Existing law establishes the Office of Rural Health within the California Health and Human Services Agency to promote a strong working relationship between state government and local and federal agencies, universities, private and public interest groups, rural consumers, health care providers, foundations, and other offices of rural health, as well as to develop health initiatives and maximize the use of existing resources without duplicating existing effort. Existing law requires the office to serve as a key information and referral source to promote coordinated planning for the delivery of health services in rural California.

This bill would require the office to develop and administer, upon appropriation by the Legislature, a competitive grant program for the delivery of, or the support, sustenance, or expansion of the delivery of, medical services, as defined, to individuals who reside in rural areas, as defined. The bill would authorize the office upon that appropriation to expend up to $3,000,000 annually and would authorize a qualified provider, as defined, to apply to the office once per year for a grant of up to $10,000 for those purposes. The bill would require the office to establish specified standards and procedures, including criteria and standards for eligibility and the measurement of outcomes achieved, and, on or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, to publish this information on its internet website.