This newsletter is brought to you by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
along with the Community Health Systems Development Team at the Georgia Health
Policy Center (GHPC). | | |
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Network Development Grantee
GHPC recently spoke
to Jennifer Profitt, program director for the Indiana Transfer of Care network (InTOC), about how the initiative is using a network approach to improve care transitions and is serving as a model for statewide expansion.
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Network Planning Grantee
GHPC recently spoke
to Cynthia Barubias, program administrator, and Eladio Pereira, M.D., chief medical officer, at Mariposa Community Health Center (Santa Cruz County, Ariz.), about how their network is supporting the launch of the Family Medicine Residency, the center’s first residency program.
| | | SPOTLIGHT ON RURAL HEALTH WORK | | Rural health providers and their network of partners have long experienced challenges related to payment structures, workforce shortages, vast physical distances, and financial resource constraints. In the face of these challenges, rural communities serve as models of resiliency, collaboration, and innovation. GHPC is releasing a series of briefs that will highlight rural-relevant strategies and real-world examples that communities can act on to strengthen their health and social support delivery systems. The first brief is on actionable strategies rural health and social service delivery partners can take to ensure all residents have access to nutritious food and healthy eating guidance. | | Rural Health Network Development (RHND) | | |
Hi there RHND Grantees,
First and foremost, thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend and be truly present and engaged in this year’s annual meeting. It was incredibly energizing to see so many of you connect with new and familiar faces, share ideas, and learn together. The technical assistance (TA) team worked tirelessly to develop an agenda designed to provide useful insights and spark new ways of thinking, and they certainly delivered. The level of engagement and the thoughtful contributions across sessions and conversations truly took this year’s event to another level. We would love to hear more about what you found most valuable as well as any additional feedback through the evaluation survey.
As always, do let your project officer and TA team know if there is anything more we can do to support your goals and objectives. My door is also open for any questions or concerns!
| | Maribel Nunez, FORHP, RHND Program Coordinator | | | |
Non-Competing Continuation Report – Due April 2, 2026
All grantees are required to submit a Non-Competing Continuation Progress Report in the Electronic Handbook (EHB). The purpose of this report is to demonstrate adequate progress of grant projects to secure year 4 funding. A request for an updated Work Plan demonstrating proposed versus actual progression of activities will be included. The official template will be made available no later than the first week of March 2026. There is zero flexibility on due dates. I do recommend you all submit sooner rather than later, should there be any request changes.
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Data Dashboard – Due July 13, 2026
All grantees will be expected to submit an updated data dashboard of key project measures and resulting outcomes from year 3.
Performance and Improvement Measurement Systems (PIMS) Measures – Due July 31, 2026
Reporting will be completed and submitted in Salesforce. The reporting period for PIMS should reflect data from the most recent grant year (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026). PIMS will be made available in Salesforce on July 1, 2026. During April and May calls, project officers will confirm who currently has access to Salesforce. For those who require access, please let your project officer know during that time and we will work swiftly to ensure you have the appropriate access.
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Hi Network Planning Grantees,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend our program meeting in Atlanta. We hope you all had safe and smooth travels home. As we enter the final months of the program year, we hope the meeting offered fresh perspectives and new ideas to help re-energize and support your work moving forward.
The technical assistance (TA) team thoughtfully designed sessions to offer practical insights and foster meaningful dialogue, and we’re glad to hear the experience was valuable. It was great to see the connections and collaboration that emerged within your cohort and with the Network Development cohort, and we look forward to hearing more about your experiences during our next monthly call. We also value your feedback and encourage you to share any additional input through the evaluation survey.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your project officer or TA team if there’s anything additional you need—we’re here to support you.
Best regards,
Your Co-Program Coordinators,
Nkem and Claire
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Nkem Osian, FORHP, RHND Planning
Co-Program Coordinator
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Claire Darnell, FORHP, RHND Planning
Co-Program Coordinator
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DELIVERABLES
Network Statement – Due March 13, 2026
You will submit the draft of your Network Statement via email to your project officer and technical assistance coach.
Network Organizational Assessment Roadmap – Due April 10, 2026
This Network Organizational Assessment Road Map (NOA) aims to help your Rural Health Network identify areas of strength and weakness and to identify and prioritize strategies as part of your strategic planning process to better position your network for sustainability and maximum impact. The NOA is due in EHB on April 10, 2026. The template and instructions are available under the Resources tab of your grantee portal.
Sourcebook – Due May 8, 2026
The 2025 Network Planning Sourcebook is a compilation that documents the accomplishments of the 25 Network Planning grantees. You will receive a template in early March and submit a draft to your project officer and TA provider by email.
Strategic Plan – Due June 12, 2026
Your Network Strategic Plan is the culminating product from your year of work. This plan pulls together the deliverables that you have submitted over the course of your Planning year and documents the strategic choices that will guide your work beyond the Network Planning grant cycle. The template is posted to your grantee portal under the Resources tab. You will submit the Strategic Plan via the Electronic Handbook.
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Below is a list of opportunities that may be useful for your project.
Attendance is not required.
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Advancing Rural Youth Health
March 25, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mankato, MN
This summit, presented by the College of Allied Health and Nursing, is designed to connect students and allied health care professionals in ways that explore research, lived experiences, and interprofessional expertise to reimagine the future of health and wellness for youth in rural America.
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Appalachian Research Day:
Come Sit on the Porch
April 8, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Corbin, KY
This annual conference, presented by the Center of Excellence in Rural Health, features podium presentations and poster presentations highlighting research being conducted in Appalachian Kentucky. The day will also include a health and research fair.
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National Cooperative Health Networks Annual Conference
April 14-16, 2026
Dallas, TX
NCHN is a professional membership organization for all types and sizes of health networks across the nation. The gathering will include
a keynote and networking, as well as sessions on topics including strategy, governance and artificial intelligence among others.
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Rural Health Access Conference
May 18-19, 2026
Rural Medical Education Conference
May 19, 2026
Annual Rural Health Conference
May 19-22, 2026
Rural Hospital Innovation Summit
May 19-22, 2026
San Diego, CA
Attendees will gather to help raise the standard for rural health with over 80 innovative, practical, and cost-saving sessions and much more. These events are designed for those who are dedicated to bringing quality health care and health care services to underserved populations. These events are created for anyone with an interest in rural health care, including rural health practitioners, hospital administrators, clinic directors and lay health workers, social workers, state and federal health employees, academics, community members and more.
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