Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) coordinates activities related to rural healthcare within the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), FORHP has department-wide responsibility for analyzing the possible effects of policy on residents of rural communities.
FORHP administers grant programs designed to build healthcare capacity at both the local and state levels. These grants provide funds to 50 State Offices of Rural Health to support on-going improvements in care, and to small rural hospitals through the Medicare Rural Hospital Grant Program. Through its community-based programs, FORHP supports innovative programs that encourage network development among rural healthcare providers; upgrades in emergency medical services; and places and trains the healthcare workforce in rural communities.