January 2026 Center for Rural Health Update
FOCUS on Rural Health
Prescription for a
Life Fulfilled
Satisfaction through service runs in the Perman family.
News
2026 Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring
Foundation Grant Recipients Announced
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation grants have been awarded to 12 organizations.
Jamestown Regional Medical Center Receives National
Recognition
Jamestown Regional Medical Center has been named a Pathway to Excellence facility.
Funding & Other Opportunities
Dakota Conference on Rural
Health
The Dakota Conference on Rural Health will take place at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on
June 3-4, 2026. The conference will feature one and a half days of keynotes, breakout sessions, an awards
ceremony, and more.
- The deadline to submit a Rural Health Award nomination is February 27.
- The attendee registration early bird deadline is March 31.
Scrubs Academy I and II Applications
Open
Applications are now open for the Rural Collaborative Opportunities for Occupational Learning in Health
(R-COOL-Health) Scrubs Academy I and II. Scrubs academies are for middle school (Academy I) and high school (Academy II) students to
explore healthcare professions.
- The deadline to apply for Scrubs Academy I and II is April 30.
- Sponsor an Academy I student or an Academy II student.
CRH Events
| January 21 |
Webinar:
Change Your Response, Change Your Results This webinar will feature Carl J de Wet, a motivational speaker who aims to help people find motivation by creating choice. Hosted by the North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN). |
| January 22 |
Webinar:
Federal Rural Definitions Join the Rural Health Information Hub for a webinar with speakers from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy discussing how information is compiled from various federal agencies to identify rural areas eligible for rural health grant programs. |
| January 28 |
TeleECHO:
Suicide Prevention in Schools – From Early Intervention to Response School professionals are invited to attend this clinic focused on pediatric mental health. |
| February 4 |
Webinar:
Brain Injury for Peer Support Specialists Hosted by NDBIN, this webinar will describe peer support and how it can enhance the lives of brain injury survivors. |
| February 5 |
New Qualified Service
Provider (QSP): Next Steps Monthly Meeting This monthly meeting will provide recently approved QSPs with an introduction to the QSP handbook, as well as resources, links, and advice to support them in their role as a QSP. Hosted by the North Dakota QSP Hub. |
| February 10 |
TeleECHO:
Interprofessional Presentation (Multicomplexity) – Delirium Participants will learn about delirium in this Geriatric and Age-Friendly teleECHO clinic. |
| February 11 |
TeleECHO:
Seeing the Whole Story: Trauma-Informed Care in Schools This Pediatric Mental Health School-Based teleECHO will be presented by Nicola Herting, a specialist in child psychology. |
| February 16 |
QSP Quarterly Update Meeting QSPs are invited to learn about recent updates in this quarterly meeting. |
Publications & Resources
Availability of Hospital-Based
Obstetric Services in the U.S. by County, 2010-2023: A State-by-State Report
Distributed by the Rural Health Research Gateway, this chartbook includes a national overview of
hospital-based obstetric services by county, followed by county-level reports for every U.S. state.
Bringing Mental Health Care
Home Through Telehealth
Karrah Peterson, a third-year medical student at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine &
Health Sciences, writes about telehealth and mental healthcare. She is part of the Targeted Rural Health
Education project, which helps resident physicians and health profession students take a closer look at the
health needs of communities in which they are training.