Harrison, AR-October 2026 - North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) has been awarded $1,629,128 through the Recruitment, Innovation, Skills, and Education for Arkansas (RISE AR) initiative of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program. The funding will support workforce development efforts designed to strengthen NARMC’s ability to recruit, develop and retain the healthcare professionals needed to serve patients and families throughout North Central Arkansas.
The award represents an important investment in the people behind rural healthcare. Funding will support efforts focused on professional development, education and training, career advancement and workforce retention, helping NARMC strengthen its workforce while creating additional opportunities for employees to grow within the organization.
“Having the right people, with the right training and support, is essential to our ability to care for patients and continue strengthening healthcare in North Central Arkansas,” said Sammie Cribbs Roberson, President and CEO of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center. “We are incredibly grateful for this investment in our employees and our organization. It gives us an opportunity to invest in the people who make this work possible every day while also preparing our workforce for the healthcare needs of the future.”
NARMC’s RISE AR proposal was developed around several areas of workforce need, including employee development and retention, advancement opportunities, clinical education and training, and strengthening pathways into healthcare careers. The funding will allow NARMC to make targeted investments in these areas while continuing to evaluate where resources can have the greatest impact for employees, patients and the organization.
Through the RISE AR award, NARMC will have additional resources to support employees at different stages of their careers, from those pursuing new skills and credentials to experienced team members preparing for opportunities to grow within the organization. These investments will help NARMC continue building a skilled workforce equipped to meet changing healthcare needs while creating meaningful opportunities for employees to learn, advance and build their careers within rural healthcare.
The RISE AR award comes just weeks after NARMC announced a separate $3 million award through the Promoting Access, Coordination, and Transformation (PACT) initiative of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program to support efforts to enhance oncology care. The PACT and RISE AR awards support separate areas of NARMC’s work, with RISE AR funding focused on strengthening and developing NARMC’s workforce.
NARMC extends its appreciation to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation team and the state and federal partners whose work has made this investment in rural healthcare possible.
North Arkansas Regional Medical Center is an innovative, nonprofit healthcare system consisting of a central hospital in Harrison, Arkansas, and 13 clinics serving the rural communities of North Arkansas. NARMC provides a comprehensive range of healthcare services to patients and families throughout North Central Arkansas.
Pictured, left to right: Brad Nye, Director of Rural Health Transformation, Dr. Ted Brown, Director of Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, Dr. Kay Chandler, Arkansas Surgeon General, Josh Bright, NARMC COO, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Clayton Journagan, NARMC Director of Information Services, Renee Mallory, Arkansas Department of Health Secretary, Janet Mann, Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary, and Jim Hudson, Chief Financial Officer for the State of Arkansas and Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.