SEPTEMBER 2026 ISSUE

FEATURE

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Clinicians, counselors and recovery advocates gather for Prescription for Prevention conference

by Samantha Johnson, MPH, Lead Community Resource and Assessment Specialist

Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, in partnership with the CWC Alliance, hosted the 2026 Prescription for Prevention: Opioid Misuse in Rural Georgia Conference on Sept. 18.

The conference highlighted challenges surrounding opioid misuse, with an emphasis on prevention, recovery and community-based solutions. Sessions addressed substance use disorder treatment in youth, the physiology of addiction, the impact of addiction and loss on families, and the connection between mental wellness and substance use prevention.



Prevention is something every person can practice, and every day is an opportunity to change someone's trajectory, according to Cammie Rice Wolf, founder and CEO of CWC Alliance. “I wanted attendees to walk away with practical tools, new connections, and confidence that rural Georgia is a place where solutions are being built and implemented,” she said.

Rural Farm Spotlight: Molena Horse & Cattle Company

 by Kayla Stroud, Communications and Events Specialist

Molena Horse & Cattle Company

Who: Glenn and Kathleen Beckham

Where: Molena, Georgia, Pike County

Molena Horse & Cattle Company is a 300-acre family farm in Pike County with a history spanning more than 140 years. Glenn and Kathleen Beckham run the farm, which Glenn’s family has owned for more than four generations.

Glenn oversees cattle and hay production, while Kathleen, a horse trainer and horsemanship coach, runs Ethos Equine, where she helps horses and their owners build safe, confident partnerships.

“My horse business is a very niche, boutique kind of horse business,” Kathleen said. “It's working with the psychology of the horse to get him to accept and thrive in the human world that we make him live in.”

Animal care and stewardship are central to the Beckhams’ approach. “We give every animal here really great quality care,” Glenn said. “So, food, water, nutrition, shade, if they need it — all the things.”

The Beckhams also consider the farm’s larger ecosystem when managing their livestock and land. “We try to understand the way the whole ecosystem works, and then we can use it to create cleaner food sources, like our beef, which is pasture-raised,” Kathleen said.

What started more than 140 years ago continues today as a family operation focused on raising healthy livestock and passing agricultural traditions forward.

Rural Physician and Provider Recruitment Fair

The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center invites rural recruiters to apply to participate in upcoming recruitment fair events.

Oct. 8 | Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus

Oct. 29 | Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon

Nov. 3 | Mercer University School of Medicine, Valdosta

Nov. 5 | Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah

Jobseekers and medical students are invited to attend these events and join our email list. If you cannot attend a fair, you may submit a CV.

KidsABC celebrates Elbert Memorial's Emergency Department

Elbert Memorial Hospital was recognized for its commitment to strengthening pediatric emergency care in Elbert County during a celebration event on Sept. 10. KidsABC helps participating rural hospitals acquire child-friendly equipment, complete pediatric-specific emergency care staff training, and implement the latest protocols and policies for treating children with acute medical conditions.

Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative

The KidsABC Rural Emergency Department program hosted two Pediatric Emergency Assessment and Stabilization trainings at Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie this month. Each training covered specific pediatric emergencies, including respiratory distress and failure, airway management, shock, anaphylaxis and diabetic ketoacidosis. The team is also hosting a similar course in October at Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa. Meetings with rural hospital leaders are continuing as the team engages hospitals to join Cohort 5, which begins in January 2027.

Rural Pediatric Support Collaborative

The KidsABC Rural Pediatric Support Collaborative continues to strengthen support for rural pediatric practices across Georgia. The September PAWS session had 45 participants and featured Dr. Collin Dubick, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, who presented a CME lecture on common central nervous system infections in children. The Rural Pediatric Support team is also completing its final round of visits to participating pediatric offices to provide in-person touchpoints, check-ins and continued program support. To date, the program has completed 42 telehealth visits for rural pediatric patients. The continued growth in telehealth use demonstrates the value of connecting rural pediatric patients and providers with pediatric subspecialty expertise while reducing barriers to specialty care.

Rural Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative

The KidsABC Rural Mental Health and Wellness team continues to expand school-based mental health screening, outreach, training and student engagement across rural Georgia. School systems that have committed to participating in student screenings include Putnam, Dodge, Jefferson, Crawford and Thomaston-Upson. Calm Down Kits for students will be distributed to Dodge, Crawford and Thomaston-Upson schools. The team has continued the “Bear Tour,” visiting Lamar, Pike, Meriwether and Harris counties, and will participate in the Dodge County Primary Fall Festival in October to support community engagement and promote mental health and wellness resources. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) and CRM training continue to be offered to schools, including Crawford, Dodge, Putnam, Thomaston-Upson, Harris and Jefferson. The MFT Connection Series for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Family Therapy Scholars continues to engage participants in discussions and activities focused on rural Georgia, professional ethics and the opportunities and challenges of rural practices.

KidsABC Training Events

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. 

Georgia Mobile Integrated Health and Community Paramedicine ECHO

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.

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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