We know that many of HRSA’s rural health program recipients and stakeholders are concerned about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its impact on your programs and your communities. We encourage you to be proactive in your emergency preparedness planning and to coordinate with partners at the state and local level in emergency response.
Online Resources for Updated Information
- Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Frequently Asked Questions. Please check this page for updates and contact your Project Officer directly with any questions not already addressed.
- Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness
. A collection of essential rural healthcare resources, tools, and trainings that healthcare workers and organizations can use to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. - CDC Updates on the Coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates on the Coronavirus with guidance for health providers and local public health officials.
- Information for HRSA Grant Programs. Frequently asked questions for multiple programs including Health Centers, National Health Service Corp, 340B Drug Pricing, and other programs.
- Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 . The Rural Health Information Hub has created a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19.
To subscribe to FORHP’s weekly newsletter, sign up for Rural Health Updates through HRSA Email Subscriptions .
Funding Sources
- Allocation to Rural Health Clinics for COVID-19 Testing
- In December 2020, HRSA disbursed $9.3 million to 188 previously unsupported Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), providing $49,461 per clinic site. HRSA used updated data from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services to identify these RHCs and calculate the December 2020 payment.
- In May 2020, HRSA provided $225 million to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) for COVID-19 testing. These investments will support over 4,500 RHCs across the country to support COVID-19 testing efforts and expand access to testing in rural communities.
- HHS Awards in Rural Communities to Fight Covid-19
- $150 million Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) grants to support COVID-19 activities, approximately $80K per hospital. Funding to state Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) grantees to go to small rural hospitals responding to this health crisis. Funds are used by hospitals for safety (ensuring hospitals are safe for patients and staff), response (detecting, preventing, diagnosing, and treating COVID-19) and maintaining hospital operations.
- $15M to existing Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs). With these new funds, TRCs will be able to provide hands-on technical support in areas such as equipment acquisition, payment policy, system design and licensing and credentialing. Anyone interested in assistance can contact the TRCs for information and assistance.
- Provider Relief Fund Allocations and List of Providers Attesting to Receiving Payments
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has summarized the general and targeted allocations of the Provider Relief Fund, including targeted funds for rural providers. The Fund was established by the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.- Read the FAQs on the Provider Relief Fund.
- Contact the HHS Provider Relief hotline at 866-569-3522 (operated by United HealthCare) with questions.
- Paycheck Protection Program
This Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program provides a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. It is open to clinics, associations and other community organizations, among others. - Funds to support health centers in responding to COVID-19
Based on language in the CARES Act, two health center-focused awards were provided to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and to maintain or increase health center capacity. Additional funding was provided to purchase, administer, and expand capacity for testing to monitor and suppress COVID-19. - Funding to combat COVID-19 pandemic in rural Tribal communities
$15 million awarded to 52 Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, and other health services providers to Tribes across 20 states to prepare, prevent, and respond to COVID-19 in rural tribal communities.
