FEATURE
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Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center Debuts First Season of Rural Georgia Voices Podcast
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GRHIC Executive Director Glenda Grant, MBA, with podcast guests Emmanuel Medical Center CEO Damien Scott, PT, MBA, MS, FACHE, Clinch Memorial CEO Angela Handley, MBA, BSN, and Aletheia Health Partners Chief Administrative Officer Kerry Trapnell
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This month, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC), at Mercer University School of Medicine, launched season one of Rural Georgia Voices. The podcast explores the crucial role health care plays across the state’s rural regions, where access, resources and workforce shortages present ongoing challenges.
Through storytelling, Rural Georgia Voices aims to broaden the public's understanding of rural health care and inspire continued dialogue and action. The podcast serves as a platform for those whose work often goes unrecognized but whose efforts are essential to the health and vitality of Georgia’s rural communities. This season, GRHIC Executive Director Glenda Grant, MBA, hosts conversations with rural physicians, hospital administrators, pharmacists and more.
Each week through Dec. 17, a new episode will be available on the GRHIC website, Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.
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Episode 1, Nov. 14
Rural pharmacist, Mercer University alum and pharmacy benefit manager expert Danny Toth, RPh, discusses prescription drug prices.
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Episode 2, Nov. 21
Rural pediatricians Dr. Grace Davis, Dr. Brittany Lord and Dr. Jennifer Tarbutton discuss what’s working, what’s challenging and what keeps them inspired. They also share vaccine facts and myths to help families stay informed with trusted, evidence-based information.
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Coming Up: Episode 3, Nov. 26
Community, Resilience and Hope: The Impact of Rural Hospitals
Rural hospital CEOs Angela Handley, Damien Scott and Kerry Trapnell talk about what it takes to lead in small communities. Their stories highlight both the challenges and the heart of rural health care — and why their communities remain the reason they show up every day.
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Georgia ACP Establishes Rural Care Award in School of Medicine Dean's Name
Jean R. Sumner, MD, MACP, was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Commitment to Rural Care Award.
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Research Reveals Rural Attitudes Toward Whole-Body Donation
by Anne Montgomery, PhD, Mercer University School of Medicine Rural Health Sciences PhD Program Director and GRHIC Biostatistician
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The Mercer University School of Medicine Rural Health Sciences PhD team at the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center contributed to a study published in The Journal of Rural Health. In the study, the team examines how adults in rural Georgia view organ donation and whole-body donation for biomedical research. This research highlights critical insights into a topic often overlooked in rural communities and sheds light on public attitudes toward postmortem research.
This article is the result of a collaborative effort led by Caroline Anglim, PhD, and her team of the Bioethics Department at the School of Medicine. The team at the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center included School of Medicine associate professor Anne Montgomery, PhD, together with three former School of Medicine PhD students and GRHIC research assistants: Taliyah Henderson, PhD, Alika Croy, PhD, and Laura Ross, PhD.
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Maternal Health Observership Summer Program Student Wins Poster Award
Janiah Ryans, a second-year Mercer School of Medicine student, was a winner in the epidemiology category at the annual Mercer University Joint Research Conference for her poster presentation titled “Doulas in Maternal Health Care Teams for Management of Gestational Diabetes in Rural Georgia.” Ryans completed her research project as part of GRHIC’s Maternal Health Observership summer program.
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GRHIC delivers Calm Down Kits to Putnam County Schools
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Young children experience big feelings every day — excitement, frustration, worry, disappointment, joy and everything in between. As they grow, they are still learning how to understand and manage these emotions in healthy, developmentally appropriate ways. To support this growth and promote a calmer, more connected classroom environment, GRHIC is providing Calm Down Kits to kindergarten through second-grade classrooms across participating schools as part of the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) pediatric mental and wellness project.
Calm Down Kits are small, thoughtfully assembled collections of tools designed to help students self-regulate during moments of heightened emotion. These kits include a variety of sensory and comfort items such as plush toys, squishy or fidget items, Play-Doh, slime, mini puzzles and other hands-on materials. Each item serves a purpose — offering a safe and structured way for children to soothe their bodies, channel their energy and regain focus.
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Earlier this month, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center hosted its annual Telehealth Champion Luncheon to celebrate the growing network of pediatric and family medicine physicians and practices participating in the KidsABC program.
The event brought together physicians, telehealth champions and office staff from across rural Georgia for a day of collaboration, learning and recognition.
Mercer University School of Medicine Dean Jean Sumner, MD, MACP, welcomed attendees and shared a broad overview of the KidsABC program and articulated its mission: ensuring that rural children have equitable access to pediatric subspecialty care. She spoke in depth about the transformative role telehealth has played in reducing barriers to care, particularly for families who face long travel times or limited access to pediatric specialists.
This year’s event not only celebrated achievements but also strengthened relationships, reinforced shared goals and renewed enthusiasm for advancing rural pediatric subspecialty care across Georgia.
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Friendsgiving Event Celebrates Community Health Reporters’ Impact
by Harvey Lee Moody, MS, Community Resource and Assessment Specialist
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Community health reporters have an important role in rural communities, providing the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center with data that no one else has and that people are constantly seeking. The data collected by community health reporters show where rural residents can go to receive care. This includes information on hospitals, health departments and medical practice locations. Community health reporters list each location’s address, hours, contact information, and physicians and providers who work there.
GRHIC uses this data to create reports that show the access to care a rural community may have and to highlight the need for rural providers in certain areas. GRHIC recently presented the Health Access Locator (HAL), which receives data directly from the Community Health Reporter database, to members of the Georgia House Study Committee on Improving Access to Internal Medicine in Underserved Areas, showing them how the tool can be used to find care in a rural county.
GRHIC celebrated the work and dedication of community health reporters at a recent Friendsgiving luncheon. Reporters from across the state gathered on Mercer University’s Macon campus to receive program updates, network with one another and enjoy holiday-themed activities.
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Join the Community Health Reporter Program
Do you want to make a difference in your rural community?
Help keep your neighbors informed of what local health care options are available by becoming a community health reporter.
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Rural Autism ECHO Empowers Providers With Tools for Early Autism Recognition
by Samantha Johnson, MPH, Lead Community Resource and Assessment Specialist
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Mercer University School of Medicine and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center is a Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Hub that works to provide education to rural clinical staff, social workers, educators, community organizations and behavioral health workers.
The Rural Autism ECHO: Strategies for Improving Health Care for Autistic Patients in Rural Georgia was launched in collaboration with the Autism ToolKit of Georgia. The series was created because rural families and communities often have limited access to information about autism, making it difficult to recognize early signs and respond to a child’s unusual behavior. By offering a virtual, peer-driven learning environment, the Rural Autism ECHO empowers rural physicians and other health care professionals to diagnose and treat autism more effectively without requiring families to travel long distances.
| | KidsABC Celebrates Dodge County Hospital's Emergency Department | | The Dodge County Hospital Emergency Department was recognized for its commitment to strengthening pediatric emergency care in Dodge County during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community event on Thursday, Oct. 30. Dodge County Hospital was celebrated for reaching key milestones as a participating hospital in KidsABC. | | |
Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative
The KidsABC Rural Emergency Department Project continues to advance rural pediatric care across the state. In November, we hosted a full class for our pediatric-specific training designed for rural ED staff. Held at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, this training focuses on pediatric assessment and reassessment, recognizing the deteriorating patient, and using case-based scenarios to identify pediatric equipment needs, among other essential skills. These trainings will continue monthly through 2026. Additionally, the KidsABC Simulation Pediatric Assessment for Rural Kids (SPARK) program continued to deliver in-house pediatric training to collaborative hospitals. In November, Wayne Memorial Hospital and Mountain Lakes Medical Center received simulation training on pediatric airway management using the Child With a Wheeze case study. We also hosted a two-day National Pediatric Resuscitation (NRP) course at Liberty Regional Medical Center. During this session Kenya Jones, KidsABC’s simulation and clinical educator, successfully earned her instructor license and will continue offering NRP certification and recertifications through 2026.
Rural Pediatric Support Collaborative
Rural physicians from Cohorts 1 and 2 participated in Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Cape Day on Oct. 24. Dean Sumner, Center staff, and several Children’s Pediatric Scholars wore capes to spread awareness of pediatric patients’ strength and resilience on social media.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholars presented summer program research at Mercer University's Joint Research Conference on Oct. 31. Cohorts 1 and 2 physicians engaged in the November Pediatric Alliance Webinar Series (PAWS) session on epilepsy and nervous disorders with Dr. Sonam Bhalla. The 2026 PAWS speakers will be released in December when registration opens. Cohort 3 pediatric and family medicine offices will be announced in December. Telehealth appointments are being scheduled and completed in KidsABC offices across the state.
Rural Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative
The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center has expanded its universal mental health and wellness screenings into 11 rural school systems, in 10 rural counties, during the 2025-26 academic year. The universal mental health and wellness screenings and the follow-up are part of the KidsABC Mental Health and Wellness project. The screenings are provided at no cost to the school systems or the children and their families. During the fall semester, the Center and four schools systems are working to provide the universal mental health and wellness screenings in 10 schools.
If a student’s screening responses suggest they have severe or moderate symptoms, the parents or guardians are contacted. The Center offers care navigation and referrals to services for the students and their families. Behavioral health services and other supportive services will be offered and available from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Centers’ Pediatric Mental Health Initiative, Emory University, and local community resources. The Center is also providing Calm Down kits to each pre-K through second-grade classrooms and to all school counselors. The Calm Down kits are a resource to support emotional regulation and wellness within the classrooms and the schools. Approximately 110 Calm Down Kits have been delivered to Ben Hill Schools and Putnam County Charter Schools. Currently, the Calm Down Kits for Twiggs County Schools and Jefferson County Schools are being prepared for delivery.
| | Training and News for Rural Pediatric Health Care Providers | | 2025 Ongoing Center Initiatives | | |
The prevalence of mental health challenges experienced by farm families and farming communities in Georgia is staggering.
In 2022, researchers with the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC), at Mercer University School of Medicine, and the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture published a study based on surveys completed by more than 1,600 Georgia farmers, spouses, farm managers, and farmworkers. The survey documented concerning levels of stress, negative coping strategies, and suicidal ideation.
On March 12, a group of farmers, farm family members, agricultural community members, and agricultural mental health stakeholders will meet at the 2025 Georgia Farm Stress Summit. The event will be held at Fort Valley State University.
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ABOUT THE CENTER
Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center was established to address the complex health care challenges and disparities faced by rural communities throughout the state. The School of Medicine boasts a longstanding commitment to serving rural Georgia’s health needs, with a mission to educate physicians dedicated to tackling the health challenges in rural Georgia. The Rural Health Innovation Center serves as a critical resource to rural communities to improve access and effectiveness of health care by offering research, collaboration and training opportunities.
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