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Greetings from the Virginia State Office of Rural Health!
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Hero's Bridge
Hero's Bridge is dedicated to serving elderly veterans, aged 65 and older by bridging veterans to a better quality of life through age-specific and innovative programs. These services are available to our heroes wherever they call home, at no expense to them or their families.
Hero's Bridge Programs include:
Hero’s Bridge provides in-person services to veterans who live in Orange, Madison, Culpeper, Rappahannock, and Fauquier counties.
Subscribe to the Hero’s Bridge newsletter to stay current on how Hero’s Bridge is changing elderly veteran care.
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For more information and photos please visit the "Community Spotlight" section of the VA-SORH website.
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VA-SORH & Partner Updates |
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The 2023 VA-SORH Photo Contest is now open!
This annual competition closes October 20th.
The Virginia State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH) Photo Contest is designed to showcase the beauty of rural Virginia. Each of Virginia’s rural communities is unique with its own personality and beautiful scenery. Submit a photo that represents what you love most about rural Virginia to the 2023 VA-SORH Photo Contest!
Winners of the photo contest will be featured in the 2024 VA-SORH Digital Calendar Series and will be announced on November 16th, National Rural Health Day!
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VA-SORH Innovative Rural Programming Awards
The application cycle is OPEN NOW through October 31st!
For 30 years, VA-SORH has provided funding that bridges small, rural communities to state and federal resources with the goal of developing long-term solutions to address the root causes of rural health disparities. VA-SORH accomplishes this goal by awarding funds to grant sub-recipients or “grantees”. Each grantee utilizes the funding to implement innovative programming in rural communities across the Commonwealth.
Awards consist of annual grants that range in value from $1,000 to $20,000.
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National Rural Health Day 2023- Key Messages & Data Points
The Key Messages & Data Points resource is made available each year to educate various stakeholders on the realities of rural through stories and data. Though the statistics and facts presented in this resource do not tell the whole story, they are essential to understand when developing policies and programs that affect the health of rural communities.
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SORH Resource Center
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has compiled tools, insights, and partnerships needed to lead the way in advancing rural healthcare. This Resource Center is an evolving collection of curated resources focusing on Behavioral Health, Maternal Health, and Emergency Preparedness.
Registration for the 2023 Rural Summit is now open.
Join the United Way of Southwest Virginia for the 2023 Rural Summit! This event brings together leaders, practitioners, educators and community members to explore proven strategies for building resilient and prosperous communities.
Aron Ralston, adventurer, survivor, and writer will lead the opening Keynote, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Turning Adversity to Advantage” at the 2023 Rural Summit in Abingdon, Virginia.
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"Rural health at the center of new family medicine residency program"
With the applications underway and the first class of residents beginning in July 2024, the new VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program will train primary care physicians to meet the health needs of rural Virginians. During the second and third years of the program, residents will train at VCU Health’s Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, Va.
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Prepare for Flu Season
Flu season is approaching! VDH and CDC recommend yearly influenza (flu) vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older. September and October are the best times to get vaccinated against flu. Everyone should be vaccinated against the flu by the end of October every year.
Appalachian Diseases of Despair
This report provides information on Appalachian mortality disparities due to overdose, suicide, and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis among people ages 15-64. Utilizes data from the 2021 Multiple Cause of Death database broken down by Appalachian state, region, gender, and metropolitan or nonmetropolitan status.
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National Rural Health Updates |
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U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS)
New Task Force on Maternal Mental Health Announced
HHS recently announced the formation of a new task force to address critical needs in maternal mental health conditions and co-occurring substance use disorders. The Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, co-chaired by HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D. and Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., will identify, evaluate, and make recommendations to coordinate and improve federal activities related to data and health equity as well as identify and create a strategy to implement best practices around prevention, screening, and diagnosis; evidence-based intervention and treatment; evidence-based community practices; and communications and community engagement. There will be a focus on mental health equity and trauma-informed practices.
Health Resources & Services Administration
HRSA Look-Alike Initial Designation Technical Assistance
Health Center Program look-alikes are health centers that, like Health Center Program award recipients, improve the health of the nation’s underserved communities and vulnerable populations by expanding access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services. While LALs do not receive Health Center Program funding, once designated, they become eligible to apply for several beneficial programs:
Health Center Program LALs ensure access to comprehensive primary health care services that are responsive to identified health care needs, provide services to all persons regardless of ability to pay, and meet all Health Center Program requirements.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Teens Linked to Care Toolkit
Teens Linked to Care (TLC) was a multi-year effort designed to develop, assess, and implement prevention strategies for addressing substance use and sexual risk among youth in high-risk rural communities. The TLC Toolkit provides schools with instructions on how to implement a program to address youth HIV, STDs, pregnancy, mental health challenges, and high-risk substance use.
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Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
On Tuesday, September 12, the CDC released updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for everyone 6 months of age and older. The updated vaccines target currently circulating strains of coronavirus, including the X.B.B.1 variant. Visit the CDC's website for specific details on the updated COVID-19 vaccine for children, adults, and those with compromised immune systems.
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Upcoming Meetings & Webinars |
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Funding Opportunities & Resources |
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Virginia Department of Health Workforce Incentive Programs
The Commonwealth of Virginia offers several incentive programs to attract health professionals to Virginia’s underserved areas. These programs not only assist with paying down outstanding medical education debt but also afford individuals an opportunity to become part of a community and provide care to deserving populations.
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Virginia Youth Tobacco Use Prevention Grants
Application Deadline: October 23, 2023
Grants to prevent and reduce youth tobacco, nicotine, and vaping product use across Virginia. Funding may be used for classroom-based instruction and for projects designed to reduce disparities in young people who are at elevated risk for being impacted by tobacco and nicotine (including rural youth).
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Policy Fellows
Application Deadline: November 1, 2023
This is a nonpartisan fellowship program located in Washington, D.C., for midcareer professionals interested in increasing their expertise in health policy. The annual fellowship starts with an immersive three-and-a-half-month orientation period, followed by placement working as a senior advisor to an elected or appointed federal government official. Individuals with diverse and unique perspectives are strongly encouraged to apply, and the foundation has an interest in rural.
American Heart Association Food is Medicine Initiative
Application Deadline: November 6, 2023
This Request for Research Proposals (RFP) is focused on achieving high enrollment and engagement rates, and testing ways to achieve significant short-term changes in healthy eating behavior. Equity is central to this initiative, and applicants will be encouraged to use a patient-centered approach to study design. The research from this first RFP will build the foundation for future large-scale clinical trials. Ultimately, the initiative’s research aims to generate the definitive evidence needed to provide widespread coverage of food-based treatment options for the millions of Americans living with chronic disease.
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Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in Virginia
Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative (POWER)
The POWER Initiative targets federal resources to help communities and regions that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production.
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Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems Initiative (INSPIRE)
The INSPIRE Initiative addresses the substance use disorder (SUD) crisis across Appalachia by creating or expanding a recovery ecosystem that will lead to workforce entry or re-entry. Successful projects will support the post-treatment to employment continuum, which could include investments in healthcare networks that support SUD recovery professionals, recovery-focused job training programs, as well as initiatives designed to coordinate, or link, recovery services and training that support the recovery to work ecosystem, among others.
Virginia Mass Casualty Incident Management Training Funds Program
Application Deadline: Ongoing
In an effort to streamline course funding, the VDH Division of Emergency Operations has partnered with the Division of Education and Development to develop a contract based program. Information is provided to assist you in requesting a course and applying for funds.
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Training and Mentoring
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Training to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for clinicians in high-need communities. Clinicians who complete the training may be priority applicants for some NHSC loan repayment programs, and qualified disciplines can become eligible for the Loan Repayment Program Continuation Contract MOUD Award Enhancement.
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Southeast Rural Community Development Loan Fund Program
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loan Fund Program provides community development loans to local governments, public service authorities, user associations, nonprofit organizations, and other community entities for the development and/or construction of large-scale community projects.
Loans may be used for:
- Building a new water/wastewater treatment facility
- Installing water/wastewater laterals for a low-income development/neighborhood
- Repairing/replacing water storage tanks
- Other valuable community development projects, including housing and healthcare facilities
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US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Office of Rural Health Funding Programs
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Funding, technical assistance, and mentoring for rural VA facilities to implement promising practices and/or enterprise-wide initiatives.
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Rural Promising Practices - Field-tested, innovative projects that meet ORH criteria demonstrating improved access to care for rural Veterans
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Enterprise-Wide Initiatives - Expand national VA program offices’ access to health care efforts to sites that serve rural Veterans
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This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number 5H95RH00138 State Office of Rural Health. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
Virginia State of Office of Rural Health
Virginia Department of Health Office of Health Equity
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