State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)

The goal of the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) grant program is to assist States in strengthening rural health care delivery systems by creating a focal point for rural health within each State. The program provides an institutional framework that links small rural communities with State and Federal resources to help develop long term solutions to rural health problems. The SORH grant program features a single grantee from each of the 50 United States. The program is a Federal-State partnership that requires a State funding match of $3 for each $1 of Federal funding.
SORH Award Amount (FY06): $150,000

For over twenty-five years, the Rural Health Office has served the State of Arizona through its mission to promote the health of rural and medically underserved individuals, families, and communities through service, education, and research. In 1990, under the authority of congressional legislation that launched the State Offices of Rural Health grant program, the Arizona State Office of Rural Health (AzSORH) grant program was established during the first tier of funding for the national SORH program. Now situated within The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, the AzSORH program forms the core infrastructure, along with matching funds from the state of Arizona, for the Arizona Rural Health Office, which combines state, federal, and other funding sources to positively impact rural and border health.

Major Accomplishments in FY 2005 (October 1, 2004 - September 30, 2005):

• Disseminated Arizona State Comprehensive Rural Health Plan (RHP) and begin evaluation of plan implementation.
• Sponsored the 32nd Annual Arizona Rural Health Conference, "Rural Community Health Matters," held in Payson, AZ, July 2005, in collaboration with the Arizona Rural Health Association.
• Developed and coordinated activities to promote an Arizona Native American Health Initiative within the Rural Health Office.
• Activated the Arizona Rural Women's Health Initiative, incorporating both collaborative leadership and assessment research components.
• Supported statewide efforts of Arizona Interagency Farmworker Coalition (AIFC) to address the needs of farmworkers.
• Developed Quartzsite Assistance Plan (QAP) to address seasonal health planning needs of a unique rural community.
• Co-sponsored a public health film festival to be held during National Public Health Week (4/05).
• Provided technical assistance to 78 unique rural communities, such as capacity building or grant proposal development.
• Supported Community Special Action Groups to address policy change around health care issues, primarily in Mexican-American border communities.
• Provided technical assistance to the Southern Arizona Battered Immigrant Women Project task forces in developing, implementing, analyzing and reporting on a provider training needs assessment survey.
• Negotiated two Memoranda of Understanding with the state Primary Care Organization (Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Health Systems Development) and Primary Care Association (Arizona Association of Community Health Centers) to share data and share access to the 3R Net.

SORH Contact Information:

Office: Arizona Rural Health Office, The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
Address: P.O. Box 245177, Tucson, AZ 85724 (mailing address)
Drachman Hall, 1295 N. Martin Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (express mail)
Phone: 520.626.5823
Fax: 520.626.3101
Email: lbergsma@u.arizona.edu
Website: www.rho.arizona.edu
Director: Lynda Bergsma, Ph.D. (Interim)

Other Grant Programs

1. Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex)

The Flex Program helps sustain access to high quality health care services in rural America. It facilitates the development and support of community-based collaborative rural delivery systems in all grantee states through conversion of hospitals to critical access status, development of rural healthcare networks and integration of EMS.
Flex Award (FY05): $571,000

Program Highlights:

• Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 11
• Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 7
• Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 16
• Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 2
• Number of Rural Communities assisted: 21

Major Accomplishments:

• Completed, disseminated, and discussed with AFP partners the comprehensive Rural Health Plan.
• Provided assistance to 7-9 CAH-eligible hospitals to assist with the designation process.
• Developed, supported and sustained rural health networks that meet the needs of CAHs, their partners and their communities.
• Improved and increased the integration of EMS services through a EMS Statewide Working Group and Southern Region EMS Performance Improvement Initiative as well as other activities.
• Sustained CAHs by providing opportunities to improve quality of care/performance improvement through targeted activities based on identified needs.

2. Small Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)

The goal of SHIP is to assist small (less than 50 beds) rural hospitals pay for any or all of the following: 1) costs related to implementation of prospective payment systems, (2) compliance with provisions of HIPAA and 3) reduction of medical errors and quality improvement. State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) help eligible rural hospitals to participate in SHIP. Eligible hospitals submit an application to their SORH; the SORH prepares and submits a single grant application to HRSA on behalf of all hospital applicants in the State. There are approximately 1600 eligible hospitals nationwide and each usually receives between approximately $9,000.
SHIP Award (FY 05): $145,200

Program Highlights:

• Hospitals receiving funding: 15
• Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 3
• Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors: 11
• Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology: NA

Major Accomplishments:

• All SHIP hospitals expended their contract award.
• Six of the hospitals focused on HIPAA issues helping them meet compliance requirements.
• Quality improvement efforts varied from educating hospital management staff on benchmarking, installing a video monitoring system, developing a balanced scorecard, and conducting a hospital wide quality assessment.

Total HRSA Funding (FY 05): $866,200