities and individuals with special healthcare needs.
“Rural areas face unique issues and challenges,” said HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield, PhD, R.N. “That makes rural areas an ideal place to try to develop innovative solutions and create models that can be replicated elsewhere. As rural communities forge these systemic improvements, they set an example for the delivery of high quality healthcare regardless of where one loves across the U.S.”
For a list of grantees, go to www.hrsa.gov/about/news/pressreleases/120502rural.html.
