In 2006, The Palouse Alliance for Healthy Individuals, Families, and Communities facilitated the award of a Health Care Service Outreach grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to start Project ACCESS, the first of two grants designed to increase the quality of life for rural seniors

 The initial Project ACCESS reflects the collaborative efforts of Gritman Medical Center, Pullman  Regional Hospital, Whitman Hospital & Medical Center,  Area Agency on Aging, and the Council On Aging.  As an interagency consortium, we believe that by working together we can close gaps in services for our communities and those we serve. This grant focuses on increasing rural Seniors’ access to existing services through transportation, community education and outreach, and caregiver needs.  By increasing access to services and resources we promote healthy aging so Seniors can stay in their own homes and communities on the Palouse.

 After two successful years with Project ACCESS, The Palouse Alliance applied for and was awarded a HRSA Rural Network Development grant focusing on education for professionals serving the mental health needs of rural Seniors.

 Project ACCESS/Mental Health strives to create and educate an inclusive network of area professionals through; face-to-face community organizing, and the development of a web-based system of communication.  Our Rural Network Partners include area Clergy, Emergency Response Personnel, Mental Health Professionals, Social Workers, Primary Care, and Long-Term Care Providers. 

 A goal of current and future Project ACCESS efforts is the sustainability of the work we begin.  By working with the rural townships in the Palouse region, we have begun to build community-based bridges between people and professional agencies that will provide Seniors with needed services, expand limited resources, and encourage creative initiatives on the Palouse.