Kentucky Office of Rural Health

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH), established in 1991, is a federal-state partnership authorized by federal legislation. The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health serves as the federally-designated Kentucky Office of Rural Health. The mission of the KORH is to support the health and well-being of Kentuckians by promoting access to rural health services. The program provides a framework for linking small rural communities with local, state and federal resources while working toward long-term solutions to rural health issues. The KORH assists clinicians, administrators and consumers in finding ways to improve communications, finances and access to quality health care while ensuring that funding agencies and policymakers are made aware of the needs of rural communities. **What We Do** The Kentucky Office of Rural Health provides a framework for linking small rural communities with state and federal resources while working toward long-term solutions to rural health issues. Listed below is some of the work that we do: - Direct the coordination of efforts across the state to improve rural health. - Participate in statewide planning efforts and policy analysis specific to rural health. - Monitor and evaluate changing federal and state policies that impact state and local rural health programs. - Act as a liaison between Federal/State agencies on local, state and national rural health issues. - Direct the maintenance and dissemination of rural health information to increase awareness and understanding of issues. - Recommend actions to facilitate rural health program development and implementation. - Assist with grant application development and review. - Strengthen state and federal partnerships. - Search for new ways to help recruit and retain high-quality health professionals in rural areas. - Provide health and data resources.