Rural Project Examples Addressing Healthcare needs and services

Updated/reviewed December 2022

Need: To lessen the impact of chronic disease and associated complications in North Carolina.
Intervention: Partners in Health and Wholeness, an initiative of the NC Council of Churches, is a faith-based program that integrates healthy living within congregations while offering financial support to launch or expand health initiatives. The program partners with faith communities in North Carolina to fund and support their health initiatives through collaborative partnerships.
Results: Since its founding in 2009, over 900 churches have become a part of the PHW, many in rural areas, and over 600 mini-grants have been awarded to congregations.

Updated/reviewed December 2022

Need: Public health departments in Colorado's rural San Luis Valley region desired to share public health services to improve health outcomes in the region.
Intervention: Six counties joined in a public health cross-jurisdictional sharing arrangement. The partnership has served as a forum for sharing and evaluating opportunities to improve health access and core public health services.
Results: The partnership has enabled health departments to share expertise and develop regional projects to provide a broader range of public health services.

Updated/reviewed October 2022

Need: Rural school children lack proper healthcare resources within the school setting.
Intervention: Health-e-Schools provides health services to students via telehealth using video conferencing and special equipment.
Results: Health-e-Schools increases access to primary healthcare, increases attendance in the classroom, and decreases the amount of time that parents or guardians must take off of work to bring their child to health-related appointments.

Added August 2022

Need: With the nearest hospital more than an hour away, the local community health center in rural Jackman, Maine struggled to maintain its ability to offer 24/7 care to due to staffing and budgetary challenges.
Intervention: Critical Access Integrated Paramedics provide urgent care to patients after hours and on weekends.
Results: The Jackman Community Health Center has been able to offer round-the-clock care to clinic patients, while also increasing the level of EMS service available to the community.

Updated/reviewed July 2022

Need: The Seneca Nation of Indians has experienced disproportionate rates of opioid, alcohol, and substance misuse.
Intervention: The Seneca Nation Government and Executives founded Seneca Strong, a recovery peer advocate program, with the goal of reducing substance misuse across the Nation.
Results: Seneca Strong has since grown in personnel and capacity to meet the needs of the Allegany and Cattaraugus territories of the Seneca Nation.

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.

Rural Project Examples: Healthcare needs and services