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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Public Health Agencies – Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas and provide lessons others have learned. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Promising Examples

Updated/reviewed March 2024

  • Need: To prevent new cases of HIV in rural Iowa.
  • Intervention: TelePrEP provides preventive care via telehealth and prescription delivery.
  • Results: Between February 2017 and August 2020, TelePrEP received 456 referrals, with 403 patients completing an initial visit.

Other Project Examples

Updated/reviewed September 2024

  • Need: To increase access to healthcare throughout Alabama.
  • Intervention: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has created telehealth communications at county health departments.
  • Results: ADPH telehealth services are currently available in 65 of 67 county health departments.

Updated/reviewed June 2024

  • Need: To expand public health and human services to adults living in rural West Central Missouri.
  • Intervention: HCC Network organizes Project Connect events, daylong resource fairs that offer free public health and human services to underserved adults.
  • Results: In 2023, Project Connect events welcomed 140 guests and offered numerous services and resource connections.

Updated/reviewed September 2023

  • Need: Two rural upstate New York counties struggled to provide necessary public health leadership and services amid a fluid environment with rising costs and funding limitations.
  • Intervention: The Genesee County and Orleans County health departments began a cross jurisdictional sharing relationship that integrated select functions and services, beginning with sharing a director and deputy director.
  • Results: By sharing personnel and functions, management personnel costs have been cut in half and both counties have saved over $2 million for the counties combined.

Updated/reviewed December 2022

  • Need: To lessen the impact of chronic disease and associated complications in North Carolina.
  • Intervention: Partners in Health and Wholeness, an initiative of the NC Council of Churches, is a faith-based program that integrates healthy living within congregations while offering financial support to launch or expand health initiatives. The program partners with faith communities in North Carolina to fund and support their health initiatives through collaborative partnerships.
  • Results: Since its founding in 2009, over 900 churches have become a part of the PHW, many in rural areas, and over 600 mini-grants have been awarded to congregations.

Updated/reviewed December 2022

  • Need: Public health departments in Colorado's rural San Luis Valley region desired to share public health services to improve health outcomes in the region.
  • Intervention: Six counties joined in a public health cross-jurisdictional sharing arrangement. The partnership has served as a forum for sharing and evaluating opportunities to improve health access and core public health services.
  • Results: The partnership has enabled health departments to share expertise and develop regional projects to provide a broader range of public health services.
Last Updated: 9/9/2024