USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series Starts in May

May 2, 2023

USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series Starts in May

You’re invited to the USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop Series taking place on Tuesdays starting May 9 through June 6, 2023 from 2:00-3:30pm ET. The workshop series convenes farmers and ranchers, faith leaders, rural health providers, USDA employees, and Federal, state, and university partners to dialogue and discuss mental health challenges, stressors, and the resources and services available to address them. Click here and see below for more information and to register.  

Farm Stress and Suicide Prevention: Data, Challenges, and Opportunities co-hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation
Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session provides context for the issue of farm stress and suicide by focusing on available data, challenges, and opportunities for farm stress researchers, practitioners, and service providers. Panelists include the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Aid, and others to discuss the state of the field and offer insights into their respective partner programs, resources, and emergent needs.

Veteran’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Workshop
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

Rural Veterans experience a significantly increased risk of suicide. In this workshop, you will learn how to act with care and compassion if you encounter a Veteran who is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Rural Mental Health Matters: Challenges, Opportunities & Resources for Communities cohosted by the National Association of Behavioral Health and Development Disability Directors
Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
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This session focuses on the resources and tools that are available in rural places, where over 60% of Americans live in mental health provider shortage areas. Speakers will examine current programs focused on giving rural and frontier communities the tools they need to thrive through creative problem solving. With perspectives rooted in rural services, behavioral health, and technology, the presentations and follow-on conversation will explore the importance of increasing the efficiency of providers in rural areas and other solutions, to challenges that rural communities face to ensure community wellbeing and economic prosperity.

Farm Stress and Suicide: Faith, Place, and Community Health
Tuesday, May 30, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
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This session provides an overview of the USDA Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and highlights the challenges faced by many Americans during Mental Health Awareness Month. A training on farm stress, health and wellbeing will be provided by The Well Church Initiative of Texas A&M Extension, to discuss and highlight tools and resources available to faith and community-based organizations as they support their congregants and communities.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health in Rural Communities
Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
Register

This session will focus on the lived experienced of LGBTQ+ identifying folks in rural communities across the country. Discussion and dialogue will focus on mental health, the relationship to stress, and more.

These meetings will be conducted virtually using Zoom.gov. A link to the workshop will be provided upon registration; please contact center@usda.gov with any questions.

NRHA Webinar – Keeping Care in our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

May 2, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Keeping Care in our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

Thursday, May 4, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Join healthcare experts Steve Barnett (President and CEO, McKenzie Health System), Corey Scurlock (CEO and Founder, EQUUM Medical), and Rodney Buchanan (Hospital Administrator, Westfield Memorial Hospital) in an informative webinar on telehealth for rural healthcare facilities. With their combined experience of over 60 years in successful rural hospital operations, healthcare management, financial analysis, strategic planning, and business development, the panelists will provide tangible insights into implementing telehealth solutions that are both successful and profitable.

In this discussion-driven webinar, the panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. They will debunk myths about the cost and complexity of telehealth and provide best practices for implementation. Additionally, the benefits of ongoing program measurement and goal communication will be discussed to help you gain buy-in over time.

As a rural healthcare facility, you will learn how to evaluate telehealth as a solution for your organization by outlining its components and understanding its potential benefits.

Register

NRHA Webinar – Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals

May 2, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals

Wednesday, May 3, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Join Jimmie Bilby, Chief Growth Officer at TRS Healthcare, for a webinar on creating a competitive advantage in recruiting and retention for rural hospitals. Jimmie has over 23 years of leadership experience and will share proven strategies, including leveraging a hospital’s Mission/Vision/Values. His presentation, “Radical Recruiting and Retention for Rural Hospitals,” will challenge you to think outside the box and explore new concepts.

Register

NRHA Webinars on Recruitment and Retention, Telehealth

May 1, 2023

NRHA Webinars on Recruitment and Retention, Telehealth

NRHA Partner TRS Managed Services will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 3 on recruiting and retention for rural hospitals. Jimmie Bilby, TRS Healthcare chief growth officer, has more than 23 years of leadership experience and will share proven strategies including leveraging a hospital’s mission, vision, and values. NRHA Partner Equum Medical will host a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 4 on keeping care in rural communities and telehealth as a lifeline for rural health care. Panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. Your chance to discuss rural-specific strategies to enhance telehealth capacity is at NRHA’s 46th Annual Rural Health Conference May 16-19 in San Diego.

Rural Communities Face Steep Climb in Race for Childcare

May 1, 2023

Rural Communities Face Steep Climb in Race for Childcare

Across America, about half of the population lives somewhere with inadequate access to childcare, with that number going up to 59 percent for rural communities. Even when families can find available openings for childcare, the cost can be too high. As far back as 2017, childcare has been the single largest household expense across much of the country. Additionally, NRHA is cohosting a webinar at 2 p.m. CDT May 9 on the National Pediatric Readiness Quality Initiative, a free platform that enables EDs to measure and analyze – in real-time and at the patient level – their progress on quality metrics that improve outcomes for children.

Webinar – Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Educational Webinar

April 17, 2023

Webinar – Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Educational Webinar

Medicare designated the Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) as a new provider type through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to address concerns that some rural hospitals would not be able to sustain operations and are at risk of closure. Under the new REH designation, which became effective January 1, 2023, CAHs and certain rural hospitals can convert to a REH, allowing continued access to certain health services in the communities they serve.

On May 1, 2023, 11:00 a.m. – noon ET, the Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC) and Mathematica, will host a 60-minute webinar to provide an overview of the REH program. During the webinar, participants will learn about the REH provider type, conversion and participation requirements, and no-cost technical assistance available through the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Center (REH-TAC) for hospitals considering a conversion. If you have questions about this event, please email ctalkington@mathematica-mpr.com.

Register Here

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Keeping Care in Our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

April 12, 2023

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Keeping Care in Our Communities: Telehealth as a Lifeline for Rural Healthcare

Thursday, May 4, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST

Join healthcare experts Steve Barnett, Corey Scurlock, and Rodney Buchanan in an informative webinar on telehealth for rural healthcare facilities. With their combined experience of over 60 years in successful rural hospital operations, healthcare management, financial analysis, strategic planning, and business development, the panelists will provide tangible insights into implementing telehealth solutions that are both successful and profitable.

In this discussion-driven webinar, the panelists will share how to identify where telehealth can fit in your organization and how to get started. They will debunk myths about the cost and complexity of telehealth and provide best practices for implementation. Additionally, the benefits of ongoing program measurement and goal communication will be discussed to help you gain buy-in over time.

Register

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Swing Bed Culture and Attention to Rural Healthcare, a Transitional Care Model

April 12, 2023

NRHA Upcoming Webinar: Swing Bed Culture and Attention to Rural Healthcare, a Transitional Care Model

Thursday, April 27, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CST

Allevant, a joint venture between Mayo Clinic and Select Medical, helps Critical Access Hospitals by developing post-acute Transitional Care programs using available Swing Beds. Focused on assisting patients to transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the total resources of the Critical Access Hospital, and focuses on measured outcomes and evidence-based processes to ensure patients get the best care possible.

Allevant has supported approximately 100 Critical Access Hospitals across 22 states, including independent and part of health systems. Allevant clients have cared for over 12,000 patients, representing over 158,000 swing bed days.

With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, Allevant clients saw an average increase in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical, a growing patient population. Only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of fewer than 30 days. 76% of patients were discharged from Transitional Care back to independence. The average patient rating was 4.83 out of 5 when asked if patients would “recommend the program to others.”

Learn more at www.Allevant.com

Register

USDA Workshop: Community Connect Grant Workshop

April 10, 2023

USDA Workshop: Community Connect Grant Workshop

The USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hosting a webinar to provide information about the Community Connect Program and will cover the recently published Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
This webinar will include:

A brief overview of the Community Connect Program
The current FOA
A walkthrough of the application process
Next steps and important dates
An opportunity to ask questions about the FOA

Slides, a transcript, and a recording of the webinar will be posted at the Community Connect website after the session.

Register

Webinar on Understanding Rural Emergency Hospital Designation

April 7, 2023

Webinar on Understanding Rural Emergency Hospital Designation

States are grappling with how to maintain access to care in rural areas — including supporting rural hospitals who are facing potential closures.

Medicare’s Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation, originally established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, became effective on January 1, 2023. The new designation is intended to help rural hospitals at risk of financial failure by offering an additional monthly facility payment and requiring certain changes in service delivery, including the elimination of inpatient care. To implement this new model, states need to take certain steps to provide hospitals with this option. Several states have already taken action to implement the REH designation.

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is hosting a webinar at noon CDT April 10 on the requirements of the new Medicare designation from CMX, as well as experiences in implementing the new designation in Kansas and Michigan with ample time for questions.

Join this webinar to hear about the requirements of the new Medicare designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as experiences in implementing the new designation in Kansas and Michigan, with ample time for questions.

Speakers

  • Kianna Banks, Technical Advisor, CMS
  • Jennifer Findley, Vice President, Education and Special Projects, Kansas Hospital Association
  • John Barnas, Executive Director, Michigan Center for Rural Health
  • Matthew Jordan, Manager, Non-Long-Term Care State Licensing Section, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Register Here