Rural Project Examples Addressing Healthcare needs and services

Added March 2026

Need: To help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and home visiting programs reduce smoking rates in rural Yuba County, California.
Intervention: A five-year initiative helped FQHCs with integrating tobacco user identification and cessation referral protocols and helped home visiting programs with tobacco screening and family wellness education.
Results: FQHCs and family-serving agencies achieved systems-level change through comprehensive tobacco-free policies, human resources procedures, and client screening protocols.

Updated/reviewed March 2026

Need: Because early identification can impact the health and well-being outcomes of those with memory conditions, Florida's rural populations would benefit from access to screening followed by specialty referral for Alzheimer's Disease and other dementia types.
Intervention: A state university used a state health department grant to develop a cognitive impairment screening program in rural Florida areas that was administered by Community Health Workers. An additional grant provided rural primary care clinicians with a free online continuing education module covering cognitive impairment and dementia.
Results: At project completion, Community Health Workers had engaged nearly 600 participants to participate in health screenings and cognitive assessments, making about 1,300 referrals to community social and medical services.

Updated/reviewed March 2026

Need: Increase behavioral health access after a rural community suicide loss of 5 older men occurring in a 24-month interval.
Intervention: A Critical Access Hospital in Yoakum, Texas, created an inpatient and outpatient community-based behavioral health care model for area residents in need.
Results: Based on the original model's financially sustainable outcomes creating both inpatient/outpatient access, the model has matured with outpatient access now offering comprehensive Licensed Clinical Social Worker counseling services for age groups starting with teens and ranging to older adults.

Added March 2026

Need: To help North Dakotans with health challenges bridge financial gaps to promote independence and improve quality of life.
Intervention: North Dakota Association for the Disabled (NDAD) offers direct financial assistance, prescription medications, home modification, vehicle accessibility, and other resources to reduce out-of-pocket costs for essential medical needs.
Results: In 2025, NDAD loaned 6,005 pieces of healthcare equipment to 3,141 people for a savings of $576,634 and awarded $250,742 in funding to 30 organizations to assist individuals with disabilities or at-risk individuals.

Updated/reviewed March 2026

Need: The results of a 2013 county need assessment revealed that increased healthcare access would benefit the low resource areas of rural Hardin County, Ohio.
Intervention: With grant awards that included a 2015-2018 federal grant and in collaboration with local healthcare delivery systems, a rurally-located university pharmacy program's faculty and doctoral learners brought regularly scheduled pharmacist-led mobile clinic health services — ONU HealthWise Mobile Clinic — to the low resource areas of Hardin County, Ohio.
Results: In the decade since the original grant award, pharmacist-led mobile healthcare services' continued success has led to an expanded operation with a dual focus of providing both rural healthcare services and a setting to train rural practice-ready pharmacists. Additionally, interprofessional experiences for other healthcare profession learners have been added. In 2025, state-granted financial support allowed growth to include the purchase of a second vehicle expanding community pharmacy and telehealth services in surrounding rural counties.

Added March 2026

Need: To connect people with substance use, trauma, and other challenges to community and services in rural New York.
Intervention: The Recovery Café Camden offers shared meals, small-group discussions, hobby building, and connection to resources.
Results: Between January 13, 2025, and November 18, 2025, the Café recorded 370 participant engagements across Recovery Circles and 128 across School of Recovery classes.

Updated/reviewed March 2026

Need: More emergency medical service professionals in rural northwestern Wisconsin.
Intervention: In 2015, a collaborative effort of a State Office of Rural Health and a regional non-profit job training agency created a pipeline program offering 6-8th grade girls participation in a summer camp that provided an experiential setting demonstrating emergency medical services career opportunities.
Results: With a 10-year record of success and community support, in 2026, the program continues into its next decade with 20 participants per year.

Added February 2026

Need: To improve the recruitment and retention of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in rural northern California.
Intervention: A community of practice and grant program for advanced practice providers sponsored by the California Health Care Foundation and Partnership HealthPlan of California.
Results: Five rural clinics and one clinic network have joined the program and hosted fellows.

Updated/reviewed January 2026

Need: To reduce the number of overdoses and overdose-related deaths from opioids in rural Pennsylvania.
Intervention: ARMOT provides 1) case management and recovery support services to individuals with substance use disorders and 2) education and support to rural hospital staff, patients, and their loved ones.
Results: Since 2015, ARMOT has received over 2,956 referrals.

Updated/reviewed January 2026

Need: To promote mental health and prevent substance use disorders in rural Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.
Intervention: Coast to Forest strengthened local capacity through training, technical assistance, education, and community partnerships.
Results: Since the project's launch in 2020, it trained over 800 individuals across the Pacific Northwest in Mental Health First Aid, developed 100 county-level resource guides, organized a series of Community Conversations in five rural Oregon counties, and more.

Rural Project Examples: Healthcare needs and services