Wednesday, February 5, 2025
2/5/2025
Rural Health, Inc. 513 N Main Street Anna, IL 62906 Alison Brown, LCSW 618-833-4471 ext 1007 abrown@ruralhealthinc.org Rural Health, Inc. Network Planning Program Aim 1: Achieve efficiencies Rural Health, Inc. focuses on providing primary care, behavioral health, substance use treatment, and dental services to medically-underserved populations. The RHI-NPP proposes a service area of Union, Massac and Johnson Counties of southern Illinois. All of these counties are designated as “rural” by HRSA’s Rural Grant Eligibility Analyzer. Population to be Served: The Rural Health, Inc. Network Planning Program (RHI-NPP) intends to serve the rural communities of Union, Massac and Johnson Counties of southern Illinois through developing an evidence-based understanding of the existing gaps in healthcare systems and services. This initiative aims to thoroughly analyze and identify the shortcomings in the current healthcare infrastructure, focusing on areas like service availability, access, and efficiency. The collaboration is designed to foster the creation of an integrated healthcare network system. The target area has a total population of around 44,346 people (Census, 2021). Like most rural communities, these counties are home to several historically-underserved populations including vulnerable children and families, members of the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, and individuals impacted by generational poverty and lack of resources. To address these challenges, eight organizations from southern Illinois have committed to supporting the development of this necessary healthcare network. These organizations are: Rural Health, Inc. (FQHC/lead applicant), Arrowleaf (CCBHC), Southern Seven Health Department (State Health Department), Union County Hospital (Hospital), Union County Emergency Management Services (Ambulance/EMS), Massac Memorial Hospital (Hospital), Massac County Mental Health Care (Behavioral Health Clinic), and the Stress and Trau ma Treatment Center (Behavioral Health Clinic). One hundred percent of the selected organizations are physically located in HRSA-designated rural, health professional shortage areas. While most organizations in these communities have historically operated in silos, there have been strides made in the past 3 years towards data sharing and care coordination. Because of this work, many of the organizations proposed in this application already have formal or informal relationships and policies in place, effectively laying the foundation for a true system of care. RHI stands at the forefront of providing comprehensive medical, dental, and behavioral health care in the project area. RHI has skillfully organized and managed consortiums, including the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) planning and implementation grant. Because of the RHI-NPP, the underserved populations in the target counties are expected to experience significantly increased access to quality healthcare services due to the network's planning activities. This improvement will be evident across the continuum of care and will include enhancements such as increased local healthcare utilization, decreased wait times for appointments, and enhanced preventative care and screenings. To ensure the involvement of the community’s underserved populations, the RHI-NPP will seek to develop the network by engaging rural providers and community members in the tasks outlined in the work plan; and network members will leverage their resources to further identify and engage the underserved populations present in the community so that the network may develop a strategic plan to facilitate meaningful inclusion in this work and to inform the dissemination of program information. Rural Health, Inc. learned of this opportunity through their RCORP HRSA Project Officer. Rural Health, Inc. qualifies for funding preference 2: medically underserved community/populations (MUC/MUP) and this is documented in Attachme nt 8.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).