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USDA Rural Health

Welcome! USDA actively collaborates across its mission areas and with other federal agencies and partners to support rural health. While many parts of USDA fund programs, conduct research, or provide technical assistance related to rural health, the 2018 Farm Bill also designated a specific role for USDA in promoting rural health: the USDA Rural Health Liaison.

On this page you will find resources and links to help rural communities address health and the factors that influence health in their communities.

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Rural Development Programs and Rural Health

Rural communities face unique challenges and barriers that impact health, such as fewer health care providers and medical facilities, greater distances to travel for care, and other factors that can influence care, such as transportation options, availability of healthy foods, and access to safe housing. These factors are often referred to as social determinants of health and can impact the health of individuals and the entire community.

USDA Rural Development has programs and resource guides that are developed to provide rural communities access to opportunities that create impactful solutions to improve rural health. 

Other USDA Agency programs and opportunities to improve rural health:

National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Rural Health and Safety Program
Food and Nutrition programs
Economic Research Service research

Rural Health Index

The USDA has many programs and resources that can support rural communities improve their health and quality of life, but many programs do not have “health” in the title or description. To help rural community leaders and others to identify which USDA programs and resources can help improve a rural community’s health, a USDA Rural Health Inventory tool has been developed.

Rural health programs are the emphasis, but this library is inclusive of all health programs.

Find Rural Health Programs and Resources
 

Events and Initiatives

USDA Celebrated National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 21, 2024!

Under Secretary for Rural Development, Dr. Basil Gooden, discussed Rural Development programs focused on improving rural health access and facilities, and shared RD’s Connection to Rural Health Awareness and Services with Rod Bain in observance of National Rural Health Day on USDA Radio Newsline.

USDA and Rural Partners Network published new blogs:

As part of the National Rural Health Day celebration, USDA Rural Development developed new tools and resources for rural communities.

USDA Rural Health Webinar: Finding Your Way Through USDA Rural Health’s New Resources

USDA Rural Health Liaison, Kellie Kubena, will highlight the USDA rural health website, where to find resources, and introduce the USDA Rural Health Program Index tool. In addition, Kasey Martin, RD Innovation Center’s Branch Chief of Research and Program Evaluation, will share how to take advantage of the Rural Data Gateway to find relevant USDA-RD data for your rural community and opportunities for how to use it.

Review the presentation slides here. Review the recording of the webinar here  

Rural Health Resources and Tools

The following links include tools and resources to help rural community leaders, industry, educators, and others understand the challenges and programs available to support the rural health of individuals and communities.

    • USDA Rural Health Program Index - This tool is a curated library of active USDA programs and resources that support rural health. Use the filters at the top to simplify your search in finding the programs and resources available by Sub-Agency, Program Type, or Assistance Type. Select the Rurality Requirement box to show programs and resources eligible for rural communities only. 
    • USDA RD Mental Health in Rural America – How USDA RD programs support rural community’s efforts in addressing mental and behavioral health challenges with FY24 data. 
    • USDA and Rural Health Care Fact Sheet - Document outlining how USDA is committed to ensuring the success of rural hospitals and health care facilities, such as funding opportunities that support physical construction and offset the cost of necessary equipment and first responder vehicles, and promoting technology that brings world-class care to rural locations.
    • USDA RD Rural Health: What We Do: How USDA RD is improving rural health with FY24 data.
    • USDA Rural Health Liaison Infographic: What is the USDA Rural Health Liaison position, their role and responsibilities, and FY24 accomplishments.
    • USDA Rural Health Success Stories: Success stories (FY24) that show how USDA health programs can impact health in rural and Tribal communities.
    • Rural Emergency Health Care Grants - This Story Map explains how ARPA fund projects awarded by USDA RD, called Rural Emergency Health Care Grants, were used to create health impacts in rural and Tribal communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • NRHA Rural Hospital Technical Assistance: Through a cooperative agreement with the USDA-RD, National Rural Health Association provides several types of assistance to rural hospitals selected in collaboration with USDA. TA services will be provided under contract with NRHA by selected contractors who specialize in the types of services. For more information and to see if your hospital qualifies, or to refer a hospital that would benefit from technical assistance, fill out the referral form and NRHA staff will follow up.
    • Food Is Medicine Virtual Toolkit - HHS OASH Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion resource for individuals and organizations looking to expand and improve Food Is Medicine practices and policies in their states and communities. View the full suite of resources by visiting health.gov/FoodIsMedicine .
    • Rural Community Toolbox - Website that shares federal funding and resources for rural communities to address substance misuse and help rural communities become strong, healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live and work.
    • Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) – A national clearinghouse on rural health issues. The RHIhub provides access to information, resources, and opportunities to support healthcare and population health in rural communities and is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
    • CDC Rural Health Strategic Plan (2024-2029) – Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Rural Health developed the strategic plan focusing on improving the health of rural communities by advancing the best rural public health science and practices through a coordinated, transparent, and strategic approach. It outlines key priorities, objectives, and outcomes for the next five years for collaborating with both internal and external partners, including federal agencies.
    • Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) - FORHP administers grant programs designed to build health care capacity at both the local and state levels. We also coordinate activities related to rural health care within the Department of Health and Human Services and have the department-wide responsibility for analyzing the possible effects of policy on residents of rural communities.
    • Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition - USDA Economic Research Service develops a report on Rural America’s socio-economic health annually. The 2024 edition focuses on the age structure of the rural population and the implications of age-related demographic change including rural migration, employment, poverty, childcare, eldercare, and broadband.
    • Rural Data Gateway: Features rural investment dashboards that significantly expand access to RD financial data through an easy-to-use interface that allows viewing and downloading data from over 65 RD programs. The Gateway and dashboards will help USDA get more resources to people who need them in rural areas.
    • Rural Development Resource Guides : RD has a number of resource guides and toolkits to inform rural communities and create community projects to improve rural health. If you are interested in proposing a new topic for a resource guide, please email Innovation@usda.gov
    • USDA Rural Program Success Stories - rural.gov
    • Farmers.gov - USDA Dashboard for local farmers in all 50 states to help them find local agricultural data and USDA tools and resources to meet their agricultural needs, such as protection and recovery, conservation, tax resources, and more.
    • Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Networks : USDA-funded regional networks to support farmers' mental health.
    • USDA RD Tribal Relations - RD's Tribal Relations Team advocates for and coordinates our work with tribes. Through consultation, coordination, and collaboration, we honor our government-to-government relationships with Tribes and improve access to our various programs and services for Tribes, Tribal members, and Tribal organizations.
    • USDA RD Innovation Matters Newsletter - A monthly newsletter that shares a comprehensive document providing information on funding programs to help rural communities access financial support loans and grants.
    • Rural Community Toolbox - Website that shares federal funding and resources for rural communities to address substance abuse and help rural communities become strong, healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live and work.
    • USDA Rural Development Innovation Center - The Innovation Center is embedded within the USDA structure and has a mission to identify best practices and achieve continuous improvement in program delivery to improve rural quality of life. Find Farm Bill information, data resources, and other tools and resources to help rural communities thrive.