Our Commitment to Rural Health
Children’s is the only healthcare system in Georgia solely dedicated to kids.
- Children's cares for patients from all 159 counties in Georgia, including all 120 rural counties.
- Yearly, we care for more than 25,000 patients from rural communities.
- 57% of our rural patients are on Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids or unable to cover the cost of their care.
Created before May 11, 2026
Learn More About Our Impact in Rural Georgia
Children's is supporting Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC) as they continue to establish programs with rural hospitals and pediatricians with the aim of improving access to pediatric care closer to home.
- MUSM and Children’s announced in 2023 a major initiative focused on improving pediatric healthcare in rural Georgia.
- Children's has established a dedicated and long-term sustainable fund of $200 million to support pediatric rural healthcare.
MUSM, GRHIC and Children’s formed the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC), which provides avenues of support for Georgia’s rural hospitals, school districts, pediatricians and rural family practitioners to keep care for kids close to home. The goal is for kids in rural Georgia to have access to the care they deserve: the best care possible, which is care guided by Children's in their own communities.
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Noey Bravely Battles Leukemia and Helps Other Kids
The 7-year-old tackled her fears and is in the final stages of treatment, thanks to the support of her Children’s care team.
Children’s has been dedicated to providing the best possible care to sick and injured children, and to helping kids stay healthy through our prevention and advocacy programs across Georgia.
Our clinical reach in rural Georgia
Kids across Georgia come to Children's for care.
- Children's cares for patients from all 159 counties, including all 120 rural counties in Georgia.
- Children's is equipped to handle the most acute and severely injured kids in our state. Arthur M. Blank Hospital has the only Level I pediatric trauma center in Georgia, and Scottish Rite Hospital is a Level II pediatric trauma center.
Our prevention reach in rural Georgia
Our prevention programs impact kids across Georgia, offering a variety of services, trainings and resources to support children in our state.
- The Children's School Health program coordinates with the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Association of School Nurses and the Georgia Department of Public Health to provide training, education, technical assistance and communication on clinical pediatric topics.
- Through Strong4Life, the prevention arm of Children’s, we provide training and resources to families, local schools, early care centers and community organizations. Strong4Life.com was developed by our team of specialists as a free, easy-to-access resource to help Georgia's families raise healthy, safe, resilient kids.
- Marcus Autism Center provides consultations, trainings and professional development for school systems to effectively serve students with educational needs and behavioral challenges, especially those diagnosed with autism and other behavioral health disorders.
- Project S.A.V.E. hosts professional CPR/AED trainings across Georgia.
- Cancer, heart defect, immune deficiency: 3 Tifton siblings face life-threatening diagnoses | June 4, 2026 | WALB
- Sharon Murdock awarded Rural Family Therapy Scholarship | June 3, 2026 | The Monroe County Reporter
- Forsyth Scholar earns full ride to medical school | June 2, 2026 | Forsyth County News
- Emma Davis of Valdosta selected as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholar at Mercer University School of Medicine | June 1, 2026 | The Valdosta Daily Times
- Two micro-preemies share legacy of survival | May 15, 2026 | Times-Georgian
- Aiken teen recovering from rare heart-liver transplant | May 5, 2026 | Augusta Good News
- Rebuilding Georgia’s Pediatric Pipeline: Part 1 and Part 2 | American Hospital Association
- CDC: Georgia among hardest-hit by the flu, doctors warn of a spike in cases among children | WTOC | December 30, 2025
- Billions are getting cut from health care. For some rural hospitals, growing is part of the solution | Georgia Public Broadcasting | November 17, 2025
- Transforming Pediatric Care in Rural Georgia with Marc Welsh & Dr. Jean Sumner | Becker’s Healthcare Pediatric Leadership Podcast | August 20, 2025
- Georgia’s health care worker shortage ‘shocking in some areas of our state’: Mercer Medical School Dean (Podcast) | Georgia Business Minds | August 14, 2025
- Columbus boy rings bell marking end of cancer treatment | WTVM | July 28, 2025
- Evans 16-year-old donates music therapy cart to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta | WRDW | June 7, 2025
- Doctor desert: Georgia counties deal with lack of nearby health care for kids | WSB-TV | May, 2, 2025
- Spring sports and heart health: Tips for parents of young athletes with heart conditions | The Upson Beacon | April 23, 2025
- South Georgia 11-year-old is overcoming a rare eating disorder | WALB | March 28, 2025
- 3-year-old overcomes rare tumor, gives back to other cancer patients | WALB | March 28, 2025
- ‘Trust your gut’ | Mom shares about child’s hospitalization during harsh respiratory virus season with Children’s Atlanta podcast | WMAZ | March 2, 2025
- This 8-year-old girl didn’t let cancer dim her ‘undeniable spark.’ Now her family celebrates after she ‘kicked cancer’s butt.’ | WMAZ | January 31, 2025
- Taking the Pulse of Georgia’s Hospitals | Georgia Trend | November 29, 2024
- Initiative Seeks to Strengthen Pediatric Care in Rural Georgia | Children’s Hospitals Today | November 21, 2024
- South Georgia toddler beats the odds after being born with rare congenital heart defect | WALB | August 18, 2024
- Program places pediatricians in rural Georgia | Atlanta News First | May 3, 2023
- Mercer University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Introduce Inaugural Class of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholarship Program | Savannah Business Journal | May 5, 2023
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Mercer University partner to boost rural pediatric care | Albany Herald | February 26, 2023
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta commits millions to grow rural pediatric care ׀ Georgia Public Broadcasting ׀ February 24, 2023
- Mercer and Children's Healthcare partner to advance pediatric care | WMAZ | February 23, 2023