About
Over the past decade, Helmsley has been dedicated to making sure that the vibrant, tightly-knit communities of the rural, upper Midwest – many of which help feed the United States and the world – have access to the highest quality healthcare.
We invest in telemedicine, fund programs that increase access to behavioral health services, and support hospitals and first responders to make sure they have the best equipment to treat their patients. We do this by working hand-in-hand with a range of partners across the region – including but not limited to non-profits, health systems, law enforcement agencies, universities, first responders, and public health services.
To date, we have worked closely with partners across eight states – North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, and Nevada. The models that are proving to be successful in this region hold the promise to transform care in other rural communities across the country.
Investing in Telemedicine
Telemedicine is an essential solution for addressing our country’s healthcare crisis, especially for rural America. We partner with organizations to make it more accessible for patients, healthcare professionals, and providers.
Our grants have helped develop the first-ever national telehealth certificate program to make sure telehealth care is high quality and consistent.
We bring specialized care to emergency rooms and enable virtual training for healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 care.
Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Services
Our investments have helped build a 24/7 telemedicine behavioral health team. We fund training fellowships as well as telehealth.
We support a pilot initiative that uses video conferencing to help law enforcement connect people with mental health professionals during an emergency.
We’ve pledged $13M to help create an adolescent behavioral health center that will serve four states and include a first-of-its-kind behavioral health urgent care.
Ensuring Availability of Modern Equipment and Technology Wherever It Is Needed
Our grants aim to provide connected-device Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to every first responder, as well as state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to hospitals across the upper Midwest. We’ve also helped deliver nearly 400 LUCAS mechanical CPR devices to rural hospitals to help respond to cardiac events during COVID-19 as well as in the future.
We brought the first-ever Mobile Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) with a game-changing, super ambulance-mobile ER to the region.
Published Wed Mar 1, 2023
Increasing Access to Behavioral Healthcare in Rural America
Published Wed Feb 22, 2023
Saving Lives in Rural America with the First Responder AED Initiative
Published Thu Feb 2, 2023
Grantmakers in Health Features Walter Panzirer’s Thoughts on Mental Health Crisis in America
Published Wed Nov 23, 2022
Minnesota Law Enforcement Receive AEDs from $18.8M Grant
Published Thu Oct 13, 2022
Near $7 Million Grant Will Give Officers New Defibrillators
Las Vegas Review Journal: Grant Aims to Help Rural Mental Health
Published Mon Apr 18, 2022
Walter Panzirer Pens Op-Ed on Healthcare in Rural America
Published Fri Nov 5, 2021
AP Highlights Expansion of Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Grantmaking
Published Mon Oct 25, 2021
Survey Confirms Effectiveness of Telehealth in Rural America and Beyond
$600+
Million
593
Grants
8
States
Recent Grants
Mille Lacs Health System
Amount: $80,263
Term of Grant: 36 Months
Date of Award: 03.14.2023
University of Iowa
Amount: $598,942
Term of Grant: 36 Months
Date of Award: 02.22.2023
Incline Village Community Hospital Foundation
Amount: $1,938,683
Term of Grant: 12 Months
Date of Award: 02.22.2023
Nevada Rural Hospital Partners Foundation, Inc.
Amount: $88,000
Term of Grant: 36 Months
Date of Award: 12.20.2022
River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic
Amount: $197,175
Term of Grant: 36 Months
Date of Award: 08.24.2022
Mitch Krebs is the Program Director of Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program which seeks to improve access to and quality of care in the upper Midwest.
Prior to joining Helmsley, Mitc...
Read More
Mitchell Krebs
Program Director
Wayne Booze is a Program Officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust's Rural Healthcare Program. Currently, he is focusing on the expansion of access to the best standard of diagnostic care for women...
Read More
Wayne Booze
Program Officer
Read More
Kristen Bunt
Program Officer
Scott Johnson is a Program Officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Rural Healthcare Program. In this role, Scott assists with Helmsley’s efforts in rural behavioral healthcare.
<...
Read More
Scott Johnson
Program Officer
Elizabeth Ruen is a Program Officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Rural Healthcare Program. In this role, she oversees a growing portfolio of healthcare delivery, cancer care, and conservat...
Read More
Elizabeth Ruen
Program Officer
Read More
April Dewey
Associate Program Officer
Alicia Cotton is the Executive Assistant for the Rural Healthcare Program in Helmsley’s Sioux Falls office.
Born and raised in South Dakota, Alicia has been dedicated to many local ...
Read More
Alicia Cotton
Executive Assistant