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): $145,753.00

Major Accomplishments in FY 2006 (October 1, 2005 – September 30, 2006):

1. SORH staff analyzed the resident, tourist, and seasonal population of Block Island, RI, the most rural and isolated area of the state. Block Island, comprised of the town of New Shoreham, RI, is located at the mouth of Long Island Sound approximately 12 miles offshore. An application for Health Professional Shortage Area designation was developed for the island, and HPSA designation was subsequently granted.

2. The SORH and Office of Primary Care took over direct administration and coordination of the NHSC SEARCH Program in RI, which had previously been subcontracted. The SEARCH program curricula was revised to provide increased emphasis on CLAS Standards, health interpreters, integration of primary care & behavioral health, and rural health needs. Clinical shadowing placement of SEARCH students in non-metro settings was increased.

3. SORH staff developed a new Community Needs Index, used for the scoring of State Loan Repayment Program applications. The updated CNI aimed to better balance urban and non-metropolitan needs in the allocation of loan repayment awards. The CNI scores each RI city/town, and is comprised of weighted data from state and federal sources. The data sets include economic, diversity, child health, elder population, and cancer incidence/mortality information.

4. SORH staff worked with the RI Department of Health Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager to develop and update geodatabase layers of RI HPSA/DHPSA/MHPSA designations, RI Community Health Centers, and RI Minority Health Promotion Centers, to make this information available for analysis and mapping to all RIGIS users statewide.

5. A statewide survey of psychiatrists was initiated in summer 2006 to measure capacity, identify shortages, and establish provider ratios for updating Mental Health HPSAs. The RI SORH, together with the Office of Primary Care, collects data/makes application for HPSA designations, and maintains/updates HPSAs statewide.

6. The SORH participates in regional rural health activities as a member of the New England Rural Health Roundtable, including co-sponsorship of the 2005 and 2006 annual symposia, and co-sponsorship and collaboration on the New England Regional Rural Analysis Project in 2005 and the New England Regional Emergency Medical Services Project in 2006. The SORH Director represented Rhode Island on a panel of State Oral Health Directors at the first New England Rural Oral Health Conference in September 2006. The SORH Program Coordinator participates on the NERHRT Board of Directors, and on the Executive Committee as organizational Secretary, and on the Finance and Bylaws Committees.

SORH Contact Information:
Office: RI Office of Rural Health
Address: 3 Capitol Hill, Room 408
Phone: 401-222-5517
Fax: 401-222-4415
Email: Ana.Novais@health.ri.gov
Director: Ana Novais, MA

Other Grant Programs

Rhode Island is not eligible for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex) or the Small Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Grant Program (SHIP).

Total HRSA Funding (FY06): $145,753.00