ROOTS
People and Places of Rural Health
November 2017 
In This Issue
Comings and Goings
Help us Celebrate the Power of Rural Tomorrow!
 
Check out PowerofRural.org for all the latest NRHD resources and events!

What are YOUR plans for NRHD?
Big or small, we want to hear YOUR plans for NRHD! The Power of Rural website has a spot for you to share your plans or you can email them to Ashley Muninger.

  Rural Social Determinants of Health Twitter Chat
Use the #PowerofRural and join the conversation with @NOSORH, @ASTHO and other national partners on 11/16 at 12:00 pm ET!

30-min "WebSights" 
Register now for these  NRHD learning sessions:

2:30-3:00pm ET
  How to Help Policy Leaders Understand the Impact of Rural Health
  
3:30-4:00pm ET
  The Five Characteristics Common to Thriving Rural Health Networks
 
4:30-5:00pm ET
  Project C.L.E.A.N. (Community Leaders Eliminating the Abuse of Narcotics): A Model for Physician Partnerships and Community Collaboration
 
NRHD Social Media
On 11/16, be sure to use the #PowerofRural at
11:16 AM in your time zone and throughout the day!

2017 Community Stars
Stay tuned for the release of the Community Stars e-book on 11/16! The book features 31 inspiring stories from individuals and organizations making a difference in rural health! 
 
#PowerofRural  
PowerofRural.org


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Are Your RHCs Ready? 
As we all prepare for National Rural Health Day tomorrow, many Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) across the nation are scrambling to get into compliance with new Emergency Preparedness regulations set to take effect on November 16. This is a great opportunity for State Offices of Rural Health to reach out to their RHCs to take a look at their new policy and discuss the outcomes of their community exercise. If the clinic hasn't updated their policy or conducted an exercise, the NOSORH RHC Committee has shared resources that can assist SORHs in helping RHCs get into compliance rather quickly.
 
SORH can modify and share the emergency plan template developed by Louisiana for their RHCs. Also, the National Association of Rural Health Clinics recently hosted a webinar on this topic that could be shared with RHCs. Click here to listen to the recording .
 
 
For more resources for RHCs, we invite you to join NOSORH's RHC Committee. Contact co - chairs Tammy Norville or Crystal Barter for more information on joining the Committee.
 
Rural communities have shown true resilience when faced with disasters. This rule helps facilitate the conversation and is a great way for SORHs to engage their RHCs in the discussion and help them prepare in the event of a disaster.
 
 
 
 
 
Kassie Clarke
Technical Assistance Director 
Comings and Goings
Cynthia Snyder is the new director of Special Population Health, Primary Care and Rural Health at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Cynthia previously worked in the Bureau of Health Promotion at KDHE where she was the co-program manager with the Early Detection Works (EDW) program. Her focus was assuring access to primary healthcare services for low-income and medically underserved populations through her role in managing program operations, quality assurance and training with EDW.
Jill Oesterle has been hired by the Michigan Center for Rural Health as the Manager of Rural Health Clinic Services. She has over two decades of healthcare experience, with her most recent area of focus being a practice manager for two rural health clinics. Her past experiences have given her a unique perspective on delivering health care in a rural community. She has a special interest in behavioral health integration and opioid prevention and education. Jill is looking forward to creating and building relationships with Michigan's rural health clinics and assisting them with compliance and quality improvement initiatives.
Johnnie Lovins, MSN, RN, CCM, recently joined the Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH). In her role as Rural Project Manager, she will assist with the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, specifically the activities related to the FY 2017 Flex Supplemental Funding. She will be instrumental in the development, coordination and execution of activities related to achieving measurable improvements for a select cohort of Kentucky's Critical Access Hospitals. With a particular emphasis on the area of substance abuse, Lovins will provide and coordinate targeted technical assistance opportunities for the CAHs, partnering agencies and the communities they serve. Prior to her role with the KORH, she served as the Rural External Community Health Worker Director at the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health.
Karen Pauley will be retiring on November 30 a fter 38.5 years of working for the State of West Virginia, including 11.5 years working for the West Virginia State Office. "I have enjoyed working with everyone and I want to thank you for all the encouragement in my endeavors to help increase the Power of Rural! I will miss working with the NOSORH Planning, Awards and Finance committees. I hope I can stay in touch with you! I can be reached by email at [email protected]."
Tina Turner recently left the Ohio State Office of Rural Health to take advantage of an internal promotional opportunity within the Ohio Department of Health, Maternal and Child Health and Family Services program to focus on infant mortality and other related concerns. Tina had been the administrator of the Ohio SORH for the last eight years. " Take care and best wishes! You are the most efficient and smartest group of people that I have ever met!"