Rural Project Examples Addressing Schools - Rural Health Information Hub

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 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: Union Parish, a rural county in Louisiana, continues to experience elevated rates of youth suicide, bullying, mental health challenges, and risk behaviors, as confirmed by a 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).
Intervention: Union General Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital, started a program to educate students grade 4 through 12 on the negative effects of bullying, to foster positive social behavior, and to provide mental health support through school-based interventions.
Results: Over 3,500 students have learned how to recognize, report, and respond to bullying. The program's integration with broader community health priorities has strengthened mental health, reduced suicide attempts, and improved awareness of youth risk behaviors.

Updated/reviewed April 2025

Need: To reduce teen dating violence in middle schools, high schools, and youth organizations by promoting healthy relationship behaviors and fostering a culture of respect among adolescents.
Intervention: Jana's Campaign offers prevention programs, including curricular and co-curricular activities, to highlight the 'red flags' and underlying causes of unhealthy dating relationships.
Results: Since 2013, 677 middle and high schools and more than 102,350 students in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and Washington State have benefited from these programs.

Updated/reviewed August 2024

Need: Before 2000, Butte and southwest Montana saw around 1,300 cases of child abuse a year, with only a 20% conviction rate for perpetrators of sexual abuse.
Intervention: Multiple agencies in the community came together to address the issue of child abuse by forming the Butte Child Evaluation Center (CEC), a Children's Advocacy Center.
Results: During a 3-year grant cycle, over 200 interviews and exams were performed on victims of sexual abuse and the Butte CEC became the first program in Montana to be accredited by the National Children's Alliance.

Added August 2024

Need: To increase access to preventive dental care among children living in rural Arizona.
Intervention: A nonprofit organization formed to offer free, school-based preventive dental services to children in two rural Arizona counties.
Results: Throughout the 2023-24 school year, Tooth B.U.D.D.S. provided preventive services to 1,710 students in rural Graham and Greenlee Counties. Program staff use a telehealth platform to connect children to local dentists for follow-up care.

Added July 2024

Need: To increase the future healthcare workforce in rural Minnesota.
Intervention: Montevideo Medical Academy helps students explore healthcare career options and gain college credit.
Results: So far, 25 students in the program have attained 170 college credits, 55 certifications, and 304 hours of clinical experience.

Updated/reviewed May 2023

Need: To encourage children to make healthy eating choices through learning and tasting.
Intervention: Brief, fun, and informative presentations and tastings for children on over 42 different fruits and vegetables.
Results: Participants are exposed to new foods and show more interest in healthy eating.

Updated/reviewed March 2023

Need: To increase students' levels of physical activity, engagement in learning, and academic achievement.
Intervention: With The Walking Classroom, students take a brisk walk as a group while listening to a kid-friendly, custom-written educational podcast that aligns with the curriculum.
Results: Children increase their activity level while learning academic content, building health literacy, and developing healthy lifestyle habits to prevent obesity and improve cognitive function and retention.

Rural Project Examples: Schools