FEATURE
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Annual Maternal Health Symposium Highlights Disaster Preparedness for Mothers and Infants
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Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center hosted the 2026 Maternal Health Symposium on June 25. The annual event focused on disaster preparedness and the unique challenges emergencies pose for pregnant and postpartum women and their babies.
Topics included perinatal safety planning, maternal healthcare referral networks, safe infant feeding, maternal mortality trends and prevention opportunities, and infant safe sleep and CPR.
The event is designed to bring together professionals from a wide range of disciplines — not just OB-GYNs, but anyone connected to the care of mothers and infants.
"Each one of us can make a difference; together we can make change," said Keisha Callins, MD, MPH, a rural OB-GYN and professor at the School of Medicine. "There is collective power in the village of the perinatal care team that can change the healthcare ecosystem for moms, babies, families and communities when we hear together and learn together."
| | Scholars Begin Six-Week Immersive Summer Experience | | The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center welcomed Maternal Health Observership Scholars and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholars to kick off a six-week summer experience. The summer program gives rising second-year medical students opportunities to shadow rural physicians in clinical settings, complete research projects, participate in simulation training and more. | | GRHIC Staff Attain COMET Training | | |
Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center clinical behavioral health specialists Mercedes Madrid-Lowery, LCSW, and Joye Simmons join other GRHIC staff as certified COMET (Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory) trainers. COMET is designed to help bridge the gap in mental healthcare resources by empowering agricultural and rural communities to address distress, moderate depression and anxiety through a neighbor-to-neighbor approach.
COMET is one of several free mental health training options available for rural communities. For more information about COMET training, send an email to John McElveen at mcelveen_j@georgiaruralhealth.org.
| | Research Team Presents Data on Women in Agriculture at D.C. Summit | | |
Anne Montgomery, PhD, associate professor of community medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine and a biostatistician at the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, presented national research findings at the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer ACE Summit in Washington, D.C.
Hosted by the American Farm Bureau's Women's Leadership Committee and U.S. agricultural partners, the summit recognizes the contributions and leadership of women across agriculture and the food system. The ACE (Advocate, Cultivate, Empower) Summit was held June 1-3, bringing together women farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the world.
The research team presented findings from the National Women in Agriculture Survey. The study collected responses from more than 4,300 women in agriculture nationwide and examined leadership experiences, advocacy participation, barriers to engagement and organizational involvement.
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Rural Farm Spotlight: JoNina Farms
by Kayla Stroud, Communications and Events Specialist
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JoNina Farms | Georgia Citrus Makers
Who: Linda Savelle
Where: Ochlocknee, Georgia, Thomas County
Lindy Savelle and her husband, Perry, own JoNina Farm/Georgia Grown Citrus, a USDA-certified citrus nursery that combines agriculture, education and community engagement.
Perry farmed on and off his entire life, and Linda grew up on a tobacco farm. “I thought I would never come back to a farm. But after I retired, we decided to come back here,” said Linda.
As the farm grew, Linda noticed a shift in what consumers value. "While appearance once drove purchasing decisions, customers today are increasingly focused on nutrition, flavor and overall health benefits," she said.
“We have realized that people are now more concerned about what they're putting in their mouths,” Linda said. “The health aspect of it, the nutrient density of it — not only how it looks, but how it tastes. What's inside is more important than what's outside.”
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Quick Picks Q&A
Favorite season on the farm?
"The fall. Just the kids and people coming to the farm. The fruit comes in, and people come running out to the grove to pick fruit."
What's your most popular product with visitors?
"On the nursery side, our number one seller is Meyer lemons. Behind that would be Satsumas. Georgia Queens and Georgia Kisses are up there, too. People love Satsuma mandarins, they love to come here, take their family out to the grove and pick them."
How do you feel about your farm’s impact?
"We’re in a rural community, so we employ people who live here locally. So the main thing is that we’re able to offer part-time and full-time employment."
If you could describe your farm in 3 words, what would they be?
"Peace, beauty and love."
Things to come:
"This past spring, we took out 200 to 300 trees — Satsuma trees — because we wanted to pivot to total agritourism, where, when you come here, you’ll have all these other varieties that you could pick. That is our goal: that one day, you come here and can take home 50 varieties. It seems like that was the right thing to do for us, and we were out of space, so we had to either eliminate some and replace them, or not do it. So that’s our goal: to sell everything that we grow right here."
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Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative
In June, the KidsABC team met with clinical educators at Children’s to brainstorm and schedule trainings tailored to enhancing pediatric care through airway management, neonatal resuscitation and simulation. The team is working on creating Code Lavender kits to distribute to KidsABC hospitals to assist staff in debriefing after traumatic events. The kits are designed to help regulate emotions and provide resources to clinical care team members. The team is excited to continue meeting with new facilities and hospital leaders to introduce the KidsABC program and make selections for the fifth cohort.
Rural Pediatric Support Collaborative
The June Pediatric Alliance Webinar Series (PAWS) was held on June 17, featuring David O'Banion, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and developmental-behavioral pediatrician from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Introduction visits continue with rural pediatric and family medicine practices as the KidsABC team invites participants for the fourth cohort.
A Telehealth Program Roundtable Luncheon is scheduled for July. The event will bring together pediatric and family medicine offices from each cohort and leaders from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to discuss the telehealth program, share experiences, and provide insight into future capabilities and opportunities for expansion across rural Georgia.
Rural Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative
Summer outreach efforts are underway, with road trips and introductory visits across rural Georgia school systems. The KidsABC team hosted a productive onsite meeting with Pearson to discuss goals and initiatives for participating school systems during the upcoming fall semester. Putnam County Schools plans to expand universal screenings to students in grades 3-12 during the upcoming school year.
Putnam County leaders expressed interest in collaborating on initiatives related to Georgia House Bill 268, including suicide and violence screenings, peer-led educational opportunities, and vaping and smoking prevention education.
The Sources of Strength program, a suicide prevention and mental health promotion program for schools, and its resources will be incorporated into the KidsABC school-based mental health project. Adding this evidence-based, peer-led prevention and resiliency program will expand mental health and wellness support within rural school systems.
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Pediatric Alliance Webinar Series
Monthly | Virtual
The Pediatric Alliance Webinar Series (PAWS) is a free monthly training program offering one-hour virtual sessions led by subject matter experts. Topics include ADHD, anxiety and depression, SIDS, diabetes and more.
CME and CNE available.
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KidsABC Autism in Rural Georgia Conference
July 9-10 | Mercer University
Planning is underway for this year's Autism in Rural Georgia Conference.
Topics:
- School Services for Autistic Children
- Developmental Milestones and Autism Detection
- Autism Detection and EarliPoint
- Support for Autistic Young Adults
- Medication Management
- Managing Crisis and Difficult Behavior
- Managing Autism Social Concerns
9.75 credits available
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Community Health Fairs
The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center works with rural partners to enhance health education through health fairs.
We encourage these community members to join us:
Putnam County Back-to School Health Fair
July 11 | 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
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Georgia Healthy Farmer Mindset
Monthly Meeting | Virtual
Each month, the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance hosts the Georgia Healthy Farmer Mindset Zoom meeting, which focuses on topics related to stress and mental health in the agricultural community.
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Prescription for Prevention
September 18 | Mercer University
In Partnership with CWC Alliance
The Prescription for Prevention conference addresses the opioid crisis in rural communities. This event is designed for life care specialists, physicians, healthcare professionals, counselors, social workers and advocates.
CME and CNE available.
Event details and registration to come.
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Georgia Mobile Integrated Health and Community Paramedicine ECHO
July–October | Virtual
The Georgia Mobile Integrated Health and Community Paramedicine Conversations & Voices ECHO provides continued learning opportunities to mobile integrated health and community paramedicine professionals around the state. This ECHO is tailored to increase mobile integrated health professionals' and community paramedics’ understanding of specifics they may encounter in the field such as motivational interviewing, resilience training, and patient-centered communication. Mobile integrated health professionals and community paramedics are encouraged to attend to increase their networks of support with peers and subject matter experts.
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Premature Ovarian Insufficiency in Underserved and Rural Areas
Mercer University School of Medicine researchers received IRB approval for their project, “Premature Ovarian Insufficiency in Underserved and Rural Areas.”
The study will establish focus groups of women who have lost ovarian function due to prophylactic surgery related to a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, as well as those whose ovarian function was affected by cancer treatments. Insights from these groups will inform the development of medical education programs for rural physicians and patients, helping address existing gaps in care.
Ultimately, the team aims to establish an interdisciplinary clinic dedicated to the medical, mental health, wellness, and peer-support needs of cancer survivors and women who have undergone bilateral oophorectomy.
Researchers: Chefetz Menaker, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology; Kristina Hawkins, MD, associate professor of OB-GYN; Candi Nobles-James, MD, senior associate dean of the Mercer School of Medicine Macon Campus; Betsy Smith, DrPH, MPH, associate professor of internal medicine; Anna Krampl, associate professor of library and information science; and Sorita Carter, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science.
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ABOUT THE CENTER
Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center was established to address the complex healthcare 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 healthcare by offering research, collaboration and training opportunities.
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