Appalachian and Rural Center for Health (ARCH)

The Appalachian and Rural Center for Health (ARCH) is committed to helping people in rural and Appalachian Ohio live healthier lives by strengthening care closer to their homes.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is committed to improving the health of Ohioans as part of its Impact 2035 plan. ARCH will champion the plan's goals in rural and small-town Ohio.  

We’re working side by side with local healthcare organizations and community leaders to:

• Build partnerships and learn from local residents to identify healthcare opportunities.
• Develop and retain a strong healthcare workforce through local career pathways.
• Share knowledge, training, technology and best practices to support area health priorities.
• Co-create innovative care models tailored to community needs.
• Support research to improve health outcomes.
• Advocate for rural and Appalachian health services and needs at every level.

Why Appalachian and Rural Center for Health (ARCH) matters

Ohio has one of the largest rural populations in the country, and some of the toughest health challenges. Many communities are faced with limited access to care, fewer resources and not enough healthcare workers.

Here’s why addressing these issues matters:

• Strong local healthcare resources can help community members stay healthy and can also support local businesses for a thriving economy. 
• Rural and Appalachian regions of Ohio have incredible strengths to build on – community pride, engaged leadership, natural beauty and rich traditions.
• ARCH enhances our commitment to patients across Ohio and builds on long-standing partnerships with healthcare providers across the state.
  • Annually, more than 23,000 admissions to the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center originate from outside the seven-county central Ohio region.
  • Local providers can use existing rural health programs, such as The James Cancer Network, Ohio State Health Network, the Telestroke Network, the Ohio State Heart and Vascular Network and other collaborative programs, for patient treatment. 
  • Robust research projects, such as the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) Studies, help to strengthen our understanding of underlying health issues within our communities.
    
     

Ohio State's rural health program is meant to enhance local care, not replace it

The Appalachian and Rural Center for Health (ARCH) is here to support, not compete with, local providers and programs. As we listen to and follow the community’s lead, together we’ll build a reliable presence in Ohio’s rural and Appalachian counties.

• To ensure community needs are clearly represented, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center hires local residents to serve as “healthcare extension agents.”
• Because these agents live and work in the same communities they represent, they can be more engaged, accessible and aware of area needs and opportunities.
• In this role, agents meet regularly with healthcare providers and their partners to continually evaluate and update community needs.
• Armed with this information, they can then connect community providers to the appropriate Ohio State resources and to other ongoing support in order to sustain and evolve existing programs or co-develop new solutions.

How we work with lead partners

Local healthcare organizations act as lead partners for their own community-led efforts. Every lead partner maintains full local autonomy and supports ARCH’s efforts to come alongside regional healthcare, public health, behavioral health and community organizations that unite around shared priorities. When this team identifies an opportunity for a co-created initiative with the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, ARCH can provide connections to the appropriate clinicians, faculty members, medical and healthcare learners and programs.

Relationship-based and long-term

Organizations choose to become ARCH lead partners because they want reliable support – not a temporary collaboration for a single program or one-and-done project. Lead partners and ARCH both recognize that lasting improvement in rural healthcare requires trust, shared leadership and sustained collaboration. This approach reflects our combined commitment to providing long-term community support and recognizing the need to adjust as needs evolve – always guided by local expertise and regional context.

Contact Us

If you're interested in partnering with ARCH as a healthcare provider or community leader, or if you'd like to learn more about potential healthcare careers facilitated through ARCH, please send an email to ARCH@osumc.edu. 

Executive leadership

Originally from Appalachian Ohio, Lori Criss has been immersed in the healthcare field since 1992 and now serves as the Executive Director of Ohio State’s Appalachian and Rural Center for Health for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Immediately before coming to this role, Criss served for five years as the Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, a Cabinet position appointed by Governor Mike DeWine.

With an annual budget of over $1.2 billion and directing 3,000 staff, Criss led strategic planning for the state’s behavioral health system. In her early career, Lori was engrossed in addressing illnesses causing premature death for Ohioans, and she led operations for a community behavioral health center with integrated housing and recovery supports for homeless women and their children. Criss served as CEO of a trade association for behavioral health providers, leading policy and advocacy work on state and federal financing and regulation affecting the behavioral health industry.

Lori earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio State’s College of Social Work. She has served numerous state and national boards including the federal Center for Mental Health Services National Advisory Committee.

Lori Criss, MSW
Executive Director
Appalachian and Rural Center for Health