RHIhub This Week - May 20, 2026
As an information clearinghouse on rural health issues, RHIhub provides access to a wide range of resources on relevant topics. Inclusion on RHIhub does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by RHIhub or the Health Resources and Services Administration.
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HealthScreen at UF HealthStreetAn initiative that offers no-cost screenings for chronic diseases in rural North Central Florida. |
Recently Added to the Online Library |
May 19, 2026 -- The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program is providing all states with funding over the next 5 years, to address rural health challenges. More than 60% of Health Professional Shortage Areas are in rural areas, and each state proposes to use at least some of the funding for healthcare workforce issues. Source: Bipartisan Policy Center Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Support Maternal Healthcare in Rural Communities May 19, 2026 -- Congresswoman Kim Schrier of Washington, along with representatives Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Jill Tokuda of Hawaii, and Darin LaHood of Illinois have reintroduced the Rural Maternity Options for Medical Support Act. This legislation would allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to count labor and delivery beds separate from acute care rooms, allowing hospitals to offer these services without putting their CAH status in jeopardy. Source: Office of Congresswoman Kim Schrier (WA) Q&A: Jim Checkel on How Farming Can Shape Rural Medicine May 15, 2026 -- Interview with former Mayo Clinic lead lab technologist Jim Checkel, who has developed a curriculum to train future rural healthcare providers and researchers. Since buying a Minnesota farm in 1992 Checkel has hosted over 12,000 people at events where students learn about agriculture-related topics, including mechanical injuries and diseases related to farming. Source: The Daily Yonder New ACS CAN Survey Finds More than Half of Cancer Patients and Survivors in Rural Communities Report Difficulty Affording Cancer Care May 13, 2026 -- A new survey by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) highlights the challenges rural cancer patients face in accessing screening, finding affordable care, and arranging followup treatment. Patient navigation services help address barriers to care in rural areas and improve quality of care. Source: American Cancer Society |
Funding to support states and tribes with implementing suicide prevention and early intervention strategies for youth up to age 24. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories Application Deadline: Jun 15, 2026 Sponsors: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Competitive Grants Funding to support projects that will increase the purchase of fruit and vegetables among low-income consumers who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by providing incentives at the point of purchase. Past awards have included projects that served tribal communities, rural and remote communities, or insular areas. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories Application Deadline: Jun 16, 2026 Sponsors: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Grants for fire departments, EMS organizations, and fire academies for equipment, training, personnel wellness programs, capital funding, and collaboration/regional communication efforts. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories Application Deadline: Jun 22, 2026 Sponsors: Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Indian Health Service Phase 2 Produce Prescription Pilot Program Funding to establish or expand programs that connect healthcare providers with food systems to provide fruits, vegetables, and traditional foods to eligible participants. Programs are expected to integrate clinical services with community-based food access strategies and community appropriate nutrition education that reflect community values and practices. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jun 22, 2026 Sponsors: Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) Loan repayment assistance for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment clinicians and community health workers to provide direct treatment and recovery support services in an approved SUD treatment facility. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jun 23, 2026 Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities Funding for Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) serving American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes and Urban Indian communities. TECs will conduct disease surveillance, research, and prevention; control of disease, injury, or disability; and assess the effectiveness of AI/AN public health programs. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Jul 13, 2026 Sponsors: Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Promise Neighborhoods Program Grants to support improvement in the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in the most distressed communities. Projects should work to ensure school readiness, high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of high quality services. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Letter of Intent (Optional): Jun 22, 2026 Application Deadline: Aug 6, 2026 Sponsor: U.S. Department of Education NOSORH Rural Health University: Financial Literacy for Nonprofit and Government Organizations An on-demand course designed for individuals without a finance background that introduces rural health professionals to the foundations of nonprofit and government financial literacy, equipping them with tools to read and interpret key financial statements. Participants will explore basic terminology, learn to navigate income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports, and apply insights to budgeting, grant management, and decision-making. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health NOSORH Rural Health University: Level I Fundamentals of Rural Grant Writing Level I of NOSORH's Grant Writing Institute is an on-demand webinar series that introduces the core elements of rural health grant development, including grant terminology, concept planning, and strategies for identifying rural health funding opportunities and resources. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsor: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health |
Presents information to determine if providers are eligible to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in the 2026 Performance Year. Includes information on the low-volume threshold criteria. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Date: 03/2026 Access to and Provision of Child and Youth Behavioral Health Services in the Rural and Urban U.S. Compiles findings from 9 reports on youth behavioral health in the rural U.S. Describes prevalence of behavioral health conditions, the youth behavioral health workforce, behavioral health licensure and reimbursement policy, and provision of youth behavioral health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density. Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center Date: 05/2026 CAH Financial Indicators Report: Summary of Indicator Medians by State Presents state and national median values of 30 financial indicators included in the Critical Access Hospital Measurement and Performance Assessment System (CAHMPAS). Provides an overview of each measurement and reports median values by state. Indicators represent seven areas of financial performance: profitability, liquidity, capital structure, revenue, cost, utilization, and other. Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team Date: 04/2026 Changes in Staffing, Resident Health, Closure, and Financial Performance of Rural Nursing Homes from 2017 to 2022 Examines changes in various characteristics of nursing homes, using data from 2017-2022. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and small/isolated rural areas. Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Date: 05/2026 Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2024 Presents an overview of the SNAP Program eligibility requirements and benefit levels. Provides detailed tables showing comparisons in rural-urban areas. Coverage includes October 2023 through September 2024. Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Service Date: 05/2026 Determinants of Rural Hospital Closures or Conversions in the United States Examines determinants leading to rural hospital closures or conversion to outpatient-only facilities. Provides data on hospital closures and conversions from 2012 to 2023 and analyzes potential determinants such as inpatient occupancy rates, ownership type, proximity to an urban county, profit margin, and more. Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Date: 05/2026 Economic Stability of Children, a Key Social Determinant of Health, in the United States: Differences by Rurality Presents a study exploring economic security as a social determinant of health for rural children. Compares rates of economic security for rural and urban children by three different measures: housing instability, food insecurity, and income inadequacy. Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Emma Boswell, Cassie Odahowski, et al. Location: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70164 Date: 05/2026 Governors' Policy Actions in Rural Health Workforce Describes policy actions taken by governors to advance healthcare career pathways, education and training, and recruitment and retention, as well as policies related to licensure and scope of practice. Includes examples from state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives. Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association Date: 05/2026 Innovation and Collaboration Help Drive Access to Capital in Rural Communities Discusses the role of nonprofits and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in securing capital funding to support rural communities. Highlights several capital funding resources for rural communities. Sponsoring organization: Fed Communities Date: 04/2026 A Look at New or Expanded Medicaid and Public Health Partnerships from 2025: Findings from A Survey of State Medicaid Programs Identifies themes from a survey of state Medicaid directors regarding new or expanded public health initiatives that were implemented in fiscal year (FY) 2025 or planned for FY 2026. Summarizes initiatives related to maternal and child health, child and youth mental health, opioid use disorder (OUD), lead screening, infectious disease, and workforce. Describes rural-related initiatives and examples throughout. Sponsoring organization: KFF Date: 05/2026 NTIA Data Explorer Interactive tool displaying data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Internet Use Survey on internet use, device use, non-use of the internet at home, household connectivity, and online activities nationally and by state. Includes options to present data as a map, chart, table, or fact sheet. Presents the option to view data by state and demographic characteristics, such as age group, employment status, and population density (metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and non-MSA status). Sponsoring organization: National Telecommunications and Information Administration REH: Key Staffing Considerations Describes key considerations to developing staffing plans for Rural Emergency Hospitals that balance operational needs and workforce stability. Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center Date: 05/2026 REH Testimonial Interviews Video series highlighting rural hospitals that successfully transitioned to Rural Emergency Hospital status and assistance that was provided by the REH Technical Assistance Center during the transition. Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center Tennessee's Community Health Worker Strategy Is Succeeding. Which State Will Be Next? Discusses the role community health workers (CHWs) can play in improving healthcare outcomes and addressing unmet needs in both rural and urban communities. Details Tennessee's state-funded implementation of a evidence-based CHW infrastructure, and highlights the outcomes over the first two years of the program. Explores how this approach could be implemented in other states. Author(s): Victor Wu, Brea Burke, Nikayla Boyd, et al. Location: Health Affairs Forefront Date: 05/2026 Trends in Medicare Advantage Quality for Nonmetropolitan Enrollees, 2019-2023 Examines quality of care in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by geography, region, and plan type. Analyzes average ratings of 2019-2023 MA plans on a 1-5 star rating scale according to metro, micro, or noncore rural location. Provides additional data on MA enrollments by rural concentration of contracts as well as star ratings by benchmark quartile and quality bonus capping. Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Date: 05/2026 Tribal Transportation/Transit Building Virtual Roundtable: Tribal Transit Facilities A recorded meeting focused on transit facility grants and how to manage facilities that support safe and reliable transit in tribal communities. Provides information on funding requirements and strategies for successful project implementation. Transcript available below description. Sponsoring organization: National Association of Development Organizations Date: 05/2026 |
Deadline: Aug 10, 2026 Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health Event Dates: Nov 12 - 13, 2026 Amana, IA Conference Website |
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