Minnesota Agencies

The advisory committee advises the commissioner and other state agencies on rural health issues; provides a systematic and cohesive approach toward rural health issues and rural health care planning, at both a local and statewide level; develops and evaluate mechanisms to encourage greater cooperation among rural communities and among providers; recommends and evaluates approaches to rural health issues that are sensitive to the needs of local communities; and develops methods for identifying individuals who are underserved by the rural health care system.

The committee serves as a statewide forum for rural health concerns to advise the commissioner of health and other state agencies on rural health issues, provide a systematic and cohesive approach toward rural health issues and planning, and encourage cooperation among rural communities and providers.

The committee was originally created to facilitate the implementation of Minnesota's 1992 health care access and control legislation.

The Rural Health Advisory Committee was reviewed by the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy (LCPFP) in 2013 as part of their biennial duty required by Minn. Stat. 3.885 Subd. 11. The LCPFP's 2013 Recommendations called for keeping the committee.

2021 Minn. Laws Chap. 30 Art. 3 Sec. 16 changed the membership of the committee from 15 to 16 members to include a dentist licensed under chapter 150A. 

As of 2021, the committee shall consist of the following members, all of whom must reside outside the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2:

• two members from the house of representatives of the state of Minnesota, one from the majority party and one from the minority party;
• two members from the senate of the state of Minnesota, one from the majority party and one from the minority party;
• a volunteer member of an ambulance service based outside the seven-county metropolitan area;
• a representative of a hospital located outside the seven-county metropolitan area;
• a representative of a nursing home located outside the seven-county metropolitan area;
• a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine licensed under chapter 147;
• a dentist licensed under chapter 150A;
• a midlevel practitioner;
• a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse;
• a licensed health care professional from an occupation not otherwise represented on the committee;
• a representative of an institution of higher education located outside the seven-county metropolitan area that provides training for rural health care providers; and
• three consumers, at least one of whom must be an advocate for persons who are mentally ill or developmentally disabled.