Kentucky Office of Rural Health

04/08/2026

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health is excited to represent rural Kentucky at the 2026 Appalachian Research Day, hosted by the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health in Corbin, KY! KORH workforce and loan repayment specialist Janice Vance and KORH communications specialist Amelia Holliday are manning our vendor table today—be sure to stop by and say hi!

04/08/2026

📣 Have something to share about Rural Health Clinics? This is your chance.

The 2026 Kentucky Rural Health Clinic Summit is now accepting presenter submissions—and we’re looking for real-world insights, practical strategies, and lessons learned from the field.

🗓 Summit Date: August 13, 2026
📍 Location: The Campbell House, Lexington, KY

⏰ Deadline to apply: April 17, 2026

Whether you're improving operations, navigating billing and coding, strengthening workforce, or finding innovative ways to serve your community—your experience matters.

🔗 Apply now: bit.ly/2026rhcpresenter
📱 Or scan the QR code in the graphic

Hosted by the Kentucky Office of Rural Health, this summit brings together voices from across the state to learn, connect, and move rural healthcare forward.

Questions? Contact Medina Tipton at medina.tipton@uky.edu!

04/06/2026

🏥 🚑 ED transfers are high-stakes—and strong communication matters.

Join the Kentucky Office of Rural Health and Convergence for:
Mastering the EDTC Measure: A Kentucky CAH Learning Collaborative

📅 April 30, 2026
⏰ 12:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 p.m. ET
🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/3NmRzRc
💡 Cost: Free
⚠️ Space is limited

For Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), achieving 100% compliance with the Emergency Department Transfer Communication (EDTC) measure can be challenging due to its “all-or-none” scoring.

The first meeting of this four-part learning collaborative will bring together Kentucky CAHs to strengthen ED transfer communication and improve care coordination. During this collaborative, participants will:

• Learn the EDTC quality measure and its requirements
• Share challenges and successful strategies with peers across Kentucky
• Explore ways to improve communication during ED transfers
• Identify opportunities to enhance patient safety and care coordination

You’ll also have the chance to connect with peers across the state and collaborate on real-world solutions.

Recommended audience: CAH leadership, quality improvement staff, emergency department leaders, and staff involved in transfer coordination.

📩 Questions? Contact Medina Tipton at medina.tipton@uky.edu

4-Part Learning Collaborative for Kentucky CAHs to work together to improve the Emergency Department Transfer Communication process

04/06/2026

THIS WEEK! 🏦 What’s happening in Frankfort? Join the Kentucky Office of Rural Health and the Kentucky Rural Health Association on Friday, April 10, at 11 a.m. ET for a timely webinar covering proposed state-level legislation currently under consideration during the Kentucky General Assembly session, and what it could mean for rural hospitals, clinics, EMS, and communities across the Commonwealth.

👉 Register here: https://bit.ly/4bIe4tr

04/03/2026

📣 Calling all health care providers—the application for the National Health Service Corps's three loan repayment programs is open!

💲 Let us help you get a jumpstart on your future with up to $100,000 in student loan relief. Go to ➡ www.bit.ly/4j38uDK ⬅ or contact Janice Vance at janice.vance@uky.edu to learn more about which opportunity is right for you and apply today!

04/02/2026

🤝 Last week, our team at the Kentucky Office of Rural Health connected with fellow State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) at the NOSORH Region B Annual Meeting in Wilmington, NC, bringing back new insights and inspiration to continue strengthening rural health across Kentucky.

Being able to have UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health Interim Director Mace Baker join us was a highlight of the week. His presence reflects the shared commitment driving our work for rural communities forward.

📸 Pictured left to right:
KORH workforce and loan repayment specialist Janice Vance, KORH communications specialist Amelia Holliday, UK CERH Interim Director Mace Baker, KORH Director Matt Coleman

💪 Together, we’re building stronger connections to better serve rural!

04/01/2026

📣 A new funding opportunity is now open for Kentucky Health Departments!

💵 Through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), funding is available to support 🦷 Public Health Dental Hygiene (PHDH) teams working to expand access to care in rural communities.

If your health department is looking to launch or grow dental hygiene services, this opportunity supports preventive care for children, adults, and long-term care residents, along with teledentistry and care coordination.

💲 Estimated awards: ~$470,000 (Year 1)

📅 Deadline to apply: April 10, 2026
➡ Apply here: https://ruralhealthplan.ky.gov/Pages/Request_For_Applications.aspx

Funding begins July 1, 2026, with a focus on improving oral health outcomes in underserved rural areas across Kentucky.

Kentucky RHTP is investing in expanding preventive dental care across rural communities. Local health departments are invited to apply for funding to place public health dental hygiene teams where they’re needed most.

04/01/2026

🚨 Last Chance To Register! Check out the agenda to see what's planned! 🚨

Join the Kentucky Office of Rural Health and the Kentucky Resuscitation Academy on April 13 for a FREE, one-day workshop focused on improving cardiac arrest survival.

✅ Register now: https://bit.ly/kyra2026

📅 What You’ll Learn (Day 1 Highlights)
• Science of CPR
• Telephone CPR
• High-Performance CPR + case studies
• Data collection (CARES)
• Post-event review + system improvement

🕒 Full Day Schedule:
7:30 AM – Registration + Breakfast
8:00 AM – Welcome
8:10 AM – 10 Steps to Improve Survival
8:40 AM – Survivor Testimony
9:00 AM – Science of CPR
9:50 AM – Telephone CPR
10:30 AM – HP-CPR + Case Study
11:20 AM – Lunch
12:15 PM – Post Event Review
1:00 PM – CARES Data
1:50 PM – Advanced Topics
2:40 PM – Small Group Projects
3:40 PM – Closing

🚩 Optional Day 2 (April 14)
High-Performance CPR Train-the-Trainer (8:00 AM–12:00 PM)

🚑 Who should attend?
911 Directors • EMS Leaders • Medical Directors • QI Managers • Training Officers

ℹ️ Questions? Contact Scott Helle at scott.helle@uky.edu

03/30/2026

🚨Last Chance To Register!🚨

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health, in partnership with the Resuscitation Academy, will be hosting a one-day, free workshop (Monday, April 13) providing evidence-based training to improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation outcomes. Topics include: the science of CPR, telephone CPR, rapid dispatch, high-performance CPR, cardiac arrest data collection, and implementing best practices.

✅ Register NOW: https://bit.ly/kyra2026

🚩 And don't miss the opportunity for the optional second day of training (Tuesday, April 14), which allows attendees to participate in a High-Performance CPR Train the Trainer Workshop, designed to provide instruction, coaching, and feedback to professionals who want to teach.

🚑 911 Center Directors, Medical Directors, EMS Chiefs, Quality Improvement Managers, and Training Officers are all encouraged to attend!

ℹ Contact Rural Project Manager Scott Helle at scott.helle@uky.edu for more info!