March 6, 2026

On Deck With Samantha Peck

Rural Hospital & Clinics Program Manager (samantha.peck@wisc.edu)

While it may seem like the Flex year is just gathering momentum and several projects are still quietly getting underway, a new Flex season begins today! As this edition of the Rural Health Radar is hitting your inboxes, we'll be learning from our federal funders about the new fiscal year's guidelines, expectations, priorities, and restrictions for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Progam. While we know from the federal budget that the Flex program will have some additional funding, we don't yet know how much of that will be allocated to Wisconsin or if there will be any new focus areas outlined for its use. 

Allocating federal dollars is not an activity we take lightly, and we need your input! We are obliged to consider MBQIP measures, financial health indicators, community health needs assessments, and other sources of data to identify the areas with the most urgent need for intervention. Without your feedback, however, it's impossible to put together a coherent and impactful program to work in your nuanced environment. 

To that end, we are asking you to help us understand your needs, priorities, ideas, barriers to participation, excitement, and dread! Check out the Flex Program Overview and please share your feedback and suggestions with us in one or more of the following ways: 

Flex Program Overview

Check out the program areas, get insight into how we make funding decisions, and see some highlighted programs.

Flex Program Feedback Session

Friday, April 3, 10:00 a.m.

Join us online in this open session to learn more about the Flex Program and brainstorm ideas for our workplan development for the next funding cycle.

Flex Program Suggestion Survey

Share your feedback on existing programs and help us align our priorities with your needs.

Survey open through April 1.

Quality Corner

Q4 2025 HCAHPS data due via HQR on April 8, 2026.

• HCAHPS is a core MBQIP measure for CAHs.

Photo by Jeff Lendrum in Shawano.

SHIP Grant Reminders

New invoicing process

With changes to UW Madison's administrative system and our own SHIP simplification efforts, hospitals can now send SHIP invoices for HCAHPS and other pre-approved expenses* directly to the UW's Research and Sponsored Programs team for reimbursement using the invoice template below.

Invoicing tips

• Reference this Example SHIP Invoice for instructions on completing the invoice.
• The Purchase Order (P.O.) Number is found in the first line of your Funding Award Agreement with UW Madison and appears as #CON-0000xxxx.

*SHIP expenses reminder

Hospitals that selected the direct funding option must use their funds for purchasing HCAHPS first. Any leftover funding can be used for other pre-approved expenses discussed with Samantha Peck.

Learn

$ The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program

• For nurses actively working in critical shortage facilities or teaching as nurse faculty at an accredited school of nursing, this program is an opportunity to reduce your nursing school debt.
• Application deadline: March 12.

$ Health Profession Scholarships & Loan Assistance Programs - webinar

Friday, March 20, 12:00 p.m.

• Discover scholarships and loan assistance programs that can help your career as a current or future health professional.
• Learn about: National Health Service Corps, Health Professions Loan Assistance Program, Rural Provider Loan Assistance Program

American Hospital Association Next Generation Leaders Fellowship

• A fellowship program designed to empower healthcare leaders to bring about lasting change in the hospital and health systems in which they serve. Rural applicants are encouraged.
• Application deadline: March 31.

NEW! Rural Oncology Conference - Rural Cancer Institute - CEUs available

Saturday, April 18, 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

• Conference will feature expert-led educational sessions, research presentations, and opportunities for collaboration focused on addressing disparities, advancing rural oncology research, and strengthening care delivery across rural settings.
• Location: Minneapolis, MN.
• Cost: $75.

NEW! CDC Rural Public Health Training - CEUs available

Free, online, self-paced

• Specialized training for public health professionals to work with rural communities.
• Topics include an introduction to rural public health, partnering with rural communities for rural public health communications, and responding to public health emergencies.
• For more information, contact ruralhealth@cdc.gov.

Farmers' Mental Health: Supporting and Understanding Farm Culture and Farm Family Dynamics

Online, self-paced

• Ttraining course designed to help behavioral health providers better understand and address the mental health needs and challenges of farmers and their family members.
• Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
• Sponsor: University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Behavioral Health Training Partnership, Wisconsin Farm Center.

Rural Emergency Communications Operational Rapid Assistance Package

• Technical assistance program for rural communities to enhance existing emergency communications infrastructure to improve the delivery of rural emergency services.

Grants

NEW! T-Mobile Hometown Grant

• Amount: Up to $50,000.
• Application due date: March 31.
• Who can apply: Elected officials, town managers/employees, tribal leaders, and nonprofit community leaders from small towns with population less than 50,000.
• Description: Funding for community projects that are shovel-ready and would not be possible through local government/municipal funding. Eligible uses include construction, equipment, labor costs, etc.

NEW! DentaQuest/Sun Life Health Access Hero Grant

• Amount: Multiple grants, $25,000 to $100,000.
• Application due date: March 31.
• Who can apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
• Description: Grants for organizations working to address diabetes prevention, oral healthcare, and wellness initiatives.

Healthcare Connect Fund - Federal Communications Commission

• Amount: 65% discount on eligible advanced telecommunications and information services and equipment.
• Application due date: April 1.
• Who can apply: A public or nonprofit health care entity located in a rural area.
• Description: Eligible products and services include broadband services, network equipment, network security, and provider-constructed and owned network facilities.

Domestic Violence Shelter Grants - The Mary Kay Foundation

• Amount: Not disclosed.
• Application due date: April 30.
• Who can apply: 501(c)(3) organizations operating for more than 5 years that primarily provide shelter to women who have experienced domestic violence.
• Description: Grants to emergency women's domestic violence shelters. The funds may be used for staff salaries and operating expenses.

Oral Health Grants - CareQuest

• Amount: They are “flexible in relation to minimums and maximums." 
• Applications accepted throughout the year.
• Who can apply: 501(c)3 tax exempt organizations, government agencies, and tax exempt educational/research institutions.
• Description: Funding for projects that promote access to oral health care by modifying the structure and delivery of dental care. Initiatives may include access to preventive services, integrating oral health into medical systems, or addressing disparities in access to care. Priority populations include rural communities.

Please contact Kevin Jacobson, WORH Loan Assistance Program Manager, for help identifying grant opportunities to support your important work or go to the WORH website.

Review

NEW! Reporting and Performance of Maternity-related Quality Measures in Critical Access Hospitals - Flex Monitoring Team (FMT)

• In this brief, the FMT describes the characteristics of CAHs that provide labor and delivery services, identifies relationships between maternity care quality performance and CAH characteristics (such as system affiliation, volume, and location), and identifies quality measures related to maternity and birth outcomes that are most feasible and relevant for CAHs and rural hospitals.

NEW! Delivering Quality: Maternity Care Innovation in Critical Access Hospitals - FMT

• This case series describes interviews with six high-performing CAHs, including the benefits of their Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, use of patient safety bundles, training activities, and other successes in providing maternity care.
• The interviews revealed a common focus on maternal hypertension and hemorrhage patient safety bundles, and a need for adapting these safety bundles to better suit their small facilities.

Photo Features

Earlier this week, our coworker, K9 Hawk, participated in a conflict resolution class that was specifically designed for emergency responders.

As a PTSD service dog, Hawk detects physiological cues of rising anxiety or panic and interrupts them, providing tactile comfort and Deep Pressure Therapy and MUCH more, all while being the most adorable and happy boy.

See what else K9 Hawk is up to - follow him on Facebook.

Send us your pictures of rural Wisconsin life to be featured in Rural Health Radar!

Email pictures to Megan and include a brief description, where the photo was taken, and the name of the photographer.

Looking for past issues of Rural Health Radar? Perhaps you saw something important, and need a reminder of the registration or application deadline? We've got your back. See past issues on our website near the newsletter sign-up section.

Your feedback on this newsletter and our overall communication efforts are always welcome, too.