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February 2026 Center for Rural Health Update

FOCUS on Rural Health

Hands-On in Hettinger
Two University of North Dakota (UND) medical students introduced potential health careers to students at Hettinger Public School through hands-on learning.

News

2026 Mind Matters Conference Will Take Place March 26 and 27 in Fargo
Mind Matters is hosted by the North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN). Register today.

Ten North Dakota Critical Access Hospitals Named to Top 100
The Chartis Center for Rural Health has named 10 North Dakota Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to the Top 100 CAHs for 2026.

North Dakota Gets Ready to Unleash Rural Health Funds
Dr. Jacob Warren, director of the Center for Rural Health (CRH), was interviewed about the new Rural Health Transformation Program. Published by Public News Service.

Submit Your Scrubs Academy I and II Applications
Scrubs Academy I is open to students who have completed grades 6-8; Scrubs Academy II is open to students who have completed grades 9-11.

CRH Welcomes New Employee
McKenzi Sapaugh joins CRH as a project coordinator.

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.

CRH Events

February 18 TeleECHO: Protecting Children – Recognizing and Responding to Sexual Abuse
This teleECHO clinic will be presented by Lindsey Burkhardt, director of the North Dakota Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Task Force.
February 18 Webinar: Beth's Story
Beth Beckers, a resource facilitator with NDBIN, sustained a brain injury at 18 years old. Join this webinar where she will tell her story of hope and recovery.
February 25 TeleECHO: Supporting Students Through Loss – Grief-Informed Care in Schools
This Pediatric Mental Health School-Based teleECHO clinic will focus on grief.
March 3 Community Showcase – Fargo
This recruitment event, featuring current UND medical students, will be held at the School of Medicine & Health Sciences – Fargo Campus Office.
March 4 Community Showcase – Grand Forks
The Grand Forks Community Showcase will take place at Altru Hospital.
March 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.
March 10 TeleECHO: Hospital Care
This Geriatric and Age-Friendly teleECHO will share ways to improve care for older adults.
March 11 Community Showcase – Minot
The Minot Community Showcase will be held at Trinity Health.
March 11 TeleECHO: Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury
This Pediatric Mental Health School-Based teleECHO will be presented by Carly Endres, a senior project coordinator with NDBIN.
March 12 Community Showcase – Bismarck
Medical students will have the opportunity to connect with local healthcare facilities at the Bismarck Community Showcase, held at CHI St. Alexius.

Publications & Resources

Chain Reaction: Homegrown Programs Encourage Safe Biking in Rural Areas
The Rural Health Information Hub's newest Rural Monitor article discusses the challenges rural areas may face in taking advantage of the health and other benefits of biking. It features a coalition sponsoring bike safety events in rural California, an Ohio library program for checking out bicycles, and bicycle advocacy work in rural Wisconsin.

Risk and Protective Factors for Mental Health Among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Older Adults in the United States
This journal article, authored by Dr. Collette Adamsen, CRH associate director, examines different risks and protective factors in examining mental health of older adults in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations. Published in American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research.

Use of Preventive Services by Rurality, Disability Status, and Health Insurance
This University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center policy brief, shared by the Rural Health Research Gateway, examines rates of utilizing two types of preventive care (routine physicals and flu vaccination) by rural-urban location, disability status, and health insurance type.

Spotting the Signs: Stutsman County's Guide to Melanoma Awareness
Kaitlyn Utke, a third-year medical student at UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences, writes about detecting skin cancer. 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.