New research from the HRSA-Funded University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center https://ruralhealthresearch.org/centeers/minnesota shows that rural hospitals that have stopped providing obstetric care are smaller and more likely to be located in remote rural areas or in majority black rural counties.
HRSA https://www.hrsa.gov in addressing disparities and the lack of access to maternal healthcare, issued a Funding Opportunity Notice on April 12, 2021 through HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) for the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program https://hrsa.gov/rural-health/community/rmoms. The funding will provide three award recipients up to $1 million annually for a four year period to address and improve maternal obstetrics care in rural communities.
Award recipients will use the first year to plan and the second through fourth year to implement the program’s focus areas, including:
- Risk appropriate care approaches in rural regions
- Continuum of care through network approaches
- Telehealth and specialty care
- Financial sustainability
The program will enable awardees to test models to address unmet needs for their target population, which could include populations who have historically suffered from poorer health outcomes, health disparities, and other inequities.
The applicant organization must be part of an established network that includes at least three separately owned entities that must be located in a HRSA-designated rural area. The due date for submitting applications is June 4, 2021.
To review the funding notice, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppid=329770. HRSA held a webinar on April 22, 2021 but also made a recording available for those who were unable to attend. Reference page ii in the grants.gov funding notice for the webinar playback information.