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September 4, 2025

ORHPC September Newsletter

• Important Dates
• MDH and ORHPC News
• Grants and Funding
• Opportunities and Resources

Important Dates

Sunday, Sept. 21:
Deadline for National Rural Health Day video submissions

Share your voice for rural health care! Minnesota's rural communities need strong health care advocates. Help us create powerful video vignettes by recording a short clip answering any of these questions:

1. Why is rural health care important in Minnesota?
2. How can people support rural health in Minnesota communities?
3. What does rural health mean to you?

We want to hear from:  Health care professionals, students in health programs, rural community members, or any rural health care advocates

It's easy!

• Record on your phone
• Keep it under 10 seconds
• Choose the question that speaks to you
• Submit by Sept. 21 via email to orhpc@state.mn.us

Your clips will be featured in video vignettes shared on ORHPC channels leading up to National Rural Health Day!

Tuesday, Sept. 30:
Deadline for Minnesota Rural Health Award nominations

Do you know someone who has made a significant contribution to improving the health of people in rural Minnesota? We want to hear about them! Nominations for the 2025 Rural Health Awards are now open. Please make your nominations by Tuesday, September 30, for the:

• Hero Award – nominate an individual
• Team Award – nominate a team or group of people
• Lifetime Achievement Award – nominate an individual  

Nominees can have contributed to rural health in any capacity—in a paid position or as a volunteer, as a health care provider or administrator, through policy development or in practice. Areas of impact could include, but are not limited to, health care and health programs, rural health policy, legislation, rural health equity, improved patterns of health care delivery, cooperative efforts, achieving efficiencies to avoid duplication of services and reach common goals, education, and a lasting impact on people and areas served. If you have any questions, please contact health.orhpc@state.mn.us.

Thursday, Nov. 20: National Rural Health Day

We are excited to celebrate the #PowerOfRural this National Rural Health Day! Join us in honoring rural America's resilience and the dedication of healthcare professionals to meet rural health needs. Discover more at powerofrural.org.

MDH and ORHPC News

Data Corner

This July, Medicaid celebrated its 60^th anniversary. Signed into law in 1965, Medicaid began assisting low-income families, older adults, and people with disabilities in accessing health care. Sixty years later, it remains a lifeline for rural America. As highlighted in the ORHPC June Newsletter, rural Minnesotans are more likely to have public health insurance coverage. Across Minnesota, the largest portion of enrollees are children, at 42%. Comprehensive data on those covered by Medicaid and MinnesotaCare is available through the Minnesota Department of Human Services By the numbers / Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Figure 1 credit: By the numbers / Minnesota Department of Human Services By the numbers / Minnesota Department of Human Services

Medicaid helps ensure families can see a doctor, fill prescriptions, and access preventive care. According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services in 10 Ways Minnesota Medicaid Matters to You (PDF), “children who have access to Medicaid have better health in adulthood, greater attendance during school, lower high school dropout rates, increased college attendance, and pay more in taxes as adults compared to adults who lacked health insurance as children.”

Rural residents experience higher rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and substance use disorders. Medicaid provides coverage for treatment, preventive services, and mental health care that helps manage these conditions.

As Medicaid turns 60, its role in rural health is more vital than ever. It supports families, sustains hospitals, strengthens the health workforce, and provides a pathway to healthier communities. For rural Minnesota, Medicaid is not just a health insurance program—it’s an investment in the future of small towns and farming communities across the country.

Additional resources on Medicaid in Minnesota from the Department of Human Services:

• Medicaid Matters: We're all healthier when we're all covered (PDF)
• Medicaid Matters: Investing in Minnesota's health care (PDF)
• Historic Cuts to Health Care Will Impact Every Minnesotan (PDF)
• Summary of Medicaid provisions in the 2025 federal reconciliation bill (PDF)

MDH releases new video highlighting Tribal-led recovery housing

Housing is the foundation of public health. Without a safe place to sleep and live, overcoming other challenges like substance use can feel nearly impossible—especially for people leaving incarceration. But in some communities, culturally empowering, recovery-based approaches can make things much easier.

The State of Minnesota and its Tribal partners are committed to training incarcerated people as peer recovery specialists and investing in innovative housing programs like Anishinaabe Endaad in the White Earth Nation.

Learn about Anishinaabe Endaad and recovery housing at Anishinaabe Endaad or 218-208-6613.

Explore opportunities for peer recovery specialist training:

• Minnesota Recovery Connection
• Native American Peer Recovery Services Training
• Minnesota Certification Board

Access harm reduction support from the MDH Syringe Service Provider Calendar. Find more stories—and free naloxone—on KnowTheDangers.com.

Click the image to watch the video on YouTube.

Grants and Funding

Minnesota health care loan forgiveness for hospital nurses

Applications are now being accepted from registered nurses working in direct patient care at nonprofit hospitals and public hospitals in Minnesota.

More details and link to the online application can be found at Minnesota Hospital Nurse Loan Forgiveness Guidelines.

The application is open through Monday, Oct. 6. Applications for other professions will open in November. Please contact health.loanforgiveness@state.mn.us with any questions.

Mental Health Safety Net Grant

The Mental Health Safety Net Grant provides funding to community mental health centers, clinics or nonprofit community mental health clinics designated as an essential community provider that serve uninsured youth under age 21. 

More details and link to the online application can be found at Mental Health Safety Net Grant.

The application is open now, with the letter of intent due Friday, Sept. 26. Full applications are due Wednesday, Nov. 5. Please contact health.SafetyNetGrants@state.mn.us with any questions.

Dental Safety Net Grant

The Dental Safety Net Grant supports eligible dental providers who serve the uninsured. More details and the link to the online application can be found at ORHPC Grants and Funding.

The application is open now, with the letter of intent due Monday, Sept. 29. Full applications are due Friday, Nov. 14. Please contact health.SafetyNetGrants@state.mn.us with any questions.

Opportunities and Resources

Stratis Health Opioid Addiction in Rural (SOAR) Education and Treatment ECHO Series

ECHO Topic: Buprenorphine in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Wednesday, Sept. 10
12:15 PM to 1:15 PM

Presented by: Isaac Marsolek, MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation – Pain Medicine HealthPartners Park Nicollet

Facilitated by: Kurt DeVine, MD, FASAM and Erin Foss, RN, CARN as part of the Stratis Health Opioid ECHO Team

Register for Project ECHO: Stratis Health Opioid Addiction in Rural (SOAR) Education and Treatment ECHO by Stratis Health | iECHO

Please email Kstangl@stratishealth.org with questions.

Workforce Solutions Series 

The Workforce Solutions Series is a series of presentations and panel discussions that tackle current workforce challenges, including accessing support from workforce development professionals, collaborating across sectors, and recruiting and retaining a rural workforce.

• Session #1: Who’s in Your Corner?
  Thursday, Sept. 18
  Explore the wide range of workforce development services and support available to employers on the Iron Range. From recruitment to training to funding, this session will highlight how public and nonprofit partners can help you meet your workforce needs—and how to build lasting relationships with the people who are ready to help.
• Session #2: Collaboration Across Sectors
  Thursday, Oct. 9
  How do we better align education, training, and real-world hiring needs? This session will focus on closing the region’s skills gap through micro-credentials, apprenticeships, and targeted training. Hear how employers and institutions are working together to grow talent pipelines—and how you can get involved.
• Session #3: The Evolving Workplace and Rural Opportunity
  Thursday, Nov. 13
  From remote work to flexible scheduling to generational change, the workplace is evolving—and rural communities have an opportunity to lead. This session will examine how Iron Range employers are adapting to the future of work while staying rooted in place. Learn about innovative practices that support resilience, retention, and belonging.

Sessions will be held at the Mt. Iron Community Center (8586 Enterprise Drive S, Mt. Iron).

The agenda for each session:

11:00 AM - Doors open (lunch available)

11:30 AM - Presentations and discussion

1:00 PM - Adjourn

Register today at Workforce Solutions Series Registration - The Northspan Group, Inc.

Responding with compassion: Trauma-informed care for older adults across cultures

As Minnesota’s population becomes increasingly diverse, it is important to understand the cultural and historical experiences that may affect older adults. Join Central Minnesota Council on Aging (CMCOA) for an in-person training that will include collective definitions of trauma, historical trauma, and cultural humility to set a shared foundation. This will be convened through a combination of presentations, real-life examples, and a live panel discussion. The format is designed for practical application in both professional service settings and volunteer engagement.

Training objectives:

• Understanding foundational trauma-informed care principles
• Recognizing shared and culturally specific trauma among Tribal elders, LGBTQ+ older adults, and new immigrant elders (Somali focus)
• Applying communication, service delivery, and organizational strategies with cultural responsiveness
• Identifying one key action you will take to integrate trauma-informed principles into your role/position

Monday, Sept. 29
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Resource Training & Solutions (137 23rd Street S, Suite 201 in Sartell)

Space is limited, register today! Trauma-Informed Care for Older Adults Across Cultures

Partnering for sustainable local health care

The Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program (TTAP) offers comprehensive technical assistance to rural hospitals to address financial and operational challenges and maintain essential health services for their communities.

Four hospitals will be selected to receive intensive one-on-one technical assistance from consultants to address prioritized financial and operational needs. Priority will be given to hospitals with the greatest demonstrated need and readiness to engage in in-depth technical assistance. All hospitals will need to apply to be considered. Hospitals that applied last year but were not selected are encouraged to apply again.

All applicant hospitals that are not selected for the intensive technical assistance cohort will still be eligible to receive selected operational and financial performance assessments and participate in all training and webinars and training activities, such as the leadership development program, the LEAD Academy. 

Learn more about TTAP – Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program. The brief program application Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete.

The application deadline to be considered for this cohort is Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Connecting health care facilities with qualified candidates

3RNet is a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas. The Healthcare Jobs in Rural and Underserved Areas | 3RNET website helps healthcare professionals connect with job opportunities in rural and underserved communities. Each state has a designated member responsible for managing job postings. Medi-Sota, Inc. is the lead agency managing the MN 3RNET database.

Medi-Sota is a rural health care consortium of 38 rural health care organizations in Minnesota. Organizations outside the Medi-Sota membership can utilize 3RNet for job postings under two different fee structures.

MDH-subsidized fee for eligible facilities:

• $500 per year for unlimited postings and custom database search of 3RNET candidates
• Eligible Facilities:
  • Healthcare facilities with fewer than 100 staff (clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.)
  • FQHC-designated locations
  • Independent, single-purpose healthcare facilities (not part of a franchise or healthcare system) including pharmacy, vision, dental, hearing, birth centers, etc.
  • Chiropractic, holistic, functional medicine, other clinics

Standard fee:

• $1,500 per year for unlimited postings
• $250 per custom database search

For Medi-Sota membership and recruitment support, email Pam Lehmann, Healthcare Recruiter at recruiter@medi-sota.org today!

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) promotes access to quality health care for all Minnesotans. We work as partners with policymakers, providers, and rural and underserved urban communities to ensure a continuum of core health services throughout the state.

651-201-3838

health.orhpc@state.mn.us

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