Rural Spotlight

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Application Assistance Webinars

January 23, 2023

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Application Assistance Webinars

Apply to the 2023 Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – accepting applications through February 23. Registered nurses and nurse faculty members may be eligible to have up to 85 percent of unpaid nursing education debt covered in exchange for a two-year commitment of service. There will be two application assistance webinars:

Nurse Corps LRP Application Assistance Webinar #1 January 26, 1 – 2:30 p.m. CT

Nurse Corps LRP Application Assistance Webinar #2 February 15, 1 – 2:30 p.m. CT

HRSA Webinar – Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations

January 23, 2023

HRSA Webinar – Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations

Tuesday, February 7, 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm CT

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) IEA’s first session of the learning series, “Getting to Know HRSA” will explore HRSA’s priority areas, programs, funding, and technical resources available to support organizations providing health and social services to Hispanic/Latino populations. During the session, participants will have the opportunity to hear about effective ways to collaborate and stay connected to HRSA to leverage resources and gain access to innovative and high-value programs. The session will be broadcast in Spanish with live language interpretation to English.

Register Here

 

NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute

January 20, 2023

 

NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute

NOSORH‘s Grant Writing Institute is now open for enrollment! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to write better grant proposals, turn rurality to your advantage, learn to connect with funders, and more. This series is perfect for beginners seeking to gain the skills to research and draft winning program proposals from various funders. The Institute runs from February 27-May 8, 2023, with weekly virtual learning sessions taking place each Monday from 3:00-4:30 pm ET. Visit the Institute’s web page to learn more and register by February 17!

USDA to Create Plan to Expand Recreation Economies and Help People Thrive Across Rural America

January 20, 2023

USDA to Create Plan to Expand Recreation Economies and Help People Thrive Across Rural America

Rural Development, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and U.S. Forest Service Partner to Create New Tools and Resources

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)  announced that it will create a plan to expand recreation economies to help people thrive across rural America.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding, USDA Rural Development, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the U.S. Forest Service will partner to develop an annual plan to expand economic opportunities related to recreation in communities surrounding America’s national forests.

The annual plan will outline the ways the agencies will partner to conduct program outreach, host informational sessions and workshops, and develop toolkits to help people access the resources they need to thrive in recreation economies.

To learn more, read the full Stakeholder Announcement.

USDA Seeks Applications to Improve Rural Transportation Systems, Opening the Door to Economic Opportunities for People Living in Rural Communities

January 19, 2023

USDA Seeks Applications to Improve Rural Transportation Systems, Opening the Door to Economic Opportunities for People Living in Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is accepting applications to enhance the operation of rural transportation systems. These investments in rural transportation systems build opportunities and prosperity for the people who live in rural communities by connecting them to economic resources they may not otherwise be able to access.

The grants are part of the Rural Business Development Grant program. Eligible applicants are qualified, experienced national organizations seeking to provide rural communities with training and technical assistance to improve passenger transportation services and facilities. USDA does not provide funding directly to individuals or businesses under this program.

USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help communities create more and better market opportunities, advance equity and combat climate change. These extra points will increase the likelihood of funding. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

Applications will be scored, reviewed and selected on a competitive basis. Applications must be submitted to the applicant’s nearest USDA office by April 19, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. local time. Additional information is available on page 3376 of the Jan. 19, 2023, Federal Register.

To learn more, read the full Stakeholder Announcement.

NRHA Webinar – Nursing Labor Update: View from the Mountaintops

January 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Nursing Labor Update: View from the Mountaintops

Wednesday, Feb 2, 1:00 – 2:00 pm CST

Michelle Hehman, MSN, RN, 15+ years of acute hospital experience and former nurse manager of Emergency Services, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Jessica Flege, BSN, RN, CMSRN, 10 years of acute care management and certified Medical Surgical Nurse, will discuss the trajectory of the nursing industry and the impact that it is expected to have on staffing, as well as insight into how flexible staffing solutions can help to maintain optimal nurse-patient ratios.

Learning objectives:

  • An overview of the U.S. Nursing workforce, impactful milestones, and the ‘Silver Tsunami’
  • The devastating effects that short staffing has on every hospital
  • Sustainable solutions for delivering optimal nurse staffing
  • How rural hospitals can benefit from flexible staffing solutions

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and Attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, a Transitional Care Model

January 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – Swing Bed Culture and Attention to Wellness Vital to Rural Healthcare, a Transitional Care Model

Thursday, Feb 16, 1:00 – 2:00 pm 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 helping patients transition to their highest level of independence, Transitional Care is a program that involves the patient and family, makes available the full 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 both independent and part of health systems. Our clients have cared for over 12,000 patients representing more than 158,000 swing bed days.

With a strong focus on quality, outcomes, and growth, our clients saw an average growth in swing bed days of 55% by the second year. 64% of patients were categorized as complex medical or complex surgical which is a growing patient population, and only 7% of Transitional Care patients were discharged directly back to acute care during a program stay of less 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

Click Here to Register

NRHA Webinar – How Rural Providers Can Stay Profitable, Sustainable, and Mitigate Risk Through Accountable Care

January 19, 2023

NRHA Webinar – How Rural Providers Can Stay Profitable, Sustainable, and Mitigate Risk Through Accountable Care

Wednesday, Feb 15, 2:00 – 3:00 pm CST

Rural providers in the ACO Investment Model (AIM) saved Medicare over $382 million in just three years. ACOs can be a viable business model to help rural providers meet financial goals and create healthier communities. In this session, hear directly from Tim Putnam, President of Rural Health Consulting, Medical University of South Carolina, Kathy Lee, Director of Population Health, Coryell Memorial Hospital, and Steve Barnett, President & CEO, McKenzie Health System about successes and best practices of thriving in accountable care.

Learning objectives:

  • Review requirements and benefits of the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
  • Demonstrate the value of ACO collaboration coupled with a population health methodology to reduce physician burnout, generate new population health revenue streams, and reduce costs.
  • Understand the value of ACO data and workflows to more than double 340B net discounts.

Click Here to Register

Registration Now Open: National Rural EMS & Care Conference 2023

January 19, 2023

Registration Now Open: National Rural EMS & Care Virtual Conference 2023

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, the National Association of State EMS Officials, and the Joint Committee on Rural Emergency Care invite you to join them on April 18-20, 2023, for the 8th annual National Rural EMS & Care Conference!

Register today for this one-of-a-kind virtual conference that brings together rural EMS stakeholders from across the country.

 Registration deadline is April 13, 2023

Visit the Conference web page for additional details as they become available. Please feel free to share this information with your partners, providers, or other interested parties.

If you have questions about the conference, please contact Caroline Wroczynski, NOSORH Education Manager, at carolinew@nosorh.org

Click to Register

Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations: Learning series, in Spanish, on best practices and opportunities for action

January 18, 2023

Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations: Learning series, in Spanish, on best practices and opportunities for action

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA), Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) invites you to be part of the next round of our Advancing Health Equity among the Hispanic/Latino Populations Spanish Learning Series.

This four-part series includes didactic portions on selected topics as well as discussions about factors that contribute to health disparities, barriers to health equity, and successful strategies and models to improve access to care and advance health equity among Hispanic/Latino populations. Participants will be able to engage with subject matter experts and potential new partners and receive information on HRSA programs and resources to support their health equity efforts.

1st Session: Getting to Know HRSA

Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Time: 10:00am – 11:15am PST | 11:00am – 12:15pm MST | 12:00pm – 1:15pm CST | 1:00pm – 2:15pm EST

Session Objectives:

  • Discuss HRSA programs, funding opportunities, and resources to enhance primary healthcare access and advance health equity.
  • Share effective ways to collaborate and stay connected to HRSA to leverage resources and gain access to innovative and high-value programs.

Featured Speakers:

Lauren DeVol, Public Health Analyst, HRSA Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA)

Mayra Nicolas, Deputy Division Director, HRSA Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)

Mae Ruppert, Supervisory Public Health Analyst, HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP)

Natalia Vargas, Public Health Analyst, HRSA Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)

Moderator:

Veronica Roa, Public Health Analyst, HRSA Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) Region 1, Boston

Registration is available here.