Healthcare Innovation recently wrote about how the federal Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) is making $2.8 million in grant funding available for the Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program. Now HRSA has detailed a series of other initiatives, including grant funding to plan a Rural Northern Border Region Network in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

HRSA announced nearly $140 million in new funding available to improve health in rural communities, underscoring the agency's commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes.

The network program seeks to improve healthcare delivery in the regions by supporting the development of integrated health networks among rural hospitals, primary care clinics, behavioral health providers, and other essential healthcare organizations. Networks can include groups of healthcare organizations (such as rural hospitals or clinics). HRSA is particularly interested in networks and proposed networks that include both hospitals and clinics.

In addition to the Delta and Northern Border networks, another funding opportunity will provide $3 million for the Rural Health Network Advancement Program, a pilot initiative to support networks comprised of independent rural hospitals and clinics in integrated network collaboration. 

It bridges support to offset small-scale structural barriers that make it difficult for rural providers to compete in an increasingly consolidated healthcare system landscape and is designed to help bring economic efficiencies to small independent rural entities by expanding and enhancing their ability to strengthen operations, preserve existing services, and build new lines of care through integrated network collaboration that preserves local autonomy.

“These funding opportunities support state and local organizations that understand their communities’ unique needs and are best positioned to deliver solutions,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels in a statement. “By strengthening rural healthcare systems, expanding access to quality care, investing in telehealth innovation, and supporting the rural health workforce, HRSA is helping ensure that people living in rural America have the opportunity to lead healthier lives and that their communities remain strong for generations to come.”

HRSA is also announcing two funding opportunities that will strengthen access to care through telehealth and technology-enabled collaboration, helping rural communities connect to high-quality healthcare services regardless of geography.

Funding opportunities include:
• $4.275 million for the Technology-enabled Collaborative Learning Program, which will support the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning to improve retention of health care providers and increase access to health care services in rural and underserved areas and populations.
• $5.4 million for the Telehealth Nutrition Services Network Grant Program, which will support telehealth networks that improve access to quality healthcare services through telehealth technology. This program will use telehealth nutrition services to help prevent and manage chronic diseases.

HRSA is making $64 million available for rural substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services. The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) is a multi-year initiative that supports rural communities in addressing substance use disorder — including opioid use disorder — by expanding prevention, treatment, and recovery services where they are needed most.

More than $11 million is available to expand medical residencies in rural communities. The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program provides start-up funding to establish new, accredited, and sustainable rural residency programs. Expanding rural residency training increases the likelihood that physicians will practice in rural communities, helping address persistent workforce shortages.