Alabama is named after the river which is named after a noted southern Indian tribe whose habitat was in what is now central Alabama. Alabama covers 50,744 square miles, with a 2010 estimated population of 4,779,736 people - 1,364,306 living in rural Alabama (USDA- ERS). The state capital is Montgomery. The largest cities are Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 68.5% of the state’s population is white, 26.2% is Black/African-American, and 3.9% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2010).
There are 102 hospitals in Alabama (Kaiser, 2009), 3 of which are identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals (Sept. 2010). There are 73 Rural Health Clinics in Alabama (Kaiser, 2011), and 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 140 sites in the state (Kaiser, 2010). 14.0% of Alabama residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2008-2009).
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Alabama residents in 2009 was $33,411, although rural per-capita income lagged at $29,226. Estimates from 2010 specify a poverty rate of 21.8% in rural Alabama, compared with 17.8% in urban areas of the state. 2010 ACS data finds that 23.7% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 16.5% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma. The unemployment rate in rural Alabama is 10.9%, while in urban Alabama it is 9.0% (USDA-ERS, 2010).
For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List; Alabama State Data Center; Alabama Center for Health Statistics
Organizations
Alabama Black Belt Action Commission
State government
A regional initiative involving the Black Belt counties of Alabama (Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Wilcox) that is driven by volunteers who want to make a difference in their community. The missions and responsibilities of the Black Belt Action Commission and the Alabama Rural Action Commission will now be implemented by the Alabama Rural Development Office. New site will be available soon.
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)
State government
Offers economic support services in the state of Alabama through their divisions: Communications and Information; Office of Water Resources; Energy, Weatherization and Technology; Financial Services; Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety; Office of Workforce Development; and Surplus Property. It also contains a Grant Resources Center.
Alabama Department of Human Resources
State government
Works to partner with communities to promote family stability and provide for the safety and self-sufficiency of vulnerable Alabamians.
Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH)
State government
Works closely with the community to preserve and protect the public's health, to provide caring, quality services and serve the people of Alabama by assuring conditions in which they can be healthy.
Alabama Department of Public Health: Office of Minority Health
State government
Supports state efforts to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities.
Alabama Department of Public Health: Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
State government
Facilitates and supports activities which improve access to primary medical care throughout Alabama and promotes the health of rural residents, with special concern for medically underserved populations.
Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA)
State/regional organization
Assists member hospitals in effectively serving the health care needs of Alabama, through advocacy, representation, education and service. Members of the association include primarily hospitals and health systems, as well as other companies and organizations related to health care.
Alabama Regional Extension Center (ALREC)
State/regional organization
Alabama State Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC) that helps health care providers become meaningful users of electronic health records by providing information and technical assistance.
Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless (ARCH)
State/regional organization
Promotes and supports the development of housing for people who are homeless through safe, decent and affordable housing.
Alabama Rural Health Association (ARHA)
State/regional organization
Strives to preserve and enhance the health of the rural citizens of Alabama.
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Federal government
Supports economic and social development in all of West Virginia and parts of twelve other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Community Action Association of Alabama
State/regional organization
Works to reduce poverty by better focusing available local, state, private, and federal resources to assist low-income individuals and families to acquire useful skills and knowledge, gain access to new opportunities and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Delta Regional Authority (DRA)
Federal government
Consists of a federal-state partnership serving 252 counties and parishes in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Designed to remedy severe and chronic economic distress by stimulating economic development and fostering partnerships that will have a positive impact on the region's economy.
HUD Community Development Block Grants: Alabama
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.
Institute for Rural Health Research at the University of Alabama
Academic/Research
Performs ongoing research projects focusing on current health issues that affect people living in rural areas.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region (NN/LM SE/A)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to health information for health care providers, librarians, and the public in Alabama, the District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC)
State/regional organization
One of four regional rural development centers in the nation. Works to strengthen the region's 29 land-grant institutions in addressing rural development issues. Serves a 14 state area in the Southern region which includes TX, LA, AR, OK, AL, MS, GA, FL, KY, SC, NC, VA, and TN.
Southern Rural Health Care- Alabama
Nonprofit/Foundation
Provides home health services, primary care, and services for the elderly and disabled in nearly all areas of rural Alabama.
Tuskegee Alabama Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
State/regional organization
Addresses the problems related to health resource shortages prevalent in rural areas of Alabama.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Alabama
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts for the state.
USDA Rural Development Alabama State Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. The Rural Development State Office provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.
Volunteers of America Southeast (VOASE)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Serves people along the Alabama-Mississippi-Georgia Gulf Coast who are hungry, homeless, and otherwise in need of assistance. Offers programs for children, chronic mental illness, hard of hearing, community enhancement, elderly, housing, and substance abuse.
Tools
Alabama Health Centers Data
Web site
Provides access to information on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) for the state. Includes a map of FQHC locations, as well as information on the populations served by health centers, services provided, staff, patient visits, costs of care, and use of electronic health information.
Alabama KIDS COUNT Data Center (KCDC)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for the state.
Alabama QuickFacts
Web site
Basic demographic and economic statistics for the state, with links to county-level data.
Alabama Rural Health Association Publications
Web site
Provides links to a wide range of Alabama Rural Health publications, including detailed County Health Status Indicator Reports for individual counties.
Alabama Rural Health Links
Web site
Provides web links to Alabama and national resources related to rural health.
Alabama State Health Facts
Database
The latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation. Individual state profiles and 50-state comparisons.
ERS State Fact Sheet: Alabama
Web site
Lists statistics on population, educational attainment, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for the state.
Kid One: Transporting Children to Better Health
Web site
Delivers children and expectant mothers, with limited or no transportation access, to health care services throughout the state of Alabama.
National Healthcare Quality Report State Snapshot: Alabama
Web site
Health care quality report for the state, based on the National Healthcare Quality Report.
NN/LM Southeastern Atlantic Region: Alabama Resources
Web site
Overview of the state, with links to state agencies, health associations, and other resources for Alabama.
Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (PERLC)
Web site
Comprised of 14 accredited schools of public health that serve in a national capacity to meet preparedness and response training and education needs of the U. S. public health workforce. Funded schools are located in AL, AZ, FL, IA, IL, MA, MD, MN, NY, OK, NC, TX, and WA.
See also: Resources for All States: Tools Maps & Map Collections
Alabama Rural Definition Maps
Geographic coverage: Alabama
Set of maps showing the geographic coverage provided by 9 different rural definitions for the state.
Date: 2000
Hospitals Performing Obstetrics in 1980 vs. 2011
Geographic coverage: Alabama
Depicts the loss of rural obstetrical service in Alabama counties from 1980 to 2011. Concludes that 46 of Alabama's 55 rural counties had a hospital performing obstetrics in 1980, but in 2011, only 19 of the 55 rural counties still offer these services.
Date: 2011
See also: Resources for All States: Maps Funding
Community Resource Group (CRG) Loan Fund
Loans to help small, rural communities and tribal nations, in select states, for water and wastewater projects.
Gannett Foundation Community Action Grants
Community action grant priorities include education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment.
Inactive Funding
Inactive Funding Opportunities -
Lists additional funding programs for this state that are not currently accepting applications. Programs that are inactive may be offered again in the future.
Documents, Reports and Other Publications
Around the Country: Alabama Doctor Prevails Through Fire and Rain
Author(s): Candi Helseth
Sponsoring organization: Rural Assistance Center
Highlights Dr. Regina Benjamin, who has kept the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in Bayou La Batre, Ala., running despite devastation from two hurricanes and a fire.
Journal citation: Rural Monitor Volume 2007 Issue Fall
Date: 11 / 2007
Building Medical Homes: Lessons from Eight States with Emerging Programs
Author(s): Neva Kaye, Jason Buxbaum, Mary Takach
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
Profiles eight states that are at different stages in the development and implementation of a medical home program. Includes Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia.
Date: 12 / 2011
Demographic and Economic Profile: Alabama
Author(s): Kathleen K. Miller
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Discusses demographic and economic data including population, race, education, age, poverty, income, and more. Includes maps and graphics.
Date: 02 / 2009
Exploring the Role of Regional Transportation Projects as Rural Economy Drivers
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Development Organizations
Describes case studies in Alabama, Oregon, and Vermont that demonstrate successful partnerships between regional development organizations (RDOs) and local governments in transportation-led economic development projects.
Date: 2011
Lessons Learned from Rural Schools
Author(s): Gerald Carter, Larry Lee, Owen Sweatt
Discusses the education of the 30 percent of Alabama's children who go to public school in rural communities. Presents the results on a study involving 10 rural schools and 10
communities in rural Alabama.
Date: 05 / 2009
Minds Matter: Making the Connection Between Mental Health and Community Well-Being
Sponsoring organization: Foundation for the Mid-South
Describes the mental health status of people living in both rural and urban Missouri, Louisiana, and Alabama. Summarizes how some of their health centers implement holistic approaches to overcoming barriers and improving the mental wellness of individuals, and thus, better community wellness. Information is based on data from 2006-2009.
Perceptions Regarding Electronic Health Record Implementation Among Health Information Management Professionals in Alabama: A Statewide Survey and Analysis
Author(s): Shannon H. Houser, Lucretia A. Johnson
Summarizes results of a study that assessed the factors, benefits, and barriers associated with implementing an electronic health records system in Alabama's rural and urban hospitals.
Date: 05 / 2008
Race, Class, and Community in a Southern Forest-Dependent Region
Author(s): Chris R. Colocousis, Luke T. Rogers
Sponsoring organization: Carsey Institute
Addresses community issues in four counties in Alabama and finds blacks and whites have significantly different outcomes in the community. Found that African Americans in the "Black Belt" of Alabama are disproportionately poor and employed in lower-skill jobs.
Date: 2010
Rural Dental Practice: A Tale of Four States
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Denise M. Lishner, L. Gary Hart
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Reports the findings of a study investigating rural dentist issues, such as: demography, training, practice characteristics, staff, and job satisfaction in Alabama, California, Maine, and Missouri.
Date: 03 / 2006
Rural Dropout Problem: An Invisible Achievement Gap
Author(s): Jerry Johnson, Marty Strange, Karen Madden
Sponsoring organization: Rural School and Community Trust
Reviews high school dropout rates and related factors in rural high schools throughout 15 Southern and Southwestern states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
Date: 2010
Rural Versus Urban Alabama Comparisons
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Rural Health Association
Presents information comparing Alabama's rural and urban counties on numerous important healthcare-related subjects. County specific information is included along with information on Alabama's Appalachian, Delta, and Black Belt counties.
Date: 2007
Small Business Profile: Alabama
Sponsoring organization: Small Business Administration
Profile of the state's economy, covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment.
Date: 02 / 2011
See also: Resources for All States: Documents Success Stories
EMS Co-op Helps Rural Providers
Using the power of group purchasing within a cooperative structure, the North Central EMS Cooperative (NCEMSC) is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) cooperative developed to serve Minnesota and surrounding states.
For Our Children
The project objective was to provide improved health care services to 2,500 K - 12 students by using grant funds to provide a full-time Registered Nurse and one dedicated social worker to local public schools.
Rural Alabama School Sets High Standards
Dedicated teachers, and a "sense of community" figures prominently in the academic success of the rural Fruithurst elementary school.
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