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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Populations

May 18, 2026 - Highlights the role of emergency medical services in Indian Country. The theme for this year's National EMS Week reflects teamwork and coordination that strengthen emergency care, improve outcomes, and help to save lives.
Source: Indian Health Service
May 18, 2026 - The University of Arizona's Center for Rural Health is helping organizations in rural and tribal areas apply for funds provided through the Arizona Rural Health Transformation Program. The Center has published a toolkit and can provide letters of support to organizations writing grant applications.
Source: Tucson Spotlight
May 15, 2026 - North Dakota is launching an initiative to support rural and tribal healthcare providers in implementing suicide risk screening, follow-up care, and improved referral pathways to mental health and behavioral healthcare services. About 164 North Dakotans died by suicide in 2025.
Source: North Dakota Health & Human Services
May 15, 2026 - Interview with former Mayo Clinic lead lab technologist Jim Checkel, who has developed a curriculum to train future rural healthcare providers and researchers. Since buying a Minnesota farm in 1992 Checkel has hosted over 12,000 people at events where students learn about agriculture-related topics, including mechanical injuries and diseases related to farming.
Source: The Daily Yonder
May 15, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking comments on forms related to the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (VIOMPSP). The information collected is used for VA to determine an applicant's eligibility to receive a scholarship award and compliance with program requirements. Comments are due by July 14, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 13, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking comments on the reinstatement of an information collection related to the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The information collected will be used by the VA to award grants under the SSG Fox SPGP and to assess services and compliance with the grants. Comments are due by June 12, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 12, 2026 - Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposing to remove requirements from the Head Start Program Performance Standards to restore local flexibility to Head Start programs and improve access to quality services. Specifically, this NPRM proposes to remove requirements related to wages and benefits that the Administration believes are not in line with the plain language of the Head Start Act. Comments are due by June 11, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
May 12, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Heartland Forward, a nonprofit organization focused on driving economic growth and stronger communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas. HHS and Heartland Forward will collaborate on initiatives to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality and strengthen care before, during, and after pregnancy.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
May 12, 2026 - A 5-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration has enabled Pennsylvania to launch the 'Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures' maternal health strategic action plan, focusing on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. Twenty-three rural counties in Pennsylvania do not have hospitals offering labor and delivery services.
Source: WVIA
May 12, 2026 - A University of Michigan study reports that the link between neighborhood disadvantage and cigarette use appears only in rural areas. Researchers said the pattern suggests weaker tobacco control policies and more permissive smoking norms in rural communities.
Source: Medical Xpress