State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)

The goal of the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) grant program is to assist States in strengthening rural health care delivery systems by creating a focal point for rural health within each State. The program provides an institutional framework that links small rural communities with State and Federal resources to help develop long term solutions to rural health problems. The SORH grant program features a single grantee from each of the 50 United States. The program is a Federal-State partnership that requires a State funding match of $3 for each $1 of Federal funding.
SORH Award Amount (FY06): $150,000

Major Accomplishments in FY 2005 (October 1, 2004 - September 30, 2005):

1. Co-sponsored the annual meeting of the Montana Hospital Association; the most comprehensive gathering of Montana health care providers in the state.
2. Participated in quarterly meetings of the Montana Primary Care Liaison Group.
3. Prepared and published a "white paper" on Healthcare Workforce Shortages.
4. Provided leadership for planning, developing and implementing a Montana Rural Health Works Project; in collaboration with the Montana Primary Care Association, Montana State University Extension Service, and other rural health interest groups.
5. Prepared the rural health newsletter - Partners for Health - and distributed the newsletter to over 2,000 organizations and individuals.
6. Partnered with many statewide organizations to enhance rural health resources and services; including the Montana Primary Care Association, Community Health Centers, Critical Access Hospitals, Montana Primary Care Office, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, Montana State University Extension Service and others.
7. Served on many statewide appointed committees, coalitions and boards to discuss and plan for solutions to rural health problems.
8. Implemented a plan for development of a Montana Center for Rural Health Research and Policy at Montana State University.

SORH Contact Information:

Office: Montana Office of Rural Health
Address: Culbertson Hall, Room 302
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717
Phone: 406-994-6001
Fax: 406-994-5653
Email: kjuliar@montana.edu
Website: healthinfo.montana.edu
Director: Kristin K. Juliar

Other Grant Programs

1. Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (Flex)

The Flex Program helps sustain access to high quality health care services in rural America. It facilitates the development and support of community-based collaborative rural delivery systems in all grantee states through conversion of hospitals to critical access status, development of rural healthcare networks and integration of EMS.
Flex Award (FY05): $640,000

Program Highlights:

• Number of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) supported: 45
• Number of Critical Access-eligible Hospitals supported: 3
• Number of Rural Health Networks developed: 5
• Number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted: 13
• Number of Rural Communities assisted: 45

Major Accomplishments:

1. Established the Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network.
2. Implemented the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Benchmarking Programs; "Montana-style" Balanced Scorecard Implementation.
3. Conducted educational/networking conferences for Chief Executive Officers, Directors of Nursing, Quality Improvement Coordinators and Medical Staff Leaders.
4. Conducted economic impact studies for each of the 45 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) communities.
5. Conducted grant writing workshops.
6. Participated in the MEDLearn "human patient simulator" training program in partnership with the Montana Health Network, Inc to deliver trauma education and training to small rural hospitals and local emergency medical services groups.
7. Organized and administered the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Mini-Grant Program.
8. Implemented and conducted a hospital Board of Trustee video education series.

2. Small Rural Hospital Performance Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)

The goal of SHIP is to assist small (less than 50 beds) rural hospitals pay for any or all of the following: 1) costs related to implementation of prospective payment systems, 2) compliance with provisions of HIPAA and 3) reduction of medical errors and quality improvement. State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) help eligible rural hospitals to participate in SHIP. Eligible
hospitals submit an application to their SORH; the SORH prepares and submits a single grant application to HRSA on behalf of all hospital applicants in the State. There are approximately 1600 eligible hospitals nationwide and each usually receives approximately $9,000.
SHIP Award (FY 05): $454,960

Program Highlights:

• Hospitals receiving funding: 47
• Hospitals in consortiums, networks or systems: 15
• Hospitals using funds for QI and /or reduction of medical errors: 37
• Hospitals using grant funds for Health Information Technology: 23

Major Accomplishments:

1. Prepared 32 individual hospital subcontracts and 1 hospital network subcontract (serving 15 hospitals) to allocated Federal SHIP funding granted to the Montana Office of Rural Health.
2. Provided technical assistance to the Montana Health Network, Inc and to several individual hospitals.
3. Monitored SHIP subcontract performance and evaluated the SHIP Program through e-mails and telephone conversations with many hospital administrators and chief financial officers.
4. Encouraged utilization of SHIP funding for health information technology.

Total HRSA Funding (FY 05): $1,244,960