The Virginia Department of Health has opened two Requests for Applications under Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program: Community Paramedicine and Innovative Maternal Care.
According to VDH, the funding opportunities "will support innovative, community-driven approaches to expand access to care, strengthen local and regional health systems, and improve health outcomes for rural Virginians." The deadline to apply is October 6, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET.
Separately, the National Association of County and City Health Officials is offering a rural overdose prevention and response community of practice for local health departments. The group will hold 10 meetings in the second week of each month, with an estimated total commitment of 10 hours between October 2026 and July 2027. The deadline to apply is October 9, 2026.
The Rural Health Redesign Center is also offering ongoing technical assistance for hospitals that have converted or are considering converting to a Rural Emergency Hospital, covering REH transition, whether the designation is right for a given hospital, and tailored support for current REHs.
On the workforce side, VDH said the Conrad 30 J-1 Waiver Program aims to improve access to primary and specialty care in medically underserved areas by sponsoring J-1 physicians who agree to serve there, waiving the "two-year home country physical presence requirement." The 2026-2027 application cycle runs October 16, 2026, to April 16, 2027.
In policy news, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a $7.2 million federal disaster-recovery grant to expand high-quality childcare in Southwest and Southside Virginia, including Tazewell and Washington counties. The projects are expected to expand childcare access for nearly 450 children and create more than 55 new jobs.
Virginia has also named its first Director of Outdoor Recreation and established a statewide stakeholder advisory group to develop a strategy for growing the Commonwealth's outdoor recreation economy.
VDH recognized Brandon Rivenbark, Rural Hospital Program Manager, as a VDH Agency Star. He was recognized by B. Cameron Webb, MD, JD, State Health Commissioner, for his leadership and dedication to strengthening rural health systems.
The Virginia State Office of Rural Health's Annual Photography Contest, marking the 15th anniversary of National Rural Health Day on November 19, 2026, is open for submissions from September 2 to November 2, 2026, with winners announced November 19.