Scroll Down to see the News update
Rural Veteran Health Care Innovations
As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) lead advocate for rural Veterans, the Office of Rural Health (ORH) works to see that America’s Veterans thrive in rural communities. To support the health and well-being of rural Veterans, ORH establishes and disseminates Enterprise-Wide Initiatives that increase access to care for the nearly three million rural Veterans enrolled in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ health care system. Key focus areas include programs that address workforce shortages, transportation, primary care, mental health, telehealth and specialty care.
This issue of “The Rural Connection” is focused on ORH successes in the areas of workforce development programs, mental health programs, and care delivery to rural Native Veterans.
In this issue:
- ORH Observes National Rural Health Day (NRHD)
- RIFDI Program Creates Leadership Opportunities for VA Clinicians
- VHA and IHS Join Forces to Serve American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans
- Advance Care Planning: A Gift for the Holidays
- Infrastructure Week Arrives for the Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee (VRHAC)
- ORH Veterans Rural Health Resource Center (VRHRC) Spotlight: Gainesville, Florida
- ORH Supports New Colorado-based Suicide Prevention Resource for Veterans
- New VA Resources Explore Military-Related Environmental Hazards
In case you missed it, last quarter’s issue provided information about innovative ORH programs that help rural Veterans access quality care.
Thomas Klobucar, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Office of Rural Health
Congress established the Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health (ORH) in 2006 (38 USC § 7308) to conduct, coordinate, promote and disseminate research on issues that affect the nearly five million Veterans who reside in rural communities. The mandate also requires ORH to develop, refine and promulgate policies, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative and successful programs. Learn more at www.ruralhealth.va.gov.
