Leveraging Partnerships and Data to Improve Rural Health and Well-Being

Rural communities face many health challenges, often related to structural barriers such as limited access to health care. Targeted services and programs can improve rural health and well-being but require strong partnerships and committed funding. Additionally, good data is necessary to identify problems and track how well new programs are working. This guidebook provides ideas and examples for rural stakeholders and communities who want to improve rural health and well-being by building partnerships, implementing innovative service models, and leveraging data.This guidebook may be useful to three groups:Rural community and economic development specialists who work on improving local economies and social well-being. They may finance or build housing or support systems delivering water, sewer, or broadband internet services to communities. They may also finance and assist local businesses and community spaces like schools and libraries and may want to learn how to focus more on health.