Rhode Island is the smallest state of the union; it is only 37 miles wide and 48 miles long. It is one of the most densely populated and heavily industrialized states for its size. Rhode Island covers 1,045 square miles, with a 2010 estimated population of 1,052,567 people. Providence is the state capital. The state’s largest cities are Providence, Warwick and Cranston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 81.4% of the state’s population is white, 5.7% is Black/African-American, and 12.4% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2010).
There are 11 hospitals in Rhode Island, none of which are located in rural areas (North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, Dec. 2008). The state has zero hospitals identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals. There are no Rural Health Clinics in Rhode Island, and 8 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 44 sites in the state (Kaiser, 2010). 12.0% of Rhode Island residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2008-2009).
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Rhode Island residents in 2009 was $41,392. Estimates from 2010 indicate a state-wide poverty rate of 14.2%. 2010 ACS data reports that 16.3% of the population has not completed high school. The unemployment rate in Rhode Island is 11.6% (USDA-ERS, 2010).
* Rhode Island does not have any nonmetro counties based on the definitions from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) June 2003 classification. However, Rhode Island does have pockets of rurality.
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; North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List
Organizations
Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI)
State/regional organization
Works to be an advocate for the hospitals in Rhode Island. The purpose of such advocacy is to facilitate the hospitals' mission of providing quality health care to the people in and near Rhode Island.
HUD Community Development Block Grants: Rhode Island
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region (NN/LM-NER)
State/regional organization
Supports collaboration among 16 regional libraries and over 500 library and information centers in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
New England Rural Health RoundTable (NERHRT)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Composed of a diverse group of individuals and organizations committed to improving health and health care throughout rural New England communities. Serves as a regional rural health advocate for Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD)
State/regional organization
One of four regional rural development centers in the nation. Focuses on rural issues including community and economic development, food systems, natural resources, and entrepreneurship. Serves a 12 state area in the Northeast region which includes CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, RI, PA, WV, NH, ME, MD, VT.
Resources for Communities and People Solutions
State/regional organization
Helps support rural community infrastructure in the northeastern United States.
Rhode Island Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
State/regional organization
Provides recruitment, retention and continuing education strategies to the providers and the agencies which serve the most vulnerable of Rhode Island's citizens.
Rhode Island Child Support Agency
State government
To enhance the well-being of children by assuring that assistance in obtaining support, including financial and medical, is available to children through locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing support obligations, and monitoring and enforcing those obligations.
Rhode Island Community Action Agency Network
State/regional organization
In Rhode Island, eight separate 501(c)3 non-profit corporations work daily to strengthen families, open doors to self-sufficiency, and improve their communities.
Rhode Island Department of Health
State government
The primary mission is to prevent disease and to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Department of Health: Office of Minority Health
State government
Facilitate access to health information, education and risk reduction activities for racial and ethnic minority communities and to develop policies, plans and tracking systems for ensuring that the needs of these communities are integrated and addressed within all health programs.
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
State government
An organization of opportunity, working hand-in-hand with other resources in Rhode Island to offer a full continuum of services for families, adults, children, the elderly, those with disabilities and veterans.
Rhode Island Health Center Association (RIHCA)
State/regional organization
Works to improve the quality and delivery of primary health care in Rhode Island, particularly for medically indigent and under-served people.
Rhode Island Kids Count
State/regional organization
Provides information on child well-being, stimulates dialogue on children's issues, and promotes accountability and action.
Rhode Island Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
State government
Promotes continued improvement in the health status of residents in rural Rhode Island. Works to see that all people in Rhode Island have the opportunity to live a safe and healthy life in a safe and healthy community. A division of the Rhode Island Department of Health's Office of Primary Care, Division of Disease Prevention & Control.
Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI)
State/regional organization
Rhode Island 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.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Rhode Island (HUD)
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 State Office: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
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.
Tools
ERS State Fact Sheet: Rhode Island
Web site
Lists statistics on population, educational attainment, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for the state.
National Healthcare Quality Report State Snapshot: Rhode Island
Web site
Health care quality report for the state, based on the National Healthcare Quality Report.
NN/LM New England Region: Rhode Island Resources
Web site
Overview of the state and provides links to state agencies, health associations, and other resources for residents of Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Health Centers Data
Web site
Provides access to information on Federally Qualified Health Centers 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.
Rhode Island Health Literacy Project
Web site
Provides health literacy resources including a Health Literacy Provider Toolkit. Includes information for patients, cultural competency resources, and physician resources.
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Data Center (KCDC)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for the state.
Rhode Island QuickFacts
Web site
Basic demographic and economic statistics for the state, with links to county-level data.
Rhode Island 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.
See also: Resources for All States: Tools Documents, Reports and Other Publications
Changing Faces of New England: Increasing Spatial and Racial Diversity
Author(s): Keneth M. Johnson
Sponsoring organization: Carsey Institute
Discusses racial diversity in New England. Includes information about rural or Nonmetropolitan New England.
Date: 2008
Demographic and Economic Profile: Rhode Island
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
Small Business Profile: Rhode Island
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
Rhode Island Regional Quality Improvement Initiative
The Rhode Island RQI initiative is aligning performance standards and financial incentives among the state’s health plans, purchasers, and providers. Using morbidity, cost, and prevalence data, stakeholders selected four chronic conditions for quality improvement: pediatric asthma, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and depression.
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