Rural Project Examples Addressing Populations - Rural Health Information Hub

Updated/reviewed September 2025

Need: To help veterans transition into civilian healthcare careers.
Intervention: MMAC and healthcare employers in urban and rural Virginia provide employment and education opportunities to veterans seeking civilian medical credentials.
Results: MMAC has been able to help 837 veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find healthcare employment.

Updated/reviewed September 2025

Need: An increased interest among young people to pursue a medical career in rural North Carolina
Intervention: Two medical students started a program that gives high school seniors medical academic training, mentor relationships, and hands-on experience in rural North Carolina facilities.
Results: Project PROMISE has 40 high school completers, 19 of whom are pursuing an undergraduate degree with an interest in studying medicine. Two students are currently in medical school, with plans to work in a rural area once finished.

Updated/reviewed September 2025

Need: To improve health outcomes in rural Appalachian Ohio.
Intervention: Schools as a Hub for Health promoted holistic wellness for the whole community by creating or bringing in programs that support physical, mental, and social health.
Results: The project gained administrator buy-in and facilitated the development of a variety of health-focused school-based programs.

Updated/reviewed August 2025

Need: To educate rural community members about Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and to support older adults with dementia and caregivers in need.
Intervention: A community group formed in Winnemucca, Nevada, to discuss topics like health, housing, social events, community improvement, education, and transportation for older adults. The group also provides outreach to older adults, caregiver support, and a variety of educational activities and events.
Results: The group's efforts have led to many changes for community welfare and safety as well as opportunities for education and activities.

Updated/reviewed August 2025

Need: To provide healthcare for children and adults at-risk for genetic conditions from the rural, uninsured Amish and Mennonite communities in southern Pennsylvania.
Intervention: A clinic that serves as a comprehensive medical practice for children and adults (primarily from the Amish and Mennonite communities) with rare, inherited, or complex disorders.
Results: In 2024, about 1,700 active patients with more than 480 unique genetic mutations were treated at the Clinic for Special Children.

Updated/reviewed July 2025

Need: To bring needed child care to rural Mercer County, North Dakota.
Intervention: A nonprofit cooperative provides part-time and full-time child care.
Results: ECCCC currently has about 75 children enrolled, but it had 86 children at the height of its enrollment history.

Updated/reviewed July 2025

Need: To develop a child and family well-being system that provides rural Texas communities with flexibility, authority, and adaptability to improve services and outcomes for children and families.
Intervention: SJRC Texas's division Belong is the lead provider for Community-Based Care (CBC) for Region 8, which encompasses 28 counties. Services include foster and kinship care, case management, and reunification services for those involved in the foster care system.
Results: Since October 2021, SJRC Texas | Belong CBC has served more than 2,150 children and young adults, and 834 youth have achieved permanency through family reunification or kinship care.

Updated/reviewed July 2025

Need: Suicide among veterans has been steadily increasing, and rural veterans have an increased risk of death by suicide compared to urban veterans.
Intervention: A program called Together with Veterans was formed to help rural communities address and prevent suicides among veterans. The initiative is veteran-led, collaborative, evidence-based, and community-centered.
Results: Data collection is ongoing.

Updated/reviewed June 2025

Need: Teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental health challenges in adolescent girls were concerns for members of Union Parish, Louisiana.
Intervention: Union General Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital, created the program It's a Girl Thing: Making Proud Choices to teach prevention, self-confidence, personal responsibility, and mental well-being to teen girls.
Results: Teen pregnancy rates in Union Parish have dropped by more than 40% since the start of the program, significantly exceeding the program's initial goal of 5%. Graduation rates have also increased. The addition of Together We Can Be Bully Free as an integral part of It's a Girl Thing has further expanded mental health support for participants.

Updated/reviewed June 2025

Need: Transportation to medical appointments for children and expectant mothers living in rural Alabama.
Intervention: Kid One Transport provides rides to medical appointments for clients who otherwise have no other means of transportation.
Results: The program has transported 477,880 children and expectant mothers to and from medical appointments. Children have recovered from life-threatening illnesses and are experiencing a higher quality of life.

Rural Project Examples: Populations