Small & Rural Backgrounder
Illinois’ 85 small and rural hospitals provide essential, lifesaving healthcare to over 1.6 million rural Illinois residents. Yet these hospitals face significant challenges, as over 41% operate on negative or thin margins.
Backgrounder
Nearly 40% of Illinois hospitals are small and rural hospitals that provide care that's close to home for over 1.6 million residents. A growing number of these hospitals face significant operating pressures, yet continue serve communities in many ways, including providing over $21 billion in economic activity annually. See IHA’s Small and Rural Backgrounder to learn more, including the innovative ways small and rural hospitals are addressing behavioral health in communities.
Advancing Rural Health
Small and Rural Hospitals
Of All Illinois Hospitals
Annual Economic Impact
Blessing Health System: Answering the Call for Mental Health Care in Rural Communities
With suicides in rural communities rising, Blessing Health System has grown its behavioral healthcare team, services and resources to support patients through in-person and virtual care.
Carle Richland Memorial Hospital: Strengthening Youth Mental Health in Rural Elementary Schools
The hospital introduced a mental health program centered on the “Little SPOT of Emotion” books to help rural youth understand their emotions and how to express them appropriately.
Deaconess Illinois Union County Hospital: Redefining Alzheimer’s Care in Rural Illinois
The hospital’s collaboration with a specialized neurology practice has broadened access to early diagnosis and treatment through a coordinated network of Alzheimer’s care for rural communities.
Hammond-Henry Hospital: IMPACT Partnership Provides Compassionate Care
A hospital-police department partnership supports individuals in crisis, guiding them to appropriate care and connecting them to needed mental health or substance use disorder resources.
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital: Helping People Thrive with CHW Support
The hospital’s Healthy Jacksonville program centers on community health workers who guide local residents through accessing needed behavioral healthcare and navigating the healthcare system.
Kirby Medical Center: Partnerships, Programs and Education to Enhance Mental Health
The hospital and its medical group are pursuing a comprehensive, intentional strategy to support the mental health of all community members, from school children to seniors.
Lincoln Memorial Hospital: Texting Program Targets Students’ Mental Health Concerns
The text campaign supports teens’ mental health through monthly messages with encouragement and mental health resources. It’s part of longstanding hospital efforts to improve community health.
Pana Community Hospital: Partnering with Schools on Youth Behavioral Health
With limited behavioral health services in rural areas, the hospital’s partnership with the Pana School District brings a higher level of intervention to schoolchildren who need it most.
Southern Illinois Healthcare: Providing Psychiatric Care Close to Home
A $20 million expansion of SIH’s inpatient mental health facility will serve the 16 southernmost counties, helping patients get the urgent care they need close to home.