Rural Health Overview

The mission of the Office of Rural Health is to link rural communities with state and federal resources and to help them support sustainable health care delivery systems, and to ensure access to services in rural Kansas.

The Office serves rural communities by collecting and disseminating of information; coordinating activities in the state that relate to rural health care; identifying federal, state, and non-governmental programs that support rural health initiatives; supporting rural health policy development through collaboration and partnerships, and supporting the recruitment and retention of health professionals to serve rural areas of the state.

The Office of Rural Health administers the Small Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP), the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) program (for Critical Access Hospital conversion and network development), and the state Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Program.

Rural Health also runs the Kansas Rural Health Information Service (KRHIS). Sign up to receive timely announcements on rural health news from the state, region, and the nation.

To contact the Office of Rural Health, BLRH email, or call (785) 296-1200.