Rural Health Services Consortium history

1987 – NLHC first discussed starting a Minnesota Rural Health organization at a National Rural Health Association Annual Meeting.

1991 – Minnesota Rural Health Coalition developed the Minnesota Center for Rural Health (Currently the National Rural Health Resource Center) (“The Center”).

1993 – The Center initiated the Health Professional Placement and Retention Program through a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant with the Minnesota Office of Rural Health and Primary Care for greater Minnesota hospitals and clinics to provide primary care recruitment services for communities.

1994 – The Center incorporated as a nonprofit organization.

July 1997 A rural health network development grant was awarded to Columbia Memorial Hospital as lead agent.

The Columbia County Community Healthcare Consortium, Inc. (“the Healthcare Consortium”) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1998 to create a network of health and human service providers serving the rural community in and around Columbia County.

Februrary 1999 The Columbia County Health Services Directory was mailed to over 30,000 households.

December 2000 Received the first of 3 grants to start The Children’s Dental Health Partnership.

January 2001 Rip Van Winkle Tobacco-Free Coalition is born when NYSDOH awards funding to The Healthcare Consortium .

Summer 2002 The Mobile Health Partnership is created forged by a collaboration of providers and health services agencies.

Spring 2003 The Healthcare Consortium is awarded 2 grants from NYSDOH Bureau of Chronic Diseases: Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Cancer Support Services to residents of the twin counties.

Mid 2004 The Healthcare Consortium is awarded a 3-year grant from the NYS Nutrition Consortium to help identify and assist eligible individuals and families in Columbia and Greene enroll for Food Stamp Benefits.

February 2005 The Healthcare Consortium adds the Prescription Access and Referral Program for eligible Columbia County residents.

2006 – The Center formed the Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Coalition to disseminate HIT information and to maintain a cadre of trusted rural HIT experts.

Winter 2007 The Cancer Support Program is expanded to include separate emphasis for serving two diverse groups in Columbia and Greene Counties: children and adults.

Spring 2008 The Healthy People Partnership combines the Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening program (Healthy Women Partnership) and the more recent Colorectal Cancer Screening program into one cancer services program serving both Columbia and Greene Counties.

January 2009 The Healthy People Partnership transitions into the Cancer Services Program of Columbia and Greene.

June 2010 Berkshire-Taconic Foundation helps fund Assuring Your Wishes, an on-line program that allows individuals to record and store their health care proxy in a secure environment on-line for easy retrieval by health care professionals if needed.

2011 - Through a contract with Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) FORHP, The Center began providing support to the 41 Rural Health Information Technology Network Development (RHITND) Program Grantees for three years.

2013 - Sally Thomas Buck assumed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position at The Center.

2015 – The Minnesota State Innovation Model (SIM) project selected The Center to provide technical assistance to 15 Accountable Communities Health (ACH) grantees using innovative payment and care delivery models that are responsive to local health needs.