RTTC Announces Winners of “What Rural Means to You” Image Contest

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At the RTTC Virtual Launch Event last year, we hosted an image contest to celebrate the beauty and diversity of rural America.

Congratulations to Gloria Burnett of Anchorage, Alaska for taking first place!

The judges appreciated this glimpse into a traditional celebration of the Inupiaq people.  They felt the image evokes energy, joy, and the power of community when it comes together.

Congratulations also to Callie Shaffer of Rockcastle Couty, Kentucky for taking runner up!

The judges thought this painting was wonderful on it’s own but especially loved how the story behind it reminded them of what “rural” is about:  people helping each other and forming connections that extend beyond a doctor’s office.

The RTTC would like to than everyone who submitted an entry to share what “rural” means to them.  We will continue to share submissions on our social media pages and our website.

The RTTC wants to hear your rural telementoring stories!  Please share them with us at RTTCinfo@uthscsa.edu and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

HRSA announces Oral Health Workforce Activities Grants

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Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities: HRSA-22-050
SOURCE: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Jan. 31, 2022.
$ AVAILABLE: $12.8 million for 32 awards. States must match at least 40 percent of federal funds provided under this grant.
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants include only Governor-designated, state government entities, such as the office of state’s dental director or a state-run university or dental school. In addition to the 50 states, eligible applicants include the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Private institutions are not eligible to apply.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this program is to help states develop and implement innovative programs to address the dental workforce needs of designated dental health professional shortage areas (Dental HPSAs) in a manner appropriate to each state’s individual needs.
CFDA: 93.236
For more information, go here.

Celebrate the Power of Rural!

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     The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) sets aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate National Rural Health Day (NRHD). National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America. NRHD showcases the efforts of rural healthcare providers, State Offices of Rural Health and other rural stakeholders to address the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face today and into the future. 
     Rural communities are wonderful places to live and work, which is why approximately 57 million people – one in five Americans – call them home. These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are places where neighbors know each other, listen to each other, respect each other, and work together to benefit the greater good. They are also some of the best places to start a business and test your “entrepreneurial spirit.” These communities are an economic engine that provide the rest of the country with a wealth of services and commodities.   
     These rural communities also have unique healthcare needs. Today more than ever, rural communities must address accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens. And rural hospitals – which are often the economic foundation of their communities in addition to being the primary providers of care – struggle daily as declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels make it challenging to serve their residents.
     How can one day make an impact on rural health?  Click on the flyer below to see what the #powerofrural can do and learn more about National Rural Health Day (NRHD) by visiting powerofrural.org.
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National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural”.  The next celebration will take place on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
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Virtual Symposium on HIV/HCV/SUD to be held November 17, 2021

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On November 17th, a free Virtual Symposium will be held from 10:00am – 3:30pm CST .  The theme is “Integrate to Innovate:  Strategies for Complex Healthcare Management.”  This free event will focus on integrated care of support complex disease management and will target an audience of HIV/Hepatitis C(HCV)/Substance Use Disorder health care workers and community members to support essential comprehensive care.  CEU’s are available for participation.

Register here

HIV/HCV/SUD Virtual Symposium Agenda

 

FORHP Announces New Funding Opportunity for Rural Health Networks

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HRSA will be making approximately 20 awards of $100,000 each for a one-year period of performance to promote the development of integrated health care networks in order to a) achieve efficincies; b) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services, and c) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole  Eligible applicants are domestic public and private, nonprofit and for-profit entities that can deliver services in HRSA designated rural areas, particularly for populations that have historically been underserved and have poor health outcomes.  The applicant organization must represent a network that includes at least three or more health care provider organizations.  There will be an hour long webinar on Wednesday, 11/17 at 3pm ET for those interested.  Meeting ID:  161 864 4747; Participant Code:  81822150.  A recording will be made available for those unable to attend.

View Opportunity | GRANTS.GOV

RTTC featured in KSAT news interview

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Struggling rural health care providers nationwide getting virtual help from San Antonio based program

is the headline captioning an interview with RTTC Program Director Dr. Waridibo Allison and Community Health Worker Raudel Bobadilla last Sunday.  On the heels of the RTTC’s Virtual Launch Week, RISE – Resources, Education, Support, and Information for Rural Telementoring, the San Antonio local news station visited with Dr. Allison to learn more about services the RTTC has available.

USDA Announces Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced an Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program with more than $450 million in available funds.  The program is designed to assist rural areas broaden access to COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, healthcare services, and food assistance through food banks and distribution facilities.  There are two available tracks of funding:

Track One:  Recovery Grants which are designed to provide immediate relief in addressing economic conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Grant awards range from $25,000 to $1 million with a total of $350 million available.  Track One: Recovery applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are exhausted. Each Rural Development state office will conduct an initial review, rating, and selection of complete applications received by 4 p.m. local time on October 12, 2021.  Rural Development will conduct subsequent reviews as long as
funding remains available.

Track Two:  Impact Grants are earmarked to advance ideas and solutions to solve regional rural healthcare issues and support the long-term sustainability of health care in rural areas.  The USDA defines long-term sustainablity as “improved health outcomes, improved access to quality health care, and creating and maintaining sustainable economic development for small communities.”  Grant awards range from $5 million to $10 million with a total of $125 million available.  Track Two: Impact applications must be received by the applicable Rural Development office by 4 p.m. local time on October 12, 2021. Track Two: Impact applications received after October 12, 2021 will not be considered.

Public bodies, community based nonprofits, and Federally recognized tribes may apply.  Track Two:  Impact Grant applicants need to establish a network of organizations consisting of health care provider organizations, economic development organizations, federally recognized tribes, or institutions of higher learning (which may include academic health and research institutes).  Rural areas with no more than 20,000 residents, as determined by the latest U.S. Census Data, may apply and the projects for which they intend to use grant funds must be located in and primarily serve rural areas.  Grants can cover up to 75% of eligible project costs based on both the population and median household income of the target population served.

NOSORH Call for Speaker Proposals for October Conference

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The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health invites you to partner with us to bring meaningful education to our 2021 Annual Meeting being held on October 12th–14th, 2021!

We invite you to submit proposal(s) to speak and present your work, research findings, projects, and other topics to help SORH address the needs of rural communities to prepare for the future. Depending on travel capabilities the Annual Meeting may be a fully virtual or hybrid event. Be sure to indicate your virtual or in-person preference when submitting your proposal.

New to the Annual Meeting?

State Offices of Rural Health have a responsibility to collect and disseminate rural relevant information, encourage collaboration to reduce duplication of rural efforts and provide technical assistance to rural communities. Beyond the unique federal-state funding SORH receive, many SORH are also the lead for the state Flex, SHIP, and Primary Care Office programs. SORH work with rural health providers including Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Rural Community Health Centers, and other safety net providers to improve access to care and promote better health. They often play a role in the recruitment and retention of rural health professionals, seeking innovative approaches to care coordination and promoting rural community vitality.

SORH Requested Topics

While all proposals are encouraged, we are particularly looking for submissions that are future-focused and encourage cross-sector collaboration. The Annual Meeting planning committee is prioritizing proposals that include projects implemented with at least one SORH state, and proposals that incorporate interactive discussion components.

Our members have expressed an interest in the following topics:

 

 

  • Alternative Payment Models (APMS) and Medicare/Medicaid demonstration projects
  • Given the SORH funding, what can be done about paramedicine or mental health or farming
  • Behavioral Health Integration
  • Health Equity (diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ+, etc.)
  • Collaboration between rural hospitals and urban health systems
  • Primary Care Integration
  • Community paramedicine and community health workers
  • Public health infrastructure and clinical integration
  • Data analysis, interpretation, and visualization
  • Rural community-based funding opportunities
  • Emergency preparedness and Emergency response
  • Rural facility closure (Hospitals, clinics, EMS, etc.)
  • Telehealth and broadband access
  • SORH success stories
  • Workforce challenges and solutions

Required Components

One of NOSORH’s strategic priorities should be apparent in your proposed presentation.

The priority areas are:

  • Cultivate a vital, innovative rural health landscape and infrastructure.
  • Grow leadership to address rural population health and health equity.
  • Build capacity for rural data driven program planning and decision making.
  • Advocate for meaningful partnerships and additional resources for SORH, and their stakeholders.

 

powerofrural_strategicplan

Next Steps

Our selection process is done by The Annual Meeting Planning Committee who will make recommendations for the final selection. When filling out the attached proposal form please ensure you include basic background on your subject matter/topic and what you will discuss in your session. Please write it so the committee can understand exactly what will be delivered to attendees. If you were requested to submit a proposal by your SORH, please indicate that on the application. This helps committee members ensure they are selecting quality and engaging presentations.

Once a proposal has been selected and speakers have accepted an invitation to speak, accepted speakers will receive an email regarding the selection. It is your responsibility to ensure your event registration, forms, and deadlines are met by the required dates for each meeting. It takes considerable time to coordinate all details to produce a successful meeting, your cooperation in our success is appreciated.

Complete your proposal now!

All proposals must be submitted by 11:59 pm EST on July 9, 2021. Complete your proposal here.

NIH announces a new P2P virtual Workshop

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Register Now for the Virtual NIH P2P Workshop:

Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication

 

About one-fifth of all people in the United States live in rural areas, which have higher mortality rates, a higher prevalence of diseases, and lower life expectancy than urban areas. Telehealth-guided collaboration between health care providers has the potential to increase access to services and improve health outcomes in underserved rural populations. However, more research is needed to better understand how provider-to-provider telehealth affects rural patients, populations, health care providers, and payers. Workshop speakers will identify those research gaps, as well as explore barriers to and facilitators of successful, sustainable implementation of provider-to-provider telehealth in rural settings.

How To Register

Registration is required. You must register separately for each day you plan to attend to receive a unique meeting link for that specific day.
October 12, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ETDraft Agenda – Day 1

Register for Day 1
October 13, 2021 
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ETDraft Agenda – Day 2

Register for Day 2

 

October 14, 2021 
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ETDraft Agenda – Day 3

Register for Day 3

 

This workshop will be captioned in real-time. Individuals needing reasonable accommodations should contact NIHP2P@mail.nih.gov.

Attendees will have opportunities to submit questions and comments during discussion periods. After weighing the evidence, an independent panel will prepare a report that summarizes the workshop and identifies future research priorities.

Learn more at prevention.nih.gov/P2P-RuralHealth.

Sponsoring Organizations

 

Tweet This

Join @NIHprevents, @ncats_nih_gov, @nih_nhlbi, @HRSAgov, and @CDCgov for a virtual #NIHP2P workshop on the use of provider-to-provider telehealth to improve rural health outcomes and reduce rural health disparities, October 12–14, 2021. prevention.nih.gov/P2P-RuralHealth
 

Coming Soon – New HHS funding for Rural Health Clinics to strengthen COVID-19 testing and mitigation and increase vaccine confidence

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The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Health Policy (FORHP) will be making a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funding available for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to strengthen COVID-19 testing and mitigation and increase vaccine confidence.

Interested RHCs should watch for the upcoming funding opportunity and start the process to register to apply for a HRSA grant.  RHCs that have met the requirements for the RHC COVID-19 Testing Program will receive a one-time allocation of up to $100,000 per clinic site.  For additional program announcements and updates, click here.