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Greetings from the Virginia State Office of Rural Health!
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Eastern Shore Health District 24/7 outdoor AED project
The Eastern Shore Health District, with support from the Virginia Department of Health, is in the process of installing a total of 23 SaveStations in public spaces throughout the counties of Accomack and Northampton. The current project will expand to include the placement of 3 additional AED cabinets on Tangier Island. According to SaveStation this will be the largest installation of outdoor 24/7 access AEDs in North America. SaveStations are designed to house any AED and provide critical education about CPR and how to use an AED so that the public feels confident to quickly take action in an emergency. These 24/7 accessible SaveStations are being placed in parks, schools, athletic fields, marinas, and other places where people congregate outdoors!
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VA-SORH & Partner Updates |
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VDH Naloxone Distribution to Community Partners
ATTENTION: Authorized comprehensive harm reduction sites, community services boards, local health departments, first responders, public schools and high priority community partners serving high-risk populations are ELIGIBLE TO OBTAIN NALOXONE AT NO-COST from Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
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VDH Internship Academy
Application Deadline: January 31, 2024
The VDH Internship Academy is a structured 10-week program that allows current or recent students to explore what it is like to work at VDH. Interns will work directly within a program area or at a local health department on projects where they'll be immersed as part of the team.
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Advancing Rural Health: Utilizing State Rural Offices and Plans to Create Healthier Communities
February 6, 2024 from 1-2 PM ET
Rural America and rural Americans experience unique needs and challenges and rural communities in each state have unique health care needs. All 50 states have a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) and many have created state rural health plans to address their states’ rural health needs and challenges.
This webinar will discuss the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and the process of two states: Pennsylvania and Virginia, that recently developed or updated their state rural health plans.
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Call for Speaker Proposals: 2024 SORH Regional Partnership Meetings
Submission Deadline: January 19, 2024
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), in collaboration with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), is excited to announce the call for speaker proposals for the 2024 SORH Regional Partnership Meetings. These meetings are a cornerstone in addressing rural health needs and enhancing opportunities for our communities.
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Oral Health Workforce Gap Assessment
Virginia Health Catalyst's Future of Public Oral Health Taskforce has released the Oral Health Workforce Gap Assessment, a critical step towards ensuring all Virginians have access to the oral health care they deserve. This report, developed by a team of experts, provides valuable insights into our state's workforce needs and outlines clear recommendations to address existing inequities.
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Recovery Court: "All Rise!" Judges Join Drug Defendants in Court-Sponsored Fitness Program
"Two judges in rural Southwest Virginia are integrating fitness training into an incarceration diversion program. Instead of heading to jail, some people who are facing charges related to substance abuse disorder can participate in a structured fitness program. The preliminary results are promising, say the judges."
New Survey Examines Motivations of Volunteers at Rural Festivals
A new survey found that "people are more likely to volunteer and support community development if they have a strong sense of psychological ownership" highlighting the important role of volunteers and community involvement in rural events.
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National Rural Health Updates |
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Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
Grants 101 Virtual Workshop for Organizations Servicing Hispanic/Latino Communities
January 16-18, 2024 from 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM ET
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) invites you to a Grants 101 Virtual Workshop for organizations serving Hispanic/Latino communities.
Topics at a Glance:
- HRSA Programs and Funding Opportunities
- Federal Grants Application Process
- Tips for Writing a Strong Application and Applying for Funding
- Technical Assistance and Resources
All workshop sessions will be broadcast in Spanish with live interpretation to English.
HRSA Notice of Updated HPSAs
On January 2nd, HRSA published a notice of its updated list of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The list of HPSAs is available here. You can also look up your area, population, or facility here to see whether it is a designated HPSA. The list includes all HPSAs in a designated status as of December 2, 2023. This supersedes the list that HRSA published in July 2023 and removes all HPSAs that were proposed for withdrawal and did not meet the requirements for designation as of November 15, 2023.
US Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Information Session on the IRA Catalytic Program
The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) is set to launch a "catalytic program" in early 2024 to support health care providers and especially safety net organizations in taking advantage of tax credits, grants and other supports made available by the historic Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
More details on the initiative were provided during a November 30th information session, which is now available in recorded form.
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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 Health Care Foundation Health Access Grants
Application Deadline: January 16, 2024
Most VHCF grants work to increase access to healthcare for uninsured Virginians and those who live in areas with limited access to care. Barriers to healthcare access take many forms and can be caused by a variety of factors. Grant applicants are encouraged to develop initiatives in the following areas based on their local needs:
- Developing or Expanding Capacity
- Establishing a Broader Scope of Services
- Accelerating Licensure of Behavioral Health Professionals
- Creating Local Coordinated Systems of Care
- Conquering the Consequences of COVID-19
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Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program
Application Deadline: January 31, 2024
Applications are being accepted to receive two years of technical assistance through this FORHP-supported program for rural hospitals struggling to maintain health care services. Technical assistance for this project is provided by the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, and will begin March 2024.
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Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)
Application Deadline: February 26, 2024
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a New Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to educate and train the health and supportive care workforces to care for older adults by collaborating with community partners.
The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) aims to have applicants maximize patient and family engagement to address care gaps and improve health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care and other appropriate specialties using the Age-Friendly Health Systems Framework.
Rural Emergency Medical Services Training
Application Deadline: March 20, 2024
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will award up to $200,000 per year for a two-year program to recruit and train Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in rural areas with a focus on addressing substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders (COD) of substance use and mental health. Recipients of the federal funding will be expected to train EMS personnel on SUD and COD, as well as trauma-informed, recovery-based care for people with such disorders. Eligible applicants are rural EMS agencies operated by a local or tribal government (fire-based and non-fire based) and rural non-profit EMS agencies.
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Rural Health Care- Healthcare Connect Fund Program
Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
The Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program provides a 65% discount on eligible broadband connectivity expenses for eligible rural health care providers (HCPs). You can apply as an individual health care provider or as a consortium, i.e., a group of HCPs that can be both rural and non-rural.
Rural Health Care- Telecommunications Program
Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
The Telecommunications (Telecom) Program provides reduced rates to rural health care providers (HCPs) for telecommunications and voice services for the use of telemedicine and telehealth. Eligible services are discounted at the difference in cost between urban and rural areas in your state.
Grants and Technical Assistance for Coal Communities Applying for Federal Funding
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Funding and technical assistance to help coal communities submit competitive federal applications for community-led transition projects. Priority will be given to projects that are led by and serve low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities most impacted by the transition.
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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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