Local health departments (LHDs) and healthcare delivery organizations frequently collaborate on community health assessments, emergency preparedness and response, infectious disease, behavioral health, and other population health priorities. These partnerships are especially important in rural areas, where organizations often face workforce shortages, limited healthcare resources, and challenges achieving economies of scale, while also benefiting from strong community ties, greater community engagement, and longer-tenured workforces.

This report presents a series of case studies highlighting successful collaborations between rural-serving LHDs and local healthcare organizations across the country, focusing on their purposes, structures, challenges, and lessons learned.