October 9, 2025

Due Soon

CAH Quality Inventory and Assessment - Due November 21

• Fulfills required MBQIP Measure: CAH Quality Infrastructure.
• Learn more and submit response.

Learn

CMS Quality Innovation Network - Quality Improvement Organization - Great Lakes Region

• Superior Health Quality Alliance will provide no-cost technical assistance to eligible providers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
• Includes support for chronic disease management, behavioral health integration, patient safety, care coordination, and health care quality.
• Reach out to Superior Health QA for more information.
• To access this assistance, complete the enrollment form.

EMS Operations Management & Leadership Courses, virtual - 12 CEUs available

Wednesdays 6:30 - 8:45 p.m. for six sessions; first course offering begins November 5.

• Course is intended for those currently in EMS management positions, as well as those aspiring to management positions.
• Course instructed by Dana Sechler and facilitated by WORH.
• Past participant said, "I have been the manager since 2004, I've taken this course multiple times and always walk away with something useful."
• Cost: $45 for full course.
• Register here, for questions, contact Kevin Jacobson.

10th Annual Native Nations Nursing, Helpers, and Healers Summit - CEUs available

Friday, November 7, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Summit is for nurses and other healers to share knowledge and collaborative approaches to address the health and well-being of Indigenous communities, incorporate Indigenous wisdom, and promote planetary health which we depend on for our foods, medicines, and life itself.
• Location: UW-Madison, School of Nursing.
• Cost: $50, Sliding Scale.
• Tribal Members Registration.
• General Registration.

Grants

Walmart Foundation Spark Good Local Grants

• Applications accepted and reviewed quarterly; next deadline is October 15.
• $250 to $5,000.
• Grants to support local organizations that meet the unique needs of the communities where Walmart operates, including Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs, and Distribution Centers.
• Open to 501(c)(3) organizations, municipalities, schools, and faith-based organizations.

Flex Direct-to-Hospitals Grants - WORH 

• Applications due October 24.
• $10,000 to $20,000 for one- and two-year projects (depending on grant project area).
• Funding for Critical Access Hospitals to implement projects in the areas of HCAHPS Improvement and Engagement, Transportation Barriers to Health Care Access, and/or Behavioral Health Community Impact.

New! The American Psychological Foundation Direct Action Visionary Grant

• Letters of intent are accepted throughout the year, with an upcoming quarterly deadline of October 31 for up to $60,000.
• Project applicants may be individuals or organizations and are not required to be mental health professionals. However, a mental health professional must be centrally involved in the project, which isn’t limited to a clinical setting.
• Projects should support the Foundation’s four priorities: serve marginalized communities, prevent violence, end prejudice and stigma, and explore mind-body health connections and must be clearly supported by evidence-based psychological principles.

New! BNSF Railway Foundation Grant

• Applications accepted on an ongoing basis for up to $10,000.
• Organizations with 501(c)(3) tax status or a division of local government that are physically located in or serve a community in close proximity to one of BNSF's rail lines.
• Funding to support programs that improve communities which they serve, including those that address chemical dependency treatment and prevention, spouse and child abuse, women's and children's aid and transitional shelters, parks and recreation, and community development.  

Firehouse Subs First Responder Grants

• Ongoing applications accepted for up to $45,000.
• Grants for first responders and public safety organizations for life-saving equipment (e.g., AEDs, vehicle extraction equipment, ATVs), public education (e.g., CPR training), and scholarships.

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

Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs - Flex Monitoring Team and Stroudwater Associates

• This resource details three strategies that may bring a Labor & Delivery program closer to sustainability and prevent unnecessary closures in rural areas. 

2025 CAH Quality Inventory & Assessment now open.

Review your hospital's 2024 submission to prepare for this year's.

• For a copy of your 2024 submission, email the Flex Monitoring Team.
• Completing the Assessment is the only way to submit the CAH Quality Infrastructure MBQIP core measure.

Rural Resource: Availability of Obstetric Simulation Training by State - Flex Monitoring Team

• The findings and list provided give Critical Access Hospitals and State Flex Programs examples of programs that focus on training rural providers and may help them to identify potential training and/or partnership opportunities in their state.

Recognition

New! Million Hearts Hospitals & Health Systems Recognition Program

• Applications due October 31.
• Designees will receive national recognition acknowledging their work to systematically improve the cardiovascular health of the population and communities they serve.
• Eligible applicants include health systems, hospitals with and without ambulatory medical practices, medical practices not affiliated with hospitals, and community health centers.
• A program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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.