The Branch
A monthly update for NOSORH members and partners
August 2022
Kentucky Flooding Emergency - Ways to Help
In recent months, historic natural disasters have impacted many rural communities. One storm produced significant flooding in St. Louis and dropped nearly a foot of rain in 24 hours on Eastern Kentucky and Western Virginia. The narrow mountainous terrain couldn’t release water fast enough, sweeping away entire communities and claiming at least 37 lives.

Those impacted by the flooding in Eastern Kentucky included our Kentucky Office of Rural Health (KORH) team at the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK-CEARH). Our hearts go out to the friends and family of all whom this historic flooding has directly impacted, and we stand with our KORH/UK-CERH team as they work tirelessly to ensure continued access to necessary medical care – while dealing with their own challenges at home. 
 
Looking for a way to help?
Time to Get in Gear for National Rural Health Day
On November 17th, join NOSORH, the 50 State Offices of Rural Health, and rural health stakeholders from across the country in celebration of National Rural Health Day! This year’s theme is Driving Change: Going the Extra Mile.

Visit PowerofRural.org for everything you need to jump-start your planning:
  • Need some inspiration? Check out the NEW Ways to Celebrate page for some ideas!
  • The Promotional Toolkit is full of free downloadable tools, such as graphics, posters, PowerPoint templates, and more! These tools can help enhance your community outreach efforts to schools, media, businesses, etc.
  • Stay tuned for the grand opening of the 2022 NRHD Swag Shop! Show your #PowerofRural spirit with t-shirts, stickers, pens, tumblers, and more!
  • As always, we encourage you to use #PowerofRural or #NationalRuralHealthDay (and tag @NOSORH) in your social posts!
Contact Ashley Muninger, NOSORH Communications Director, at ashleym@nosorh.org for more information!
Now Accepting NOSORH Award Nominations
It’s NOSORH Award season! Help us recognize and celebrate your colleagues who go above and beyond for rural health! The nomination process is simple and only takes about 15 minutes to do. Click here to nominate by Friday, August 19th!

Announcing NEW award categories:

  • SORH Innovation Award: This award honors a State Office of Rural Health that has demonstrated creative and engaging community outreach, programs, and activities to advance rural health. (NOSORH members only)
  • Collaboration Award: This award is presented to an individual or organization that demonstrates leadership in recognizing and promoting National Rural Health Day and the Power of Rural throughout the year. (NOSORH members and non-members)
  • NOSORH Advocate Award: This award recognizes a State Office of Rural Health or individual who has demonstrated exemplary collaboration with stakeholders or partners to raise awareness of State Offices of Rural Health, NOSORH, and/or rural communities. (NOSORH members and non-members)
NEW Oncology Congress - A Free, Virtual CME/CE Conference on Sept 24
Join RME Collaborative for Oncology Congress, a FREE virtual CME/CE conference for oncology clinicians who treat patients from rural and underserved communities! During this brand-new, multi-topic event, renowned experts will deliver the latest clinical updates and advances in oncology. The live broadcast will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2022, starting at 8:00 am CT. Click here to learn more, and help spread the word to oncology clinicians in your state. Questions? Contact RME Collaborative at cme@cmeruralhealth.com.
Rural Health Policy Update
Appropriations: In July, the House passed a Fiscal Year 2023 “minibus” funding bill. The bill included funding for a number of federal agencies, including the FDA. The package did not include funding for HHS, which the House had targeted before the August recess but will now stretch into September. The House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee released its draft FY 2023 spending bill in late June. The bill includes $12.5 million for the State Offices of Rural Health grant program ($12.5 million is the same as currently authorized). Also included in the House bill was $68 million for Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) grant program. If passed into law, this would be an increase of almost $6 million from FY 22 funding ($62.2 million). Of this $68 million for Flex, $20.942 million would be for the Read More
Register Now for Innovation in Telehealth Conference
The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC) is pleased to announce that the 2022 11th Annual Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center Conference is in person this year in Salt Lake City, with an option to join virtually. Discuss, reflect, and network with subject matter experts on innovative telehealth models, policy, and what’s to come. In addition, participants my register for a pre-conference Grant Writing Workshop! Please visit nrtrc.org/conference to register and review the agenda.

The NRTRC is offering a limited amount of conference scholarships for applicants employed by Indian Health Services, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, or Critical Access Hospitals. Register soon to receive a discounted rate (early bird pricing ends August 15th).
Featured Community Star
Dr. Brian Beals
Gorham, New Hampshire
 
Dr. Brian Beals, the only pediatrician at Coös County Family Health’s Gorham location, was determined that every child would stay current with their immunizations, pandemic or not! As physicians and their adult patients adapted to telemedicine, Dr. Beals knew that model was inadequate for his pediatric patients. “In the spring of 2020, I told the administration that I wanted an outdoor exam room,” Dr. Beals shared. He asked for a tent to be transformed into a safe space to examine, test, and treat young patients. Soon after, and with the support of school nurses and officials, “Tent Time” was established. Their goal was simple, “The sooner we could test them, the quicker we could get them back to school.”

October
5-6
Harrisonburg, VA
November
17
National Rural Health Day
Visit powerofrural.org to learn more!
November
19
Join RME Collaborative for the annual Rural Health Clinical Congress, a FREE virtual CME/CE conference for clinicians who serve rural and underserved communities! This multi-topic event will be broadcast live on November 19 at 8:00 am CT.
Supporting Rural Health Coalitions: Opportunities with your SORH

This NOSORH fact sheet helps rural community-based health coalitions understand how a State Office of Rural Health can support their efforts. Developed by NOSORH, with support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, this resource is intended for rural health stakeholders that are part of, or interested in forming, a community-based health coalition to address local challenges.
#PowerofRural