Overview
The State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) Program is a 3:1 matching grant program that began in 1991 and has accomplished the creation of state offices in all 50 states. Each office's mission is to help their individual rural communities build health care delivery systems. The SORH Program provides an institutional framework that links communities with State and Federal resources to help develop long-term solutions to rural health problems.
The five core functions of the SORH program are to:
- Serve as a clearinghouse of information and innovative rural health service delivery approaches.
- Coordinate state activities related to rural health in order to avoid duplication of efforts and resources.
- Identify Federal, State, and nongovernmental rural health programs and provide technical assistance to public and private, nonprofit entities serving rural populations.
- Strengthen Federal, State, and partnerships in rural health.
- Promote recruitment and retention of a competent healthcare workforce.
The Indiana State Office of Rural Health supports the Critical Access Hospital Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program and the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP).
The State offices created the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health to ensure that the states' perspectives on rural health were recognized nationally.
The mission of the Indiana State Office of Rural Health is to enhance the growth of public health services, funding sources, and education opportunities for every Indiana rural resident. The Indiana SORH is located in the Indiana Department of Health’s (IDOH) Division of Primary Care, Chronic Disease and Rural Health.
State Office of Rural Health Manager
Joyce Fillenwarth | State Office Rural Health Manager & SHIP Coordinator
Division of Chronic Disease, Primary Care, and Rural Health
Office: 317-391-3953
Partners
Grants
- Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program
The Flex Program was established from the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33) to assist rural hospitals and improve access to care through Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. The Flex funding initially provided funding to State Offices of Rural Health for designation of CAHs in rural communities. With the majority of CAHs having been converted, the Flex Program now assists CAHs with quality and performance improvement activities, stabilizing hospital finances, and integrating emergency medical services (EMS) into health care systems.
The Flex Program focuses on three core areas:
- Support for Quality Improvement in CAHs.
- Support for Operational and Financial Improvement in CAHs.
- Support for Health System Development and Community Engagement, including integrating EMS in regional and local systems of care.
Flex Grant Coordinator
Joyce Fillenwarth | State Office Rural Health Manager & SHIP Coordinator
Division of Chronic Disease, Primary Care, and Rural Health
Office: 317-391-3953
- Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP)
The purpose of the SHIP is to help small rural hospitals do any or all of the following: pay for costs related to implementation of prospective payment systems (PPS), comply with provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and reduce medical errors and support quality improvement. The SHIP Grant Program was first authorized by the Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 of the Social Security Act.
Eligible hospitals apply for this grant program, through the Indiana State Office of Rural Health (SORH). Indiana SORH receives funding based on the number of eligible hospitals that apply. The SORH acts as a direct pass through and distributes the funding through one contract to the Indiana Hospital Association. This pooling of resources and partnership with IHA creates the Indiana SHIP Hospital Network and ensures that the projects offered to the hospitals create meaningful impact in a collaborative learning atmosphere. The projects being offered to hospitals in the network fall into the following categories:
- Value Based Purchasing (such as improving data collection activities in order to facilitate reporting to Hospital Compare)
- Accountable Care Organizations (such as activities that support quality improvement including, reduction of medical errors and education and training in data collection, reporting, and benchmarking)
- Payment Bundling (building accountability across the continuum of care)
SHIP Grant Coordinator
Joyce Fillenwarth | State Office Rural Health Manager & SHIP Coordinator
Division of Chronic Disease, Primary Care, and Rural Health
Office: 317-391-3953
Community Star Award
Since 2015, the National Organization of State Office of Rural Health, (NOSORH)’s Community Star Program has honored over 300 rural health champions nationwide. This award recognizes individuals who make a difference in rural communities.
Critical Access Hospital Awards (CAHs)
Each year, the Indiana State Office of Rural Health invites CAHs to nominate those who go above and beyond for rural healthcare. This year, we're proud to recognize the following individuals and organizations for their outstanding commitment. This year, Indiana proudly celebrates Deborah Hummel of Rush Memorial Hospital as our 2025 Community Star!"
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Indiana proudly celebrates Deborah Hummel of Rush Memorial Hospital as our 2025 Community Star! -
Outstanding Critical Access Leadership Award – Allyson Metz, RN from Decatur County Memorial Hospital -
Outstanding Rural Health Provider – Dwayne Odle, RN from Rush Memorial Hospital -
Innovation in Quality Improvement Award– Perry County Memorial Hospital -
Critical Access Patient and Family Experience Award– Cameron Health’s Customer Service Department -
Critical Access Hero Award – Lisa Manor from IU Health Jay Hospital -
Critical Access Hospital Community Partner Award – Cameron Health and Trine University -
Community Impact Award – Margaret Mary Health
Previous Winners
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Community Star Award | IUH Bedford Indiana Health Center Bedford and Southern Indiana Community Health Care Paoli | Paula McKinney, DNP, RN, NE-BC Vice President of Patient Care Service & Chief Nursing Officer Woodlawn Health | Brian Herwig President and CEO Perry County Memorial Hospital | Linda Webb, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC Chief Nursing Officer Pulaski Memorial Hospital | |
Innovation In Quality Improvement Award | Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Healthcare-Associated Infections | Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Promotion of Sepsis Identification and Treatment | Decatur County Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Patient Experience | Putnam County Hospital Emergency Department Throughput Project | |
Community Impact Award | Franciscan Health Rensselaer Creating an Oasis in an Obstetric Care (OB) Desert | Decatur County Memorial Hospital Family “Connected to Care” Platform Increasing Chronic Care Management Services | Union Hospital Clinton Excellence in Community Cardiovascular Care and Prevention | Cameron Memorial Hospital Cameron Vaccine Clinic – Response to COVID–19 | St. Vincent Dunn Hospital Maternity Services – The Birth Place |
Outstanding Rural Health Provider Award | Dr. Daniel Callahan Sullivan County Community Hospital | Dr. Eric Reichenbach Parkview Wabash Hospital | Dr. Krystle Hahus | Lauren Keller and Pam Bond Indiana University Health Paoli Hospital | |
Outstanding Critical Access Hospital Leadership Award | Kayla Gehlhausen Perry County Memorial Hospital | Dr. Scott Smith Chief Executive Officer / Medical Director Adams Health Network Dana Muntz Vice President of Rural Healthcare Ascension St. Vincent | Kara Moyer Director of Quality Services Gibson General Hospital | Gloria Barth Quality/Performance Improvement Coordinator Harrison County Hospital | |
Critical Access Hospital Hero Award | Jennifer Helt Adams Health Network | Jon Crabill Cameron Memorial Community Hospital | Annette Murray Indiana University Health Tipton Hospital | ||
Critical Access Hospital Patient and Family Experience Award | Amy Wickens Decatur County Memorial Hospital | Matt Weber Decatur County Memorial Hospital | Woodlawn Hospital da Vinci Robot for OB/GYN and General Surgery Patients | ||
Critical Access Hospital Community Partner Award | Heidi Woodworth & Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Steuben County Parkinson’s Program | Franciscan Health Rensselaer & Appleseed Childhood Education | Rush Memorial Hospital and SPARC Mental Health and Suicide Awareness and Prevention |
Previous Award Winners
- Community Star Award
2024
IUH Bedford
Indiana Health Center Bedford and Southern Indiana Community Health Care Paoli
2023
Paula McKinney, DNP, RN, NE-BC
Vice President of Patient Care Service & Chief Nursing Officer
Woodlawn Health
2022
Brian Herwig
President and CEO
Perry County Memorial Hospital
2021
Linda Webb, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
Pulaski Memorial Hospital
- Critical Access Hospital Awards (CAHs)
National Organization State Office Rural Health Community Star Nominee
2021
Linda Webb
Pulaski Memorial Hospital
Most Improved In Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project Measures
2018
St. Vincent Warrick Hospital
Program Contacts
Joyce Fillenwarth | State Office Rural Health Manager & SHIP Coordinator
Division of Chronic Disease, Primary Care, and Rural Health
Office: 317-391-3953
