South Dakota Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Program

DeAnn Sprenger
DeAnn.Sprenger@state.sd.us
800.738.2301
605.773.2706

The Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Program offers a financial incentive to certain healthcare professionals who complete a 3 year service agreement at a rural facility in South Dakota. Facilities apply for matching funding to help with their recruitment efforts.

Eligible professions include:

• Dietitian or nutritionist
• Nurse (LPN or RN)
• Occupational therapist
• Respiratory therapist
• Laboratory technologist
• Pharmacist
• Physical therapist
• Paramedic
• Medical technologist
• Radiology technologist
• Speech therapist
• Healthcare social worker
• Dental hygienist

The application must be submitted by the facility that is or will be employing the health professional. The health professional must be a new employee at an eligible facility. New employee is defined as one who has been employed for no longer than 9 months prior to the date the SD Office of Rural Health receives the application. The eligible facility must be located in a community with a population of 10,000 or less.

Eligible facility types include:

• Licensed hospitals
• Nursing homes
• Federally certified home health agencies
• Chemical dependency treatment facilities
• Intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities
• Community mental health centers
• Community support providers
• End stage renal dialysis facilities
• Ambulance services
• Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Dental practice

A $10,000 payment is made to each participating health professional.

The payment each health professional receives is split between the state and the employing facility. The proportion each pays is dependent on the size of the community in which the facility is located. Communities of 2500 or less pay 25% of the $10,000. Communities over 2500 pay 50% of the $10,000.

The community portion of the payment can be made to the health professional at any time. The state payment occurs after completion of the 3-year service obligation.

Health professionals cannot submit applications. South Dakota eligible facilities must submit applications on behalf of health professionals.

A link to the application is available on the program website.

Completed applications may be submitted by:

Email:
DeAnn.Sprenger@state.sd.us

Mail:
Office of Rural Health
600 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501

Fax:
605.773.5683

Recipients are selected on a first-come, first-served basis through the last business day in December or until the annual quota has been met, whichever comes first.