About the Center for Rural Health

Organization Chart

Downloadable CRH Flyer

The Center for Rural Health is one of the nation’s most experienced organizations committed to providing leadership in rural health. Our mission is to serve the people of the state, region and nation. The Center serves as a resource to researchers, educators, policymakers and health care providers across the state of North Dakota and the nation. Activities are targeted toward identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns.

The Center for Rural Health was established in 1980. Since then we have developed a full complement of programs to assist researchers, educators, policymakers, health care providers, and most importantly rural residents.

The Center for Rural Health serves as a focal point for rural health in North Dakota. As the federally designated State Office of Rural Health for the state, the Center connects the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the university to rural communities and their health institutions to facilitate developing and maintaining rural health delivery systems. In this capacity the Center works both at a national level and at state and community levels.

Although many specific activities constitute the agenda of the Center, four core areas serve as the focus:

1. Education and information dissemination - The Center is a resource for educational programs that incorporate rural health content. Educational efforts extend beyond the campus through continuing professional, consumer and policymaker education on selected topics.
2. Program development and community assistance - Active assistance is provided to rural health care providers, communities, associations, groups and states developing viable solutions to health care delivery problems. The Center has a number of programs intended to assist rural North Dakota health care providers and policymakers to better address rural health challenges.
3. Research - Most of the Center's rural research can be grouped into three categories: health policy, health systems and health personnel. Research efforts focus on helping to identify solutions to long-term problems surrounding rural health care delivery. The Center, engaged in a number of research initiatives, utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to focus on rural research questions.
4. Policy analysis - The impact of public policies on rural health care is evaluated and information is used to inform policy decisions at the local, state and federal level.

We invite you to contact our office with any questions or comments you might have regarding the activities of the Center.