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Happy New Year!
The new year is a chance for a fresh start. As we begin the year, we’d love your feedback to help us create newsletter content that’s engaging and useful to you. Please take a moment to share your thoughts with us.
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Policy & Advocacy
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USDA announces New Rural Designation Data
The USDA announced an update to the Food and Nutrition Service Rural Designation Map for the summer meal programs, effective Jan. 1, 2026. This update reflects new releases of the federal data sources used to define rural areas in the summer meal programs.
For more information on rural designations and the data sources used to define rural in the summer meal programs, please reference USDA’s policy memo on the topic.
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Rural Health Policy Documents
NRHA advocates for policy positions developed by the association’s membership on behalf of rural health stakeholders. Find NRHA's annual policy agenda, policy briefs, background papers, and more here.
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New 2025 - 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2025-2030 that represents a major reset in federal nutrition guidance, reframing dietary recommendations around whole, minimally processed foods, higher protein intake, and limits on added sugars and highly processed products. These guidelines also reflect a philosophical shift in how nutrition science is evaluated and communicated at the federal level.
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Celebrating the opening of Stuart Community Hospital
 Spirits were high in Patrick County on Monday, January 5, 2026, as Stuart Community Hospital officially reopened for emergency and inpatient care.
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Career Connection
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VDH 2026, Cohort 4 Internship Academy
The VDH Internship Academy is a structured program that allows current or recent students to explore what it is like to work at VDH. You’ll work directly within a program area or at a local health department on projects where you’ll be immersed as part of the team.
The program is for students from a broad range of backgrounds, accounting to graphic design, and of course, public health! We’re looking for interns to work closely with public health programs, as well as other areas of criticality, such as finance/accounting, human resources, communications, and technology. There’s something for most everyone within VDH!
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3RNET Find Mission-Minded Health Professionals
3RNET is the Nation’s Most Trusted Resource for Health Professionals Seeking
Careers in Rural and Underserved Communities. It is the job board when it comes to rural and underserved opportunities for over 300 different health care professions & specialties.
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Virginia Primary Care Office
The Virginia Primary Care Office (PCO) housed in the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity supports the primary care workforce in the state through shortage designations, recruitment and retention activities, and administration of scholarship and loan repayment programs.
Visit the Virginia HPSA dashboard for Virginia Mental Health, Virginia Dental Care and Virginia Primary Care.
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Health Workforce Incentive Programs
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) offers a variety of impactful programs to attract primary health professionals to underserved areas of Virginia.
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Rural Aging in Place Toolkit – Rural Health Information Hub- The toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations implementing aging in place in rural communities across the United States.
Rural America at a Glance: 2025 Edition- Provides an overview of social and economic factors affecting rural America, with a focus on population migration, poverty, and employment. Includes county-level maps as well as metro and nonmetro comparisons.
Rural Data Gateway- Strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making RD’s data more available and easier to access.
Rural Health Mapping Tool - Comprehensive data source for population health of your area.
Rural Telehealth Toolkit - RHIhub - The toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations in identifying and implementing telehealth programs to address common challenges experienced in rural communities across the United States.
The Healthy Virginia Blueprint - Virginia Health Catalyst - A comprehensive report synthesizing current data and on-the-ground insights to highlight the urgent need for policy action on oral health access and health equity across the Commonwealth.
Toolkits | National Rural Health Resource Center - This resource helps rural health organizations and the communities they serve to meet today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Telehealth for Rural Areas- Introduction to rural telehealth
Learn strategies for using telehealth to increase access to health care in rural communities.
VDH OHE Health Opportunity Index - The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity (VDH-OHE) offers solutions to assist communities in pinpointing specific factors contributing to poor health outcomes, empowering them to take proactive measures. This approach enables elected officials, policymakers, community leaders, and concerned residents in Virginia to implement effective strategies aimed at enhancing health outcomes across the state.
Virginia Rural Opportunity Dashboard- Virginia Rural Center - During emergencies, Primary Care Associations (PCAs) gather critical health center information and report the status of service delivery sites to HRSA. If your health center is impacted by a disaster, we ask that you report the site-level status to your PCA as soon as you are able.
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VDH Toolkit
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Learning & Events
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Welcome to Rural Health University!
Powered by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), this growing library of training courses and institutes is designed for flexibility and built for impact. From grant writing to rural primary care, empower your work with expert-led, self-paced learning — anytime, anywhere.
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Webinar: CMS LEAD (Long-term Enhancing ACO Design) Model Overview
Thursday, January 29 at 2:00 pm
During this hour-long webinar, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will cover LEAD Model goals, participation options, eligibility, payment methodology, and the application process
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New History and Health Series - Rural Health
The VCU Office of Health Initiatives, in partnership with the Health Humanities Lab at the Humanities Research Center, is pleased to announce a new learning opportunity in the History and Health Program - the Rural Health series.
These eight online learning modules are each designed to take 1-2 hours to complete and include a variety of scholarly articles, news media, videos, etc., suitable for a range of participants, including undergraduate students, staff, faculty, and community members. The series is free.
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Funding & Opportunities
Deadline Extended: Appalachian Region Healthcare Support – Cohort 2 – Apply Through January 30. This FORHP-funded program provides cost-free technical assistance to rural healthcare organizations to:
- assess financial performance;
- identify and expand needed local services; and
- support best-practice improvements that strengthen capacity, sustainability, and quality of care.
Eligible facilities are healthcare organizations located in HRSA-designated rural service areas, and operating within the counties served by the Federal Appalachian Regional Commission. Start the application process now through the end of January by contacting the Appalachian Region Healthcare Technical Assistance Center (ARH-TAC) at ARHSupport@rhrco.org. ARH-TAC will begin accepting applications for Cohort 3 in July 2026.
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New Rural Health Funding & Opportunities from the Past 30 Days
Highlight: Mary Kay Domestic Violence Shelter Grant Program
Grants to support domestic violence shelters. The Foundation will award a grant to at least one domestic violence shelter in every state that applies, and many grants have gone to rural areas.
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On the Air
Podcasts are a great way to learn on the go. Below is a selection of rural health–focused podcasts that explore challenges, successes, and emerging trends impacting rural communities.
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RHV 149: Tax Credits for Insurance
What happens if we lose tax credits for insurance? Lauren Aronson from Keep Americans Covered joined RHV to discuss concerns about the loss of tax credits and how you can get involved. January 2026
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AHECs and Their Role in Sustaining the Rural Healthcare Workforce, with Dwain Harris, Brianna Sheppard, and Meredith Lair
An interview with Dwain Harris, Chief Executive Officer of the National AHEC Organization, along with Brianna Sheppard, PhD, Director of West Virginia Area Health Education Centers, and Meredith Lair, Executive Director of the Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center. In this episode, we learn about the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program, and its importance in developing and maintaining the rural healthcare workforce.
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Bringing you news from rural America
The Yonder Report highlights the vibrant, resilient spirit of living and working in rural America. Despite the news media’s consolidation into big cities, stories coming from thousands of small communities across the country are no less urgent and relevant to our national conversation. Tune in each week to stay informed and engaged on issues affecting vast swaths of American life.
New Podcasts released every Wednesday.
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Governor Spanberger signs Day One Executive Orders to make Virginia more affordable
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January 17, 2026 - Governor Abigail Spanberger today signed ten Executive Orders at the Virginia State Capitol, delivering decisive action on Day One to start building a stronger, more affordable future for all Virginians.
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Wellness & Prevention
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healthline - Recipes
A collection of recipes to support your health goals.
- Low Carb
- High Protein
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Low Sugar
- Gluten-Free
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USDA Food Safety Recalls
We all have an active role in preventing foodborne illness and protecting public health. Be sure to stay informed about product recalls and health alerts that could impact your family.
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Follow Us!
"Like" us on Facebook and visit our website to receive updates on Virginia rural health issues and important messages from our community partners.
Visit the VA-SORH Facebook Page | Visit our VA-SORH Website
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