Rural Health

What's happening in Rural Health

Northwest Rural Health Conference Registration and Scholarship Application- Now Open! Join us at the 2023 Northwest Rural Health Conference on March 27-29, 2023, at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, WA. This year’s theme is “Rural Health: Thriving- Beyond Survival. We look forward to seeing you there!

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ending May 11, 2023--Important Implications for RHCs. The Biden Administration recently announced their intent to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. At the onset of the PHE, many waivers and flexibilities were granted (PDF) across the health care industry to reduce administrative burden, increase access to care, and more. Since then, many of the flexibilities have been granted permanent coverage, or given a timeline separate from the PHE. This will significantly impact CMS Certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), as well as other provider types.

The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) is the nation’s #1 resource for all things RHC. We recommend reviewing their article, “The Approaching End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Its Implications for RHCs” as well as keeping an eye on the Resources tab for any upcoming TA webinars.

Announcement! Our new National Rural Health Day community celebration project (PDF) is complete and ready to share. We hope you like this new community celebration project. Feel free to share and if you'd like additional copies (digital or physical) contact our office at 360-236-2804 or ruralhealth@doh.wa.gov. 

The new 2023 J-1 Visa Waiver Program application cycle opens October 1, 2022, and closes September 30, 2023. See the Workforce and Recruitment webpage for more information about the program and current slot availability.