About the Kentucky Office of Rural Health

The core functions of the Kentucky Office of Rural Health are as follows:

Location

The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health serves as the federally-designated Kentucky Office of Rural Health and is located in a rural area within the Appalachian mountains of Southeast Kentucky. The Kentucky Office of Rural Health performs the duties prescribed by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration.

State Offices of Rural Health are authorized by Section 338J of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.254r) and are funded in each of the 50 states through a federal-state partnership. Each State Office is a member of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), which works to help State Offices and their stakeholders to improve health in rural America through leadership development, advocacy, education and partnerships.

What We Do

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health provides a framework for linking small rural communities with state and federal resources while working toward long-term solutions to rural health issues.

Listed below is some of the work that we do:

• Direct the coordination of efforts across the state to improve rural health.

• Participate in statewide planning efforts and policy analysis specific to rural health.

• Monitor and evaluate changing federal and state policies that impact state and local rural health programs.

• Act as a liaison between Federal/State agencies on local, state and national rural health issues.

• Direct the maintenance and dissemination of rural health information to increase awareness and understanding of issues.

• Recommend actions to facilitate rural health program development and implementation.

• Assist with grant application development and review.

• Strengthen state and federal partnerships.

• Search for new ways to help recruit and retain high-quality health professionals in rural areas.

• Provide health and data resources.