Rural Health Research Centers

West Virginia is one of six Rural Health Research Centers (RHRC) funded by HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy to perform policy-oriented research on issues related to rural health care. Others RHRC’s are located in Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota (Minnesota and North Dakota) and Washington (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). Each RHRC has its own identity, although it may be part of a larger organization, and core staff. Core staff members include a disciplinary mix of health services research, epidemiology, public health, geography, medicine and mental health professionals.

The RHRC program is designed to help policy-makers better understand the problems that rural communities face with regard to health care. The RHRC’s work to understand the ways in which the health of rural Americans can be improved, analyze the implications of federal and state policy options and communicate research results to policymakers and others who may take action based on research results.

To strengthen the dissemination of research results of the RHRC, the Gateway to Rural Health Research was launched in early 2007. The Gateway is a website which allows “one stop shopping” about the RHRC’s. The Gateway provides easy access to the RHRC’s rural publications and authors, as well as summaries of research in progress or completed. The Gateway Listserv provides email updates when new publications become available. Through their research and policy analysis, the RHRC’s bring to the forefront the health care challenges facing rural America.

Resources:

Advocacy and Networking Resources

Legislative Resources

Resource Development

The WVRHA aspires to build a growing, financially stable organization with the help of our members in order to encourage and strengthen rural West Virginians and to find ways to improve services in our communities.

Rural Community Action Guide Fact Sheet

Find statistics and facts about health issues that rural communities face here.

2018-2022 State Rural Health Plan

Learn more about how we will create a culture of health in rural West Virginia here.

Primary Care Services

Learn more about the West Virginia Division of Health and Human Resources Division of Primary Care here.