Spotlight

​Iowa Community Corps

​The Iowa Community Corps is an AmeriCorps program within the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services, designed to strengthen community health across the state, especially in rural areas where access and capacity can be limited. Members receive a living allowance and an education award while building professional experience, leadership skills, and connections in public health. They serve in community-based organizations and local government agencies, providing hands-on support in four key areas that are vital to rural health: increasing food security, helping individuals navigate local resources, expanding community engagement, and improving youth mental health. Through this work, Iowa Community Corps members help bridge gaps in care and bring essential services closer to the people who need them.
​​Addie and Caden are serving at the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic, where they are playing a key role in the clinic’s transition from paper charts to the new Athene Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system. As part of this project, they are learning the EMR platform, developing standard operating procedures, and converting years of paper records into digital files. Their work is helping the clinic improve efficiency, enhance patient care, and move confidently into a fully electronic future. Here they are pictured next to the many paper records they’re working hard to digitize.
​Kylie serves at the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic, where she supports patients and staff through her nursing training and Spanish fluency. She provides translation services to ensure clear, compassionate communication and actively recruits and trains Spanish‑speaking volunteers to expand the clinic’s ability to serve its Spanish‑speaking patients. Through her work, Kylie is helping the clinic deliver more accessible and culturally responsive care to the community.
Lois serves at a local church as the Lead Youth Intern and a Youth Mental Health Corps member, where she is deeply focused on supporting youth wellbeing. She leads a mental health book club that helps young people build understanding and resilience, and she organizes community resource nights to connect families with tools that promote emotional and mental health. Alongside this work, she also manages the church’s food pantry, ensuring that basic needs are met so youth and families can better focus on their overall wellbeing. Through her dedication, Lois is helping create a supportive environment centered on mental health awareness and care.

​Upcoming Events

Funding Opportunities

Rural Healthcare Workforce Town Hall Meetings – Grinnell and Waterloo​

The Iowa Medical Society is hosting a Rural Healthcare Workforce Town Hall in Grinnell and Waterloo to gather input from clinicians, administrators, and community partners on current workforce challenges across rural Iowa. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, discuss barriers, and identify strategies to strengthen recruitment and retention in rural health settings. The session aims to support collaborative problem‑solving and inform statewide workforce planning efforts. Registration links below.

CDC Presents "Rural Public Health Success Stories from the Field: Utah"

This webinar highlights real‑world rural public health successes from communities across Utah, showcasing practical approaches that have improved health outcomes and strengthened local systems. Participants will hear directly from rural public health leaders about strategies that worked, challenges they overcame, and lessons others can apply in their own communities. The session is designed for public health practitioners, rural health organizations, and partners seeking replicable models to enhance rural health efforts.​

Calling All Iowa Doulas – Your Voice Matters

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) has awarded the Iowa Community HUB (HUB) the contract to serve as Iowa's Doula Technical Assistance Provider, expanding statewide support for doulas and strengthening Iowa's maternal health workforce.
​As part of this initiative, the HUB, in partnership with Iowa HHS, Mahogany Doula Services, and the Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute at Iowa State University, is inviting doulas from across Iowa to complete a brief survey. The survey is designed to better understand the current needs, challenges, and priorities of Iowa's doula community so we can develop meaningful training, technical assistance, and resources that strengthen and support doulas in their work. Your input will help shape a technical assistance plan designed by doulas, for doulas, ensuring the support provided reflects the real needs of Iowa's doula community. If there are questions, contact Latoya Lewis at [email protected].

Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program (TTAP)

The Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program (TTAP) provides free, intensive support to eligible rural hospitals—especially smaller, non-federal and Critical Access Hospitals—to improve both financial and operational performance. Over two years (plus an optional year of follow-up), participating hospitals work through a structured process of assessment, planning, strategy implementation, monitoring, and evaluation—all at no cost. Cohort selection occurs annually through a brief online application and virtual interview, with four to six hospitals chosen each year based on need and readiness. While only selected hospitals receive tailored consulting, all applicants can access webinars, training events, and benchmarked assessment reports.
The deadline for the 2026–2027 project year is Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 11:59 pm.

​Applications Open for NRHA’s 2027 Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is accepting applications for its 2027 Rural Health Fellows Leadership Program, a yearlong initiative designed to develop a diverse network of rural health leaders and strengthen leadership, policy, and collaboration skills. Each year, 15–20 professionals are selected to participate in monthly virtual sessions, leadership training, networking opportunities, and three in-person gatherings held alongside NRHA conferences. Fellows also collaborate on a rural health policy paper that is developed into a policy brief and may inform NRHA’s advocacy efforts. Applications for the 2027 cohort are open through October 1, 2026. Applicants must have been NRHA members for at least one year and commit to participating in the program’s virtual and in-person activities.

Annual Heartland Cognitive Care Collective Summit

Taking place October 2, 2026 in Des Moines, this summit brings together providers, educators, policymakers, and rural health leaders to advance cognitive health across Iowa. The program focuses on early detection, workforce strengthening, and building sustainable clinical‑community partnerships. Sessions will highlight practical strategies for integrating brain health into primary care and supporting rural communities.

2026 Iowa Rural Health Association Conference

​The Iowa Rural Health Association will host its Annual Conference on October 28, 2026, at the Drake University Olmsted Center in Des Moines. Rural health professionals, educators, policymakers, and community partners will gather for learning, networking, and collaboration focused on strengthening rural health. The conference will feature sessions, speakers, and opportunities to share innovative ideas.

​USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program Applications Open

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development is accepting applications for affordable financing to support essential community facilities in rural areas. Eligible projects include healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, emergency medical centers, and other critical infrastructure that strengthens rural communities. Funding may be used for construction, expansion, renovation, or equipment needed to improve access to vital services.

News

Mobile Clinic Expands Addiction Care in Rural Iowa

A University of Iowa Health Care mobile clinic is expanding access to addiction treatment and recovery services for rural Iowans. The clinic offers medications for opioid use disorder, behavioral health support, and connections to ongoing care, helping reduce barriers caused by distance and limited provider availability. UIHC reports that the clinic is already reaching communities with significant needs, strengthening access to evidence‑based treatment closer to home.

Rural Emergency Hospital Model Shows Promise, Faces Ongoing Challenges​

A recent article from The Gazette highlights how a new rural emergency department model is helping communities maintain local access to urgent care but also reveals emerging challenges. While the approach has reduced strain on rural hospitals and kept essential services close to home, staffing shortages and financial pressures continue to jeopardize long‑term sustainability. Leaders say additional investment, workforce support, and operational adjustments will be critical to ensure rural emergency care can remain both effective and accessible.

States Hope Federal Funds Will Help Offset Medicaid Cuts for Rural Hospitals​

A recent NPR report highlights how several states are depending on new federal funding to help ease the impact of Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals. Rural facilities continue to face financial strain as reimbursement reductions collide with rising workforce and operating costs. State leaders hope that targeted federal dollars will help stabilize struggling hospitals, preserve essential services, and prevent further closures in rural communities.

Choose Iowa Launches Honor Harvest Food Box Program for Rural Veterans

The Iowa Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the U.S. Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Rural Health, has launched the Honor Harvest pilot program to deliver fresh, locally grown food boxes to rural Veterans with diet-related health conditions. Partnering with Choose Iowa members and the Field to Family Food Hub, the initiative will support veterans with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity by providing weekly boxes for up to seven weeks. The program also creates new market opportunities for Iowa farmers and strengthens the link between agriculture and rural health.

Doctors Work to Address Access to Trauma Care for Rural Residents​

A recent Daily Yonder article highlights efforts by physicians and health systems to improve access to trauma care for rural communities. Providers are working to close gaps created by long travel distances, limited specialist availability, and the closure of rural emergency and surgical services. These initiatives aim to strengthen regional coordination, expand training, and ensure that rural residents can receive timely, life‑saving trauma care.​

Rural Nursing Homes Face Ongoing Staffing, Financial, and Occupancy Challenges Post‑Pandemic​

A new report from the University of Iowa College of Public Health highlights persistent staffing shortages, financial instability, and lower occupancy rates in rural nursing homes following the COVID‑19 pandemic. Administrators report difficulty recruiting and retaining workers, particularly certified nursing assistants and licensed nursing staff, which continues to strain care delivery. Financial pressures driven by rising labor costs and declining resident numbers are causing some rural facilities to reduce services or consider closure. The analysis underscores the need for sustained investment and targeted support to stabilize rural long‑term care.​

Tools & Resources

A Guide to GME Development in Rural and Underserved Areas​

This resource provides a practical roadmap for organizations looking to establish or strengthen Graduate Medical Education programs in communities with limited health care access. Developed through collaboration between the ACGME and national rural and teaching health center partners, it outlines three main pathways for GME growth and walks leaders through essential steps such as assessing community needs, planning for accreditation, evaluating financial feasibility, developing faculty and leadership, implementing programs, recruiting learners, and ensuring long-term sustainability. The guide also offers resources and best practices to help organizations align GME efforts with workforce needs and expand physician training pipelines to improve care in rural and underserved communities.​

Rural Mobile Healthcare Toolkit​

This toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations implementing mobile healthcare programs in rural communities across the United States. It highlights existing programs that have successfully provided rural mobile healthcare services.
The modules in the toolkit contain resources and information focused on developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining rural mobile healthcare programs.

Publications

Reimagining Rural Maternal and Child Health

This publication from the National Governors Association explores strategies states can use to strengthen maternal and child health in rural communities. It highlights the persistent challenges rural families face, including limited access to maternity care, workforce shortages, and gaps in early childhood support. The report outlines policy approaches and state‑level innovations that can improve care coordination, expand services, and build sustainable maternal and child health systems.

Collaborations between Healthcare and Public Health in Rural Settings

This article explores how healthcare organizations and public health agencies are working together to address the unique needs of rural communities. The authors highlight the importance of coordinated efforts to improve access to care, strengthen prevention strategies, and support rural populations facing workforce shortages and resource limitations. The publication outlines examples of effective collaboration, identifies common barriers, and emphasizes how improved alignment between sectors can enhance health outcomes in rural areas.

2026 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Impact Report​

This report from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing highlights the impact Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are having on access, quality, and outcomes in communities across the country. The findings point to expanded service availability, strengthened crisis response systems, and improved care coordination for individuals with mental health and substance use needs. The report also outlines continued challenges and opportunities for growth as states work to sustain and scale the CCBHC model.​