Rural Reporter

  • How EHR Use Informs Safe Opioid Prescribing
    The need to better track the use of prescription narcotics has become increasingly apparent in the wake of the national opioid crisis. Moving beyond the "prescription pad" model is one big step to stemming the easy availability of opioids. Electronic monitoring programs enable prescribers to look up complete patient histories through electronic health record histories. And prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) use vast databases in order to verify prescription histories. Eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in meaningful use — now rebranded as "promoting interoperability" — are incentivized to use these features. (Source: EHR Intelligence; Image: angela_sleeping on Flickr) More »
  • What's Really Driving Obesity?
    In public health we hear a lot about the impact of obesity on health. Two root causes -- eating more and declining rates of exercise and exertion -- are often listed as the primary reasons. But author and columnist George Monbiot looked at the data, and found that the main change in habits has been a rocketing rate of sugar consumption. His conclusion? Food processors have taken a similar route that Big Tobacco did, and have followed a similar denial pattern after the fact. (Source: The Guardian; Image: Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash) More »
  • CMS Announces Final Payment Rate Changes and Rules
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published several final payment rate changes and rules for Fiscal Year 2019, related to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and inpatient psychiatric facilities.  Skilled nursing facilities and non-Critical Access Hospitals swing beds will experience an overall payment rate increase of 2.4 percent ($820 million), or 2.5 percent for rural areas. In addition, the current case-mix system will be replaced by a new system called the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM), which is projected to increase payments to small and rural SNFs and non-CAH swing beds.  Hospices will see an overall payment increase of 1.8 percent ($340 million), or 1.9 percent in rural areas. In addition, physician's assistants will now be recognized by Medicare as attending physicians beginning in 2019. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities will see a payment rate increase of 1.3 percent ($105 million), and will also see changes to several quality reporting factors.  Inpatient psychiatric facilities will see a payment rate increase of 1.3 percent ($50 million), and the payment adjustment for IPFs located in rural areas will continue. 
  • Maternal Mortality Task Force Seeks Data
    Due to the small absolute number of maternal deaths in rural states, it's been difficult for researchers to make specific, data-driven policy decisions on birth outcomes and maternal mortality in rural areas. Recently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists started a new initiative to collect data on rural maternity care and deaths. The initiative is needed now more than ever, as the availability of women's and neonatal medical personnel shrinks in rural communities.  The Maternal Mortality Task Force will collect and analyze data on rural maternity care and deaths in twelve states, as well as in Guam, American Samoa, Alberta, British Columbia, and Central America. (Source: Contemporary OB/GYN; Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash) More »
  • What Does Dollar General Mean for Rural Areas?
    Dollar General stores are often found in rural areas, and in places where residents often cannot access fresh produce. The chain is the fastest-growing retailer in the United States, and it's targeting rural towns by offering basic goods at cheap prices. Some towns object to the corporation's move into their communities, which often put local stores out of business. (Source: The Guardian; Image: NeONBRAND on Unsplash)  More »
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  • Service Area Competition (Deadline: 08/21/2018)
    HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care  is soliciting applications for the Health Center Program’s Service Area Competition (SAC). The Health Center Program supports public and private nonprofit community-based and patient-directed organizations that provide primary health care services to the Nation’s medically underserved populations. The purpose of the SAC notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to ensure continued access to affordable, quality primary health care services for communities and vulnerable populations currently served by the Health Center Program.  Eligible applicants are public or nonprofit private entities, including tribal, faith-based, or community-based organizations. Funding »
  • Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants (Deadline: 08/27/2018)
    The Farm Labor Housing program provides low interest loans and need-based grants to develop affordable housing for year-round, migrant, or seasonal domestic farm laborers. The primary use of the funds includes construction, improvement, repair, and purchase of housing for domestic farm laborers. Funding may also be available for buying and improving land, purchasing household furnishings, and paying construction loan interest. Eligible applicants include farmers, associations of farmers, and family farm corporations; associations of farm workers and nonprofit organizations; state and local governmental entities; federally recognized Tribes. Individual requests may not exceed $3,000,000. Funding »
  • SAMHSA Tribal Opioid Response Grants (Federal) (Deadline: 08/24/2018)
    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for funding to address the opioid crisis in tribal communities by increasing access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using one of the three FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder.  The intent is to reduce unmet treatment need and opioid overdose related deaths through the provision of prevention, treatment and/or recovery activities for opioid use. The program supplements current activities focused on reducing the impact of opioids and will contribute to a comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic.  Tribes will use the results of a current needs assessment if available to the tribe (or carry out a strategic planning process to conduct needs and capacity assessments) to identify gaps and resources from which to build prevention, treatment and/or community-based recovery support services. Grantees will be required to describe how they will expand access to treatment and recovery support services as well as advance substance misuse prevention in coordination with other federally-supported efforts.  Grantees must use funding to supplement and not supplant existing opioid prevention, treatment, and/or recovery activities.  Grantees are required to describe how they will improve retention in care, using a chronic care model or other innovative model that has been shown to improve retention in care.  The deadline for this award has been extended until August 24th, 2018.  Award Ceiling:    $50,000,000. Grantor contact:  Eileen Bermudez Office of Financial Resources, Division of Grants Management Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (240) 276-1412 FOACSAT@samhsa.hhs.gov Funding »
  • Behavioral & Social Research Networks in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias (Federal) (Deadline: 02/01/2019)
    This funding opportunity from the National Institutes for Health (NIH) invites applications to provide infrastructure support for advancing development of specific high priority areas of behavioral and social research of relevance to Alzheimers disease and related dementias. The infrastructure support will facilitate research networks through meetings, conferences, small scale pilots, short term educational opportunities (such as intensive workshops, summer institutes, or visiting scholar programs), and dissemination to encourage growth and development of specified priority areas and build resources for advancing aging-relevant research in the field at large. Eligible applicants are: Native American tribal organizations, federally-recognized Native American tribal governments, nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, small businesses, county governments, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, private or public or  state controlled institutions of higher education, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, state governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and others (see "eligibility" section). Award Ceiling:    $250,000. Funding »
  • Rural Hospital Leadership Award (Deadline: 08/31/2018)
    The American Hospital Association’s Rural Hospital Leadership Award recognizes small or rural hospital chief executives and administrators who have achieved improvements in local health delivery and health status through their leadership and direction. The Award is designed to provide professional development and educational opportunities to outstanding chief executives and includes a $1,500 stipend to offset the cost of attending an AHA educational program.  Funding »
  • Compeer Financial’s Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program (Deadline: 08/31/2018)
    Compeer Financial’s Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program supports rural communities in their service area by funding emergency response equipment for volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments.   Funding is available up to $3,000 for emergency response equipment.  The application period is August 1 through 31. Funding »
  • Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants (Deadline: 10/01/2018)
    The Clif Bar Family Foundation is accepting applications to its fall Small Grants program.  They’re looking for projects that create a robust, healthy food system or increase opportunities for outdoor activity, among other areas.  This opportunity will award up to $7,000 and is offered throughout the year. Awards are offered throughout the year.  Funding »
  • Medica Foundation Non-Profit Core Mission (Deadline: 08/24/2018)
    The Medica Foundation is accepting applications for its community health program.  Funding is directed towards programs that demonstrate the potential for measurable improvement in the availability, access and quality of health care. Funding of up to $5,000 will support health-related programming that is core to the organization’s nonprofit mission.  Eligible counties: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce, Polk, Sawyer, St. Croix and Washburn.  Funding »
  • Rural Cancer Research (Deadline: 09/19/2018)
    The National Institutes of Cancer seeks two types of applications to improve the quality of cancer care in rural areas:  1) observational research that includes pilot testing of intervention to understand and address predictors of cancer care/treatment and outcome in rural low-income and/or underserved populations, or 2) intervention research to address known predictors of cancer care/treatment and outcomes with these populations.  Funding »
  • Strengthening STD Prevention (Deadline: 08/30/2018)
    State, local and territorial health departments are eligible for total funding of $475 million to prevent and control three major sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Funding »
  • Walmart Community Grant Program (Deadline: 12/31/2018)
     The Walmart Foundation is accepting applications through its Community Grant Program.  They will award grants up to $5,000 to support local nonprofit organizations within the service area of individual Walmart stores in the areas of hunger relief and healthy eating, medical screening, treatment, social services, and public safety equipment, among other topics.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until December 31. Funding »
  • Alliant Energy’s Hometown Challenge Grant (Deadline: 09/01/2018)
    Alliant Energy’s Hometown Challenge Grant awards matching grants up to $2,000 for one-time, safety-related purchases for communities served by Alliant. Eligible purchases include equipment and tools for first responders, including EMS, such as Jaws of Life and PPE.  This opportunity is offered several times throughout the year. Funding »
  • Mary Kay Foundation Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program (Deadline: 04/30/2019)
    The Mary Kay Foundation awards grants to emergency women's domestic violence shelters. The funds may be used for the operating expenses. The Foundation will award a grant to at least one shelter in every state that applies, and many grants have gone to rural areas.  Funding »
  • Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects (Ongoing) (Deadline: 09/01/2018)
    This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Most state and local governmental entities, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes may apply. Applications for this program are accepted year round through Wisconsin's Rural Development office. Email inquiries to RD.BCP.SO@wi.usda.gov.  Funding »
  • Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects (Ongoing) (Deadline: 10/01/2018)
    This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Most state and local governmental entities, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes may apply. Applications for this program are accepted year round through Wisconsin's Rural Development office. Email inquiries to RD.BCP.SO@wi.usda.gov.  Funding »
  • Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects (Ongoing) (Deadline: 11/01/2018)
    This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Most state and local governmental entities, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes may apply. Applications for this program are accepted year round through Wisconsin's Rural Development office. Email inquiries to RD.BCP.SO@wi.usda.gov.  Funding »
  • Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects (Ongoing) (Deadline: 12/01/2018)
    This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Most state and local governmental entities, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes may apply. Applications for this program are accepted year round through Wisconsin's Rural Development office. Email inquiries to RD.BCP.SO@wi.usda.gov.  Funding »
  • Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Deadline: 09/30/2018)
    The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Farm Bill Broadband Program) furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas. Eligible entities may be either a nonprofit or for-profit organization intending to provide services in an eligible rural area. Funding »
  • Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees (Deadline: 10/01/2018)
    USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees provide financing for telephone and broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Funding is available for entities that provide telecommunications in qualified rural areas, including state and local governmental entities, federally recognized tribes, and non-profits. Eligible areas are towns with a population of 5,000 or less, and areas without telecommunications facilities or areas where the applicant is the recognized telecommunications provider are eligible. Applications for this program are accepted year round through the national office.  Funding »
  • Alliant Energy Partnership Programs (Deadline: 09/30/2018)
    Alliant Energy Partnership Programs award funding to communities in Iowa and Wisconsin in certain priority areas, which include professional development, workforce development, community development, and retention marketing and recruitment. Applicants must be located in or provide services to populations in Alliant Energy's service area. Funding »
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