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Introducing the Great Plains Clinically Integrated Network (GPCIN)
Dear Partners and Colleagues,
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Great Plains Clinically Integrated Network (GPCIN), a new regional collaboration to support rural health care access, increase operational efficiency, and advance value-based care models.
The GPCIN consists of 15 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), collectively serving more than 162,000 patients with a footprint that spans North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and neighboring states.
Together, we’re building a high-quality, accessible system of care for all.
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South Dakota RHTP Updates: Chronic Disease and Rural Health Strong RFPs
South Dakota has released two RFPs which align well with health center needs and priorities, and both include opportunities for renewal in subsequent years.
The purpose of this RFP is to address leading causes of death and disability through evidence-based chronic disease interventions and remote patient monitoring. Examples include care coordination, community health worker and community health representative programs, purchase of remote patient monitoring equipment, and more. Year 1 awards will be $200,000, with
the option to renew for three additional years.
April 17, 5pm CT: Deadline to submit questions to state.
April 22: Deadline for state to respond to questions.
May 14, 5pm CT: Applications due
Technical Assistance: CHAD hosted a technical assistance call with health centers on April 10th (view slides). To request access to the recording, or for other support needs,
contact Jenn Sauressig.
These grants are intended to strengthen access to care in rural communities. Grants may be used to support operational and strategic planning, strategic partnerships, service line expansion, regional resources/hub and spoke models, and care coordination infrastructure/readiness for value-based care. The grant opportunity will make multiple awards with a total
funding pool for awards of up to $31,750,000 for budget period one, and contracts may include options for up to four one-year renewals.
April 16: Letter of Intent (optional)
April 23: Deadline to submit questions to state.
May 7 : Deadline for state to respond to questions.
May 22, 5pm CT: Applications due
June 22 (on or before): Award date
Technical Assistance: CHAD is hosting a technical assistance call for health center leaders next Tuesday, April 21. For additional support needs, please contact Lindsey Karlson.
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RHTP Update: North Dakota
CHAD continues to proactively engage with state officials regarding the vital role of community health centers in transforming rural health. A new RFP is anticipated in early
May, focused on workforce retention grants for the entities that were not eligible for the most recent opportunity. CHAD will share any new opportunities with health center leaders.
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HRSA Announces More Than $135 Million to Expand Nutrition Services and Strengthen Rural Health Workforce
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced more than $135 million in new funding opportunities to expand nutrition services and strengthen the rural health workforce.
Funding Opportunity Overview
$125 million for Expanded Nutrition Services (ENS): This funding will support more than 350 HRSA-funded health centers in expanding access to nutrition services and food-based interventions within primary care settings. These efforts aim to prevent and manage chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, aligning with the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again priorities.
$11.25 million for the Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program: HRSA plans to award up to 15 grants of up to $750,000 each over three years to support new rural residency programs in high-need specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, OB-GYN, general surgery, and preventive medicine. Physicians who train in rural settings are significantly more likely to practice there, helping address workforce shortages.
Expanding nutrition services and strengthening the rural workforce will improve access to care, enhance preventive services, and reduce the burden of chronic disease.
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Horizon Health Chief Dental Officer Co-Authors Professional Article on the Impact of FQHCs in Expanding Oral Health Access
A recent article in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry explores the impact of federally qualified health centers in expanding oral health access. Michelle Scholtz, DDS, Chief Dental
Officer with Horizon Health, co-authored the article. The article highlighted innovative approaches to dental care delivery models, workforce, and quality initiatives. Congratulations to Dr. Scholtz!
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CHWSD South Dakota Conference Awards
CHWSD is now accepting nominations for the 5th Annual SD CHW Conference Awards. These awards honor individuals who have made a meaningful impact in the CHW/CHR workforce through
leadership, innovation, and service.
Nomination Deadline: April 17
Conference: April 29-30 in Mitchell, SD
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Connect with Get Covered South Dakota at Upcoming Event
Navigators from
Get Covered South Dakota are hitting the road this spring! They will be attending conferences and hosting free, in-person enrollment events across the state to connect with communities, share resources, and offer trusted help with health coverage options.
April 29–30, 2026 | Mitchell, SD
Join us for two days of education, networking, and breakout sessions supporting Community Health Workers, Community Health Representatives, supervisors, and allies.
This two‑day conference brings together community members, leaders, and business owners to share ideas and learn practical ways to strengthen
small towns through hands‑on sessions and real‑world examples.
Free Enrollment Events
Our certified Navigators will also be providing free, no‑pressure health insurance assistance at the following community events:
Free Health Insurance Help Event
May 7, 2026 | 8:00 am–3:30 pm MT
Complete Health, 350 Pine St, Rapid City
Free Health Insurance Help Event
May 19, 2026 | 11:00 am–5:00 pm CT
Huron Public Library, 521 Dakota Ave S, Huron
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Health Centers in the
News
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SDUIH continues
to support community connection, as featured by Keloland in their coverage of the Walking with Sioux Falls Wookiye Project
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Equipping Your Board: Strengthening Governance Data:
A 2-Part Webinar Series for Health Center Leadership Teams
Health center boards must oversee finances, quality, CEO performance, and compliance, but leadership teams often struggle to provide the right information. This two-part webinar with Jennifer Genua-McDaniel will help teams design reporting systems that meet federal requirements, strengthen board oversight, and focus on the most important data.
Session 2: Board Compliance Measures – What Data Belongs at the Board Level
April 20 | 1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT
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Health Center Emergency Readiness Series Health centers face increasing operational, regulatory, and environmental risks – from cyberattacks and facility disruptions to natural disasters and public health emergencies. This Health Center Emergency Readiness Series provides health care leaders with practical strategies to maintain operations during disruptions while meeting federal preparedness requirements.
Across two focused webinars, participants will begin with a hands-on exploration of the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule and then progress to executive-level business continuity planning. The series emphasizes real‑world application, leadership decision‑making, and survey readiness—helping organizations strengthen resilience, protect patients and staff, and ensure compliance before the
next emergency occurs.
Session 1: CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule Requirements
April 23 | 12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT
Session 2: Business Continuity for Health Centers: Keeping Operations Running When Disasters Strike
May 14 | 12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT
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Agenda Available and Register Soon for the GPCIN Summit and Strategic Planning Conference this Month
The agenda is available for the GPCIN Summit & Strategic Planning Conference, taking place in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The Summit agenda is built for dedicated time for strategic planning, leadership collaboration, and network-wide alignment. Sessions focus on setting priorities, strengthening impact, and shaping the future direction of GPCIN. Executives, board members, and key staff are strongly encouraged to attend.
Visit the GPCIN Summit webpage to review the full agenda and complete your registration. Register now to secure your spot and hotel room.
April 28-30, 2026 in Rapid City, SD
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Maternal Mental Health Series
This three-part Maternal Mental Health series is designed to help health center teams strengthen perinatal mental health care across every setting. The series covers the full continuum of care, from early screening and identification to clinical response and treatment planning, and referral and community care coordination. Each session provides evidence-based tools and actionable strategies that can be immediately integrated into obstetric, midwifery, pediatric, and primary care workflows. Participants will leave better equipped to identify at-risk patients, respond appropriately to positive screens, and support continuity of care for pregnant and postpartum patients, including those in rural and underserved communities.
Session 3: Referral, Care Coordination, and Community Resource Integration
May 27 | 12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT
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Caring with Confidence: Integrating HIV Testing, Management, and Prevention in Primary Care This four-part series is designed for any clinician who wants to establish or strengthen their core competencies in HIV care and prevention. Each session offers practical, evidence-based guidance on essential aspects of HIV management within primary care settings.
Session 4: June 24 | 12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT
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Every Screen Counts: A Practical 3-Part Webinar Series to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death, yet screening and timely follow-up continue to lag in rural and underserved communities. This practical three-part webinar series was designed to support health centers and rural clinics in closing these gaps through evidence-based strategies, community-informed approaches, and effective use of data. Across three sessions, participants explored how to implement proven CRC screening interventions in resource-limited settings, gain a deeper understanding of barriers that influence screening behaviors in rural populations, and learn how to translate state and clinic-level data into actionable workflows that drive improvement.
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Upcoming External Webinars & Events
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Dakota Conference on Rural Health
The Dakota Conference on Rural Health, which has been a mainstay in North Dakota for over 40 years, is being reimagined. This year the conference will take a stronger look at leadership, workforce, and innovation happening throughout rural North Dakota communities.
June 3-4 | Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND
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Utilizing the PVP: Best Practices for Streamlining Point of Care Delivery
Huddles are a fundamental pillar of team-based care, driving care gap closure, greater efficiency, improved patient health outcomes, and staff satisfaction. Join Azara team to learn about how the DRVS Patient Visit Planning report supports the huddle process, and how you can set your practice up for success when incorporating the PVP into your workflows and operations. Learn how to operationalize the PVP and
continuously track its efficacy in improving measure performance and patient care. This webinar is recommended for team members responsible for utilizing the PVP and tracking care gap closure rates. This could include Providers, Medical Assistants, Nurses, and Quality Team members.
Streamlining the PVP: Opportunities for Configuration
Once you’ve established a baseline understanding of the Patient Visit Planning Report (PVP), there are countless opportunities to optimize this report to efficiently close care gaps and promote operational improvement. Join this webinar to review a range of configuration opportunities for the PVP, including alerts and new custom PVP configuration functionality. This webinar is recommended for team members
responsible for managing the back end of DRVS. This could include Admin Users, Super Users, among others.
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As the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, we believe that everyone has a right to high-quality, reliable, affordable health care, regardless of where they live. We work with health centers, community leaders, and partners to increase access and improve health care services in areas of the Dakotas that need it most.
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This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,561,267.00 with 0 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. CHAD makes available upon request its annual 990 report. Please make your request directly to the Director of Programs at 605-309-0873.
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