New round of federal funding open for rural health initiatives

(The Center Square) – Maternal health care, obesity, dental care, and substance use disorders are just a handful of crises facing health care providers in rural parts of the state.

“Rural health care in Pennsylvania faces some very unique challenges specific to its population and location,” Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, in a policy meeting earlier this year.

Rural communities have faced increasing isolation as local health care providers shutter their doors and costly travel to regional medical centers deters many from seeking routine screenings and recommended follow-up care.

Meanwhile, many face limited access to the basics required for good preventative care, like nutritious food and health education.

The Rural Healthcare Services Outreach Program, a federally funded initiative through the Health Resources and Services Administration, is intended to alleviate some of the burden.

The program is accepting applications for grants in its upcoming funding cycle. Recipients receive up to $300,000 per year to achieve their program’s stated goals.

The 2021-2025 funding cycle saw grants awarded to three different programs assisting rural Pennsylvanians.

Adagio Health was one such recipient. The provider received a $250,000 grant to address shortcomings for women’s care in rural Pennsylvania. The project aimed to serve 1,500 women in ten rural counties by conducting breast cancer outreach at vaccine clinics.

Through this outreach, care navigators would facilitate scheduling mammograms for women over 40 and follow them through the care journey, including helping them to apply for and navigate Medicaid for un- and underinsured patients.

This year, Adagio has announced the launch of another program for women living in rural areas, this time targeting female veterans. They plan to improve data collection around veteran status, pay out-of-pocket costs like co-pays and transportation, and use outreach to build trust within the population.

“Women veterans are an underserved population that often face significant obstacles in accessing quality healthcare,” said Liz Heft, Chief Administrative Officer at Adagio Health.

Addressing the unique obstacles faced by this population, she added “We’re committed to providing culturally and clinically competent care without the typical red tape — no need for a DD214, specific discharge status, length of service, or disability rating.”

Another recipient, Cornerstone Care, serves southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. They received a $200,000 grant to improve rates of obesity and related disorders like diabetes and heart disease among children through their HONEY program.

HONEY, which stands for Healthy Options, Nutrition, Exercise & Youth, serves students by offering education and counseling as well as nutrition and fitness plans. The preventative program is intended to reduce BMI in participating children as well as decrease the frequency of emergency room visits.

The Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania received a $200,000 grant to improve oral health for families enrolled in WIC. The program uses community health workers to screen recipients in Snyder, Union, and North Cumberland counties for dental health care needs and assist them to navigate insurance coverage and access care.

The deadline to apply for the funding period beginning May 2025 through April 2029 is Jan. 27.