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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Health workforce

Sep 11, 2026 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposing to remove the availability of the up to 60-day discretionary grace period upon cessation of employment for individuals in certain nonimmigrant classifications. Comments are due by November 10, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 10, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) making corrections to the August 25, 2026, proposed rule titled "Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions."
Source: Federal Register
Sep 10, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced awards to 132 hospitals in 13 states through the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program. This will help eligible small rural hospitals maintain their workforce, sustain essential services, and strengthen patients' access to care.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 9, 2026 - New funding has been awarded to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as part of the state's Rural Health Transformation Program funding. Projects include the use of artificial intelligence that allow healthcare providers to identify areas of unmet need across the state and in their communities, as well as funding academic programs that give nursing students clinical experience and create new workforce initiatives.
Source: University of Louisiana Lafayette University News
Sep 8, 2026 - Describes an industry tours program for rural high school advisers in Missouri aiming to support them in adding similar tours for their rural students. Notes the improved employment outcomes for students and employers that participate in similar programs.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Sep 4, 2026 - Announces new funding awarded to support the development of 15 physician rural and tribal residency programs in 14 states through the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program. Since being established in 2019, the program has created 66 new rural residency programs and trained over 850 physicians.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 3, 2026 - Discusses physician workforce shortages both nationally and in one Alabama county. Describes the rural-specific impacts of the shortage and how an Alabama health system recruits to address area shortages.
Source: Huntsville Business Journal
Sep 2, 2026 - The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine has received $10 million to be used toward a program training primary care physicians in rural communities. 42% of Alabama's population lives in rural areas, and 16.4% of those are uninsured.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Sep 1, 2026 - The National Rural Health Association has trained 223 rural community health workers in Texas and Alabama to strengthen care for rural older adults through the National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative.
Source: National Rural Health Association
Sep 1, 2026 - Hawaii has received $58 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program to improve access to healthcare and strengthen services in rural and underserved communities. This includes $45 million for the University of Hawaii School of Medicine to administer workforce development programs and $13 million for the Hawaii Department of Health to acquire new ambulances and upgrade emergency communications systems.
Source: Kaua'i Now