This fact sheet is intended for policymakers, health center leaders, advocates, and other stakeholders interested in strengthening the rural health care safety net. It highlights the essential role that rural health centers play in providing comprehensive, affordable care to communities across rural America while examining the unique challenges these communities face, including workforce shortages, geographic barriers, and limited health care infrastructure. The publication describes how rural health centers leverage team-based care, telehealth, and community-centered approaches to improve access and outcomes and identifies key policy and investment opportunities to strengthen rural health systems.
This resource was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,656,250 with 0 percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of
the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
