Rural Project Examples Addressing Healthcare needs and services

Updated/reviewed July 2026

Need: To reduce suicide and substance-related deaths in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Intervention: The Care and Support program provides support through phone calls, cards, and text messages to those who have called suicide helplines or were referred by a healthcare provider.
Results: In 2025, the FirstLink Care and Support program sent 2,731 cards and texts to program participants and made 12,949 total contacts.

Added July 2026

Need: To improve kidney care for patients in rural Indiana.
Intervention: A nurse-led, interdisciplinary kidney care program redesigned clinical workflows to identify patients earlier, provide education, address barriers to treatment, and support informed decision-making.
Results: From 2023 to 2025, 80% to 92% of patients received Kidney Care Options education before initiating kidney replacement therapy.

Updated/reviewed July 2026

Need: To provide blood transfusions in the ambulance on the way to a hospital.
Intervention: The Montana Interfacility Blood Network includes 48 healthcare facilities that stock blood and allow ambulances to pick up units of blood while transporting a patient.
Results: Since its launch, the network has helped numerous patients.

Updated/reviewed June 2026

Need: To reduce youth suicide rates.
Intervention: First begun in Utah, Hope Squad is a nationwide program that trains youth to identify peers' signs of distress and connect them to help. Hope Squads educate the entire student body to increase connectedness and reduce stigma.
Results: Studies suggest that Hope Squad schools' students with suicidal thoughts are more likely than non-Hope Squad schools' students to solicit help. In addition, stigma surrounding mental illness is decreasing.

Updated/reviewed June 2026

Need: To provide affirming, destigmatized healthcare and support to thousands of Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness – and prevention services for individuals at risk of contracting HIV.
Intervention: Positively Living & Choice Health Network provides services including a medical clinic, pharmacy, therapy, case management, client services like housing aid and transportation, HIV prevention, and a harm reduction program.
Results: The program currently serves over 6,000 individuals and families through its offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Cookeville and its mobile medical unit for rural communities in Cocke and Claiborne counties.

Updated/reviewed June 2026

Need: To improve students' access to behavioral health services in rural North Carolina.
Intervention: North Carolina Project ACTIVATE provides three tiers of behavioral health supports in the school setting.
Results: The six pilot sites (Cohorts 1 and 2) have created or revised 91 mental health policies, and 53,170 school-based and related employees have received training in different topics and protocols.

Added June 2026

Need: To provide rural first responders with training in Mental Health First Aid.
Intervention: A statewide training program created by the Rhode Island State Office of Rural Health and the state Emergency Medical Services (EMS) office.
Results: Every rural fire department in Rhode Island received training.

Added May 2026

Need: To provide chronic disease screening and follow-up services to people in rural North Central Florida.
Intervention: A mobile health program that hosts screenings at community events.
Results: The program has seen at least 225 people per quarter.

Added May 2026

Need: To make sure patients with chronic conditions are educated about, and able to manage, their medical prescriptions and care.
Intervention: A rural primary care-based program that uses a multidimensional team approach to connect rural patients with clinical pharmacists via telehealth.
Results: More than 250 patients have participated in the program.

Updated/reviewed May 2026

Need: To connect patients to resources in order to reduce use of emergency services, emergency department visits, and hospital readmissions.
Intervention: Patients receive support (by in-person visit, phone call, or telehealth visit) from a paramedic, community health nurse, peer recovery specialist, and pharmacist.
Results: Between July 2016 and March 2024, the program made 1,098 patient contacts and continued to see a reduction in emergency department and inpatient visits and costs.

Rural Project Examples: Healthcare needs and services