Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) Planning Grant

Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) has joined a multi-partner effort to confront entrenched health disparities across Central Appalachia as a member of the Healthier Central Appalachian Task Force (HCAT). Led by Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. (ARH), HCAT is one of twelve multi-state initiatives supported through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE program. The task force will operate across 29 counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia and is backed by a $500,000 ARISE grant with an additional $125,000 in matching funds from ARH. LMU-DCOM’s participation aligns with its institutional mission to prepare osteopathic physicians to serve rural and underserved communities, and the college intends to contribute clinical capacity, workforce development expertise and community-based interventions aimed at improving access and addressing social determinants of health.

The HCAT partnership comprises 15 organizations, including educational institutions, community groups and local governments. Through this network, LMU-DCOM will collaborate on planning and implementing strategies to expand primary care access—such as deploying mobile health units—and to strengthen the local health workforce through targeted training and engagement efforts. The one-year ARISE-funded project period will culminate in two comprehensive reports that assess program impacts and provide recommendations for future action, enabling partners to translate near-term interventions into sustainable regional improvements.

LMU-DCOM’s role emphasizes coordinated, data-informed approaches to complex, interrelated challenges: limited healthcare access, workforce shortages, and the socioeconomic and environmental factors that underlie health inequities. By leveraging institutional resources and community relationships, LMU-DCOM aims to ensure that mobile care initiatives are integrated with referral networks, workforce pipelines are tied to local employment and training opportunities, and community voice guides priorities. The grant’s short-term timeline is oriented toward rapid assessment, prioritization, and planning, with the generated reports intended to guide stakeholders and funders on scalable, evidence-based strategies to enhance health outcomes across the specified counties.

Participation in HCAT also positions LMU-DCOM within a larger regional movement: ARISE awarded $33.5 million across twelve multi-state projects that collectively engage more than 145 partners across all 13 Appalachian states, targeting workforce, education, infrastructure and entrepreneurship in addition to health. LMU-DCOM’s engagement underscores the college’s commitment to measurable, community-centered impact in Appalachia, using the grant-supported planning process to identify highest-need interventions and create a foundation for sustained collaboration. Through this planning grant, LMU-DCOM reaffirms its dedication to improving rural health, strengthening local healthcare capacity, and supporting resilient Appalachian communities toward better health and prosperity.