State Office of Rural Health

The Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH) was established in 1991 as a Federal / State partnership, authorized by Federal Legislation. The Kentucky Office of Rural Health is organizationally assigned to the University of Kentucky Office of Research and Development in the urban city of Lexington. However, the office is a function of and physically housed within the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UKCERH) located in Hazard, a rural community situated in the Appalachian mountains of southeast Kentucky. The KORH’s central mission remains to be concentrated to the support of the health and well-being of Kentuckians by promoting access to rural health services. The KORH serves as a catalyst in linking small rural communities with state and federal resources while working toward long-term solutions to rural health issues. The KORH assists clinicians, administrators and consumers in determining a means to improve communications, finances and access to quality care. In addition, the KORH strives to educate funding agencies and policy makers of the unique needs of rural communities.