Earlier this week the CDC Office of Rural Health  released its "inaugural Rural Public Health Strategic Plan to protect and improve the health of America’s rural communities. This plan outlines key priorities that provide a blueprint for CDC’s rural public health work for the next five years.

As part of the FY2023 Congressional appropriations, CDC created an Office of Rural Health (ORH) to coordinate its growing rural health portfolio across the agency. ORH was tasked with developing a CDC strategic plan specifically focused on improving health outcomes in rural areas.

CDC's Rural Public Health Strategic Plan focuses on improving the health of rural communities by advancing the best rural public health science and practices through a coordinated, transparent, and strategic approach.

The Rural Public Health Strategic Plan outlines key priorities, objectives, and outcomes for the next five years for collaborating with both internal and external partners, including federal agencies. The document includes background on CDC's rural public health efforts, the science and practice of rural public health, the structure and role of ORH, and the strategic plan's development. This plan will guide CDC's programs and research to ensure rural needs are part of public health programs at the outset" (CDC Office of Rural Health, 2024).