Skip to main content

April 2026 Center for Rural Health Update

FOCUS on Rural Health

Helping Elders Age in Place
The Native Aging in Place Project provides resources and support to help Native Elders remain in their homes longer.

News

North Dakota Brain Injury Network and North Dakota State Penitentiary Implement Brain Injury Screening
The North Dakota State Penitentiary will implement mandatory brain injury screening in April.

Healthcare Workforce Assessment
The Rural Health Transformation Program Workforce Assessment will collect data on healthcare workforce needs for rural facilities.

North Dakota Health and Human Services Announces First Rural Health Transformation Program Funding Opportunity to Strengthen Rural Health Care Workforce
The first funding opportunity for the North Dakota Rural Transformation Program is now receiving applications.

Job Opening: Outreach Specialist
The Center for Rural Health (CRH) is currently accepting applications for an outreach specialist with the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub).

Funding & Other Opportunities

Scrubs Academies 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.

Dakota Conference on Rural Health
The Dakota Conference on Rural Health will take place on June 3 & 4 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The reimagined conference will feature one and a half days of keynotes, breakout sessions, an awards ceremony, and more. Flash Sale: An organization purchasing five or more full conference registrations at one time, now through May 15, receives 10% off.

CRH Events

April 22 TeleECHO: Suicide Prevention in Schools: From Early Intervention to Response
This Pediatric Mental Health School-Based teleECHO is designed to support school professionals in addressing mental health concerns.
April 29 Webinar: Disability and SSI
Hosted by NDBIN, this webinar is designed for individuals applying for disability benefits, caseworkers, and social service providers.
May 7 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.
May 12 TeleECHO: Dartmouth Optimized Annual Wellness Visit – A Gateway to the 4M's
This Geriatric and Age-Friendly clinic will share new approaches to annual wellness visits for aging adults.
May 13 Webinar: Native, Inc.
Native, Inc. is a Native American-led organization serving the Bismarck-Mandan, Fargo-Moorhead, and soon Grand Forks areas. This webinar will share the mission of Native, Inc., and is hosted by NDBIN.
May 18 QSP Quarterly Update Meeting
At this meeting, QSPs will learn about updates and recent changes affecting their work.
May 20 TeleECHO: Supporting Children and Families Through Loss – A Grief-Informed Approach for Healthcare
Presented by Dr. Nicola Herting, a specialist in child psychology, this clinic will discuss children experiencing grief.

Publications & Resources

North Dakota Association for the Disabled (NDAD)
Newly featured in RHIhub's Models and Innovations, NDAD offers direct financial assistance, prescription medications, home modification, vehicle accessibility, and other resources to rural and urban North Dakotans with health challenges.

Ambulance Deserts and Health Care Deserts
From the Maine Rural Health Research Center, these story maps created within ArcGIS illustrate the intersection of ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts across 41 states. Shared by the Rural Health Research Gateway.