1118: Bridging the Rural Health Gap: Building Capacity, Workforce, and Connection

JOHN SHEEHAN:
This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, May 4, 2026. I'm John Sheehan with
news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Today, bridging the rural
health gap.
Rural communities face some of the most complex and often overlooked public health
challenges, and Melanie Ramsey, Deputy Director of CDC's Office of Rural Health, will tell us
about a new national effort to close those gaps. The Rural Health Academy is a growing initiative
designed to strengthen the capacity of state and local health leaders. The Academy is fostering
peer-to-peer learning, connecting federal and state partners, and equipping leaders with practical
tools to better serve rural populations.

Melanie Ramsey, welcome to the show.

MELANIE RAMSEY:
Thank you.

SHEEHAN:
So Melanie, we're talking today about the Rural Health Academy, and you just recently met with
health officials as part of that effort. What was the goal of the gathering, and what were some key
takeaways?

RAMSEY:
The Rural Health Academy was created to help build capacity among state health officials so
they can better understand the complexities facing rural communities and strengthen their ability
to respond. So over the last two years, the Academy has evolved into a valuable space for
bringing state leaders together with federal partners to align on rural public health priorities and to
share resources. At this year's meeting, CDC's Office of Rural Health participated in a federal
panel to share information about our agencies and highlight resources and some available tools.
Just as importantly, it created a space for peer-to-peer learning where leaders could share best
practices and learn from each other. So one example that really stood out was the ongoing
challenge of workforce shortages in rural areas. Some states are getting creative, like investing in
housing solutions so health professionals don't have to travel long distances for work.
A major takeaway from the Academy was the importance of building strong communication
networks among state leaders focused on rural health. Participants also emphasized the need for
better access to resources and tools, more insight into funding opportunities, and stronger

coordination across all levels of government. Overall, it really enforced how critical knowledge
sharing and collaboration is to advancing rural public health.

SHEEHAN:
So the Office of Rural Health is relatively new and only in the last couple years, although CDC
has been working with rural communities for a long time. What's the idea behind the office and
what's the vision behind the new training?

RAMSEY:
So as you mentioned, CDC has actually been working in the rural public health space for many
years now. What's new is CDC's Office of Rural Health, which was established in 2023, to bring
more focus and coordination to these efforts. Our mission is to lead CDC's rural public health
strategy and work across the agency and with partners to improve the health and well-being of
rural communities across the country.
And relationships are really at the center of how we do our work. For example, within the
Department of Health and Human Services, there are now three offices focused on rural health.
CDC's Office of Rural Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office
of Rural Health Policy, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Rural Health
Transformation Office.
We work closely with these partners to maximize impact. One of our key priorities at CDC's Office
of Rural Health is strengthening the rural public health workforce and infrastructure. Through that
work, we identify gaps, especially around training and accessible resources, which led to the
development of the Rural Public Health Training Plan.
The training plan itself offers free self-paced online courses with continuing education credits.
These courses cover foundational topics like understanding rural public health, engaging
effectively with rural communities, clear communication, and preparing for public emergencies.
What I really appreciate about the training is that it includes the real-world rural scenarios that
reflect both the challenges and strengths of rural communities.
Our goal is to really make high-quality, relevant training accessible to anyone working in or with
rural communities, and we're continuing to build on it. We plan to add more courses later this
year.

SHEEHAN:
And how can states or local agencies learn more about the resources that are available?

RAMSEY:

So, for those interested in learning more, a great place of course is to start at our website,
www.cdc.gov backslash rural health, where we highlight resources like the Rural Public Health
Training Plan. The training plan itself is available on the CDC train plan form, where users can
also earn free continuing education credits. We've also released science tip sheets to support
researchers and data analysis, and using rural-urban variables, breaking down data by factors
like age and geography, helping ensure findings are accurate, relevant, and actionable for rural
communities.

Also, we're supporting updates to the Rural Health Mapping Tool, which provides easy-to-use,
counting-level data to help inform local decision-making. All of these resources are available on
our website. And ASTHO plays an important role in expanding their reach, sharing them through
their national peer networks, webinars, and other communication channels.

They are planning to send out a bundle of resources at the beginning of May. And if you'd like to
stay up to date on new resources that we have, you can always reach us directly at
ruralhealthatcdc.gov. And speaking directly about the Rural Health Academy, what are some of
your goals for it looking forward? At a high level, we want to strengthen collaboration, bringing
together federal partners, national organizations like ASTHO, and state leaders to address rural
public health challenges in a more coordinated way.

We're also focused on helping others better understand how rural health systems actually work,
both public health and health care, and how those systems work together. Another goal is to build
awareness of what really drives health in rural areas, the challenges, barriers, and the assets that
already exist in these communities. We want to make sure leaders have better access to data,
tools, and resources so they can make informed decisions for rural public health programs.
It's important that this work is expanding a national network of leaders who can share solutions
and accelerate innovation across states, while also prioritizing rural health in public health
strategy and decision making.

SHEEHAN:
And talking more broadly about rural communities, how are you hoping that the Academy can
impact them?

RAMSEY:
When we invest in stronger rural public health workforce and infrastructure, we're not just
improving services, we're improving quality of life. Communities are better prepared to respond to
public health threats and emergencies, and better able to recover. Partnerships like the work
we've done with ASTHO enhance coordination and resource sharing.
That's why building strong relationships and networks is so important to the success of programs

like the Rural Health Academy. It's also about making sure there is access to tools and
resources. The Rural Public Health Training Plan is one way we're doing that, helping ensure
rural communities and those who support them can strengthen rural public health systems no
matter where they are.

SHEEHAN:
Melanie Ramsey, thanks so much.

RAMSEY:
Thank you so much.

SHEEHAN:
Melanie Ramsey is Deputy Director of CDC's Office of Rural Health.

Join ASTHO on May 5th for
Part 2 of the ASTHO Policy Institute Lunch and Learn webinar series focused on strengthening
public health surveillance and reporting systems through policy work and the implications for STIs
and infectious diseases. As part of ASTHO's Policy Institute, the webinar will explore key
challenges within current reporting systems, including duplication, interoperability gaps,
administrative burden, and how these barriers impact STI data quality, timeliness, and action.
Find the link to register in the show notes.

ASTHO is accepting applications for the Implementing
Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception learning community. This opportunity will support state and
territorial health agencies with technical assistance to develop sustainable pharmacist-prescribed
contraception programs, including workforce capacity, reimbursement pathways, and patient
awareness efforts to improve access to contraception.
The deadline to apply is May 31, 2026, by 5 p.m. Eastern. Find more information at the link in the
show notes. This has been Public Health Review Morning Edition.

I'm John Sheehan for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.