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Partnerships - Education - Advocacy - Resources
Call for Conference Speaking Proposals
The Rural Health Association of Tennessee's 28th Annual Conference, "Collective Impact: A Call to Action," will be held November 16-18, 2022 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
We are accepting presentation proposals. Proposals should highlight replicable programs, research, and/or collaborative efforts aimed at improving health and access to care in rural Tennessee.

The deadline for the proposals is June 30! Make sure to submit your proposal before the upcoming deadline. We want to hear from you!

Submit your proposals here.
ArchPro Coding Bootcamp

ArchPro 2-day Documentation, Coding, and Billing Bootcamp will be held at The Residence Inn in Franklin, TN on June 23rd and 24th. This training focuses on clinical documentation, coding, and billing for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers/Community Health Centers (FQHCs). Attendees can earn to the RHC/FQHC-specific coding and billing credentials.

The cost of this event is $50 per attendee

Find the agenda and register for this event here. We look forward to seeing you there!
Tennessee Department of Health

COVID-19 case and community hotline is now available. Anyone can call the Tennessee Department of Health’s Case & Community Support Hotline for support with any COVID-19 questions or resources. The CCST is ready to take your call and provide a variety of resources. To reach the hotline, call (615) 770-6940 or email covid19.info@tn.gov.
Member Spotlight



Have you heard about Prenatal Presumptive Eligibility? Presumptive Eligibility, or PE is immediate TennCare for pregnant women that may allow you to see a health care provider sooner than applying for TennCare on your own. Those who are eligible for PE coverage are: pregnant women, Tennessee residents, and low income families. To find out if you are eligible for PE, call or visit your local health department.
Events
  • Improving Treatments for Mood Disorders and Depressive Symptoms in Women During Mid and Later Life This webinar examines the neurobiology of depression and mood disorders during the menopause transition and later life. Presenters will share research findings on the role of stressful life events and transdermal estradiol administration on depressive symptoms, including irritability and anxiety, the role of circadian rhythm and sleep changes, and their treatment with sleep and light interventions in mood disorders. Register for this June 21st webinar here.
 
  • Engaging Dads in Services for Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders- A Virtual Discussion Join a virtual conversation on the importance of effective practices to engage fathers in services for families affected by substance use and mental disorders in the perinatal period and beyond. Register for the June 22nd webinar here.

  • Telehealth Before and During the Pandemic In this one-hour webinar on June 22 at 2:00pm ET, the nonprofit FAIR Health will share insights from its Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker to examine the evolving role of telehealth over the last two years. Find the webinar here.

  • Virtual Danger Assessment Training for Healthcare Providers This training is designed to improve knowledge of identifying and addressing domestic violence. It is important to recognize which factors and behaviors indicate an increased risk of danger to our clients. Understanding these risk markers can help practitioners educate their clients about their risk of lethality or serious injury, and to inform their decision-making and referrals. This training will explore what behaviors and circumstances increase a victim’s risk, how to assess a victim’s risk, and strategies to help clients seeks safety. The training will take place on June 23 at 10am CST. Register here.

  • National Institute of Mental Health Facebook Live Event: The Menopause Transition and Depression Join NIMH researchers Peter Schmidt, M.D., Sarah Rudzinskas, Ph.D., and Sarah Spector, MSN, FNP-C, for a Facebook Live event as they discuss the signs, symptoms, treatments, and latest research on the transition to menopause and depression on June 23 at 12pm. Find out more here.
 
  • Health Equity Book Series Join the Tennessee Department of Health for the second event of their Health Equity Book Series. "The Health Gap" with Sir Michael Marmot will be held June 23 at 2pm CST. Register for the webinar here.

  • The Impact of Case Management Optimization and Real-Time Review for Rural Hospitals Providing real-time clinical review for rural hospitals is a much-needed yet underutilized resource. This session will outline how optimizing case management and real-time review relieves clinical decision-making burden, limits denials, and optimizes the revenue cycle for low-volume facilities. Learning goals include how to identify and decrease missed opportunities for efficiency, profitability, and excellent patient care. The webinar is on June 22 at 2:00pm CST, which can be found here.

  • Project ECHO Distance Training for Providers of Pediatric Dentistry On Friday, June 24 at 1:00 pm ET, community providers will get expert knowledge in a virtual learning network with the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry. The online meetings are held on the 4th Friday of each month. Some upcoming topics are: caries risk assessment, vaping and dental treatment for patients with special health care needs. Find out more information here.

  • Access to Primary Care: HRSA’s Innovation Challenge Last week, HRSA announced a national competition with a total of $1 million in cash prizes for low-cost, scalable solutions that improve patient access to primary care and link health care to social services. The competition is open to broad public participation, including individuals, groups, health care organizations, and other entities. Submissions for phase 1 are due Tuesday, August 2nd. For more information, join an upcoming webinar on Wednesday, June 29 at 3:00 pm. 

  • A Step Ahead West Tennessee Join their five week mother-daughter event starting July 14th in Jackson, TN to discuss topics including self-esteem, female reproductive goals, and a variety of other tops. For more information and to RVSP, reach out to 731-695-9966 or 731-695-4941.
Resources
  • Doctors Across State Borders: Telehealth Study Could Inform Policy This study describes results published in the June issue of Health Affairs, suggesting that people in rural areas of some states will be more affected than others by restrictions on interstate telehealth. The study uses data from older adults covered by traditional Medicare, both before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find the study here.

  • COVID-19 Tests by Mail Every household in the U.S. can now order an additional set of eight COVID-19 tests from www.covidtests.gov. The tests are free with free shipping. If you need assistance placing an order, call 1-800-232-0233.

  • CDC Healthy Schools: Give Your Kids a Healthy Body and Mind This Summer Just as physical activity, good nutrition, and positive social experiences are important for success during the school year, parents can encourage those same behaviors with their children throughout the summer months. The CDC Healthy Schools website explains how you can support your child’s physical and mental health with fun, easy summer activities. Find those resources here.

  • HRSA Makes Awards for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program HRSA awarded $1.9 million for this one-year, community-driven program designed to assist in the planning and development of an integrated health care network at the local level. By emphasizing the role of networks, the program creates a platform for both rural and urban medical care providers, social service providers, and community organizations to coalesce key elements of a health care delivery system and to improve local capacity and coordination of care. Administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) at HRSA, the Network Planning program is an opportunity for providers to use new and innovative approaches to care that may in turn serve as a model for other rural communities. The incoming cohort of Network Planning grantees have projects that focus on care coordination, health information technology/data analytics, behavioral health (including mental health and substance use disorder), elder care, and telehealth. Find out more about the program here.

  • HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients. Teams of critical care clinicians - critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts – are available to deliver virtual care through telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device. Hear from participating clinicians here, and email to learn more and sign up.

  • HHS Issues Guidance on Audio-Only Telehealth This week, HHS issued guidance that audio-only telehealth appointments comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HHS noted the importance of audio-only telehealth in addressing the needs of those without sufficient broadband technology, internet access, and cell coverage. Find more information here.



  • The Future of Nursing Podcast The National Academy of Medicine produced the podcast "The Future of Nursing." This podcast series explores strategies for the nursing profession to advance health equity. Listen here.

  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline This hotline provides mental health information and support to pregnant and new mothers. The hotline can be reached at 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS or 1-833-943-5746.
 
  • Job Board New jobs have been added to the RHA of TN job board. Those can be found here.

  • Call for Proposals We are accepting conference presentation proposals. Proposals should highlight replicable programs, research, and/or collaborative efforts aimed at improving health and access to care in rural TN. Deadline is June 30th. Find out more here.

  • Award Nominations Each year, RHA of TN presents awards to influential programs and people who are improving rural health in Tennessee. Find the award categories here. If there is someone you would like to nominate, please find the nomination form here. Send completed form to info@tnruralhealth.org. Deadline for submissions are August 15th.
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Funding Opportunities
The below grants have been hand picked to offer new funding opportunities to our members.
Welcome to our New and Returning Members!
The below organizations have recently joined or renewed their memberships. Members can search our member directory to connect with other members when logging into the RHA of TN's website. While you're searching, update your profile!

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsors
for making this communication and our annual conference possible.
Mailing Address:
PO Box 656,
Decaturville, TN 38329