State Office of Rural Health

"The Virginia State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH), established in 1991, is dedicated to creating, funding, and supporting a sustainable rural healthcare infrastructure in Virginia. As a federally designated office funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), VA-SORH addresses and works to eliminate health disparities impacting the state’s rural residents.

For over 30 years, VA-SORH has provided vital funding and technical assistance to connect small rural communities with state and federal healthcare resources. The office focuses on developing long-term solutions that tackle the root causes of rural health disparities, improving access to quality healthcare and advancing health equity in Virginia’s underserved areas.

VA-SORH is dedicated to:

• Fostering collaboration and leveraging resources across local, state, and federal governments, rural communities, and non-profit organizations to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure.
• Collecting and disseminating vital information to stakeholders, providing technical assistance, and coordinating rural health initiatives statewide through comprehensive assessments and strategic planning efforts.
• Supporting programs aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural areas, addressing critical workforce shortages ,and advancing access to quality healthcare in Virginia’s underserved communities.

The Virginia State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH) published the Virginia Rural Health Plan 2022-2026 (VRHP), as a comprehensive action plan designed to address the health and wellness needs of rural communities across Virginia. The VRHP showcases the resilience and strengths of the Commonwealth’s rural areas while identifying opportunities to improve access to quality healthcare and address health disparities.

The plan was shaped by insights gathered during community conversations and site visits held between October 2019 and March 2020. These gatherings, hosted in rural communities throughout Virginia, provided a platform for local leaders to explore regional challenges, share solutions, and highlight valuable community assets.

For more information and to download the Virginia Rural Health Plan, click here.

The Rural Virginia Initiative (RVI) Dashboard is a Rural Tool Kit of community and academic resources to be deployed as part of the State Rural Health Plan Update.