Arizona's Rural Health Center Secures Funding for Persisting Health Care Assistance in Rural Areas

The Arizona State Office of Rural Health, a federally designated entity since 1990, has secured a significant boost in its mission to improve the health and well-being of rural communities across the state. The US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded a $4.4 million grant to the Arizona Center for Rural Health for the continuation of the State Office of Rural Health program over the next five years.

The program, which has a history spanning over 30 years, is run by the Arizona Center for Rural Health, a part of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at UArizona Health Sciences. The grant will support the office in delivering up-to-date research, practices, and resources to health service providers in rural Arizona.

Arizona, the sixth-largest state by land mass, presents unique challenges in terms of healthcare accessibility. With 55% of the state's area owned by the federal and state government, 28% owned by 22 federally recognized Native American tribes, and 17% owned privately, many rural communities are isolated from human services and healthcare providers, which are often concentrated in urban areas surrounding Phoenix and Tucson.

The Arizona State Office of Rural Health addresses these challenges by providing technical assistance to public and nonprofit entities in rural communities. It also fosters community, regional, statewide, and national partnerships to ensure the delivery of effective healthcare solutions in rural Arizona.

The office coordinates rural health care activities in the state to avoid redundancies and collects and disseminates information to rural health care providers and agencies. One of its core areas of focus is increasing capacity in rural communities to develop and sustain successful rural health programs and services. Its goal is to strengthen rural health care delivery systems in Arizona.

Rural communities in Arizona face significant health disparities, particularly for Native American and Latinx populations. The State Office of Rural Health Program aims to improve the health and wellness of these populations by increasing access to quality healthcare and addressing the unique challenges they face.

The grant will enable the Arizona State Office of Rural Health to continue serving rural, underserved communities in Arizona, demonstrating how federal, state, and community collaboration can make a difference in the lives of rural Arizonans.