Center for Excellence in Rural Health

State Office of Rural Health

In Kentucky, the State Office of Rural Health serves as a resource for clinicians, students, community leaders, state agencies and legislators for information about rural health care. With financial and educational programs supported by the State Office of Rural Health, it is committed to being partners with hospitals, community organizations, and non-profit groups, in promoting health care in rural Kentucky.

The Kentucky State Office of Rural Health is one of 50 State Offices of Rural Health located in the United States. Because of Kentucky's distinctive, rural character, the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health is based in Hazard, a town of 6,000, located in the colorful and historic Cumberland Mountains, in the highlands area of Eastern Kentucky.

Each State Office is a member of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), which was initiated to become an influential voice for state rural health concerns. The members of NOSORH strive to develop increased communication and involvement with one another to build strong relationships with other health care groups, and find the sources of revenue to improve its effectiveness.

The Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program (KSLRP) is a 50/50 matching program that provides loan repayment for qualified educational loans incurred by primary care health professionals. In return, the professionals make a two-year commitment to practice full-time for an eligible sponsoring organization in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP) provides funding to small rural hospitals to help them pay for costs related to the implementation of PPS, comply with provisions of HIPAA, reduce medical errors, and support quality improvement.

Kentucky’s Rural Hospital Flexibility Program endeavors to stabilize the smallest and most vulnerable rural hospitals, and to improve access to hospital-based care for rural populations. The grant program allows small hospitals the flexibility to reconfigure operations and be licensed as Critical Access Hospitals in order to receive cost (+1%) based reimbursement.

The Kentucky Rural Health Association educates providers and consumers on rural health issues and advocates actions by private and public leaders to assure equitable access to health care for rural Kentuckians.

For a complete staff listing, visit our contact page.