Rural Veterans Health Access Program

The Wyoming Office of Rural Health was awarded the Rural Veterans Health Access Program (RVHAP) grant through HRSA and FORHP. The goal of the three-year RVHAP grant is to increase access to quality health care for rural Wyoming veterans, with an emphasis on increased access to mental health care services.

Strategies to be pursued include improved data collection, increased collaboration between rural providers, the Wyoming Department of Health, the Wyoming VA, the Salt Lake City VRHRC, and other partners, and the development of innovative technological and logistical mechanisms to increase the utilization of existing telehealth capacities and programs.

Program activities will result in a statewide strategic plan that identifies shared priorities for those partners and organizations working towards improving rural veterans health access and care coordination, an increase in the number of sites available to rural veterans where they can receive telemental health services, improved collaboration between the VA and community healthcare providers, and identification of strategies aimed at reducing the overall veteran suicide rate in Wyoming.