Rural Health Models and Innovations Funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
A collection of rural health projects that received support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy:
Other Project Examples
Rural Experiences for Health Professions Students (REHPS)
Updated/reviewed July 2023
- Need: An ongoing shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas of South Dakota
- Intervention: A 4-week summer program placing health professions students in rural communities.
- Results: Of graduating participants, 71% practice in South Dakota with 30% of those graduates practicing in rural communities with populations fewer than 10,000, or veteran facilities.
MIST: Mothers and Infants Sober Together
Updated/reviewed May 2023
- Need: To address the needs of pregnant women who are using substances and infants born into drug-positive families.
- Intervention: The Mothers and Infants Sober Together (MIST) program assisted mothers who used substances in getting treatment and provided a safe, drug-free home for themselves and their newborn.
- Results: MIST has helped mothers find treatment and education and has helped children grow up in safe and healthy homes.
FORWARD NM Pathways to Health Careers
Updated/reviewed November 2022
- Need: New Mexico's southwestern counties of Hidalgo, Catron, Luna, and Grant have experienced chronic shortages of primary care providers. New Mexico has the oldest physician population in the country.
- Intervention: A comprehensive workforce pipeline program, including programming for middle and high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, primary care program students, and medical and dental residents.
- Results: The program reaches over 1,000 school-aged students throughout the service areas and provides support for students and medical residents in a variety of healthcare-related programs for rural rotation experiences. FORWARD NM received its designation as an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in 2012.
The Adolescent Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program
Added October 2018
- Need: Prevention of type 2 diabetes in adolescents living in rural parts of Louisiana.
- Intervention: Through screenings, the Adolescent Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program detects the onset of prediabetes. Through nutrition and physical activity education, the program teaches high school students and staff how to adopt healthy lifestyles.
- Results: The program has seen an increase in enrollment and continues to see decreases in body weight, body mass index, and A1C levels among participants.