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Leading the way for a healthy tomorrow
throughout rural Tennessee.
Partnerships - Education - Advocacy - Resources
Rural Health Leadership Academy
RHA of TN is partnering with Dr. Bill Auxier, Executive Coach and CEO of the Dynamic Leadership Academy to offer a 10-week certificate program for Rural Health Leadership.

Leadership is the biggest predictor of an organization's success and a community's wellbeing. This program will support leaders looking to grow as a leader, influence organizational culture, and become better engaged in their communities. Using adult principles, participants will have a variety of ways to deepen their learning on their own time and with peers.

Applications for the Summer 2022 Academy are open!
(submit by March 31, 2022 for consideration)

Find out more information and register here.

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. Register for the conference here.
 
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
ArchPro Coding Workshop

This interactive training is intended for healthcare practitioners, medical billers, coders, auditors, office managers and IT professionals involved with authoring clinical documentation, generating E&M progress notes, auditing professional physician service claims and maintaining a healthy revenue cycle.

The primary course focus will emphasis documentation guidelines set forth by CMS for reporting Evaluation and Management services (E&M), as defined by CPT. The curriculum will provide attendees with a strong grasp of Evaluation and Management auditing, coding and documentation techniques. CEUS will be available. Find out more on our blog.

Register for this April 20th online training event here.
Member Spotlight


Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development is a private non-profit organization established to address the increasing challenges of providing healthcare in rural and underserved areas across the state. They provide all services for free- for both medical professional and medical practice. Their work is aimed at bridging the increasing health disparities in underserved communities. Find out more about TCWD here.
Events

  • Are You Awake? Join educators to learn about the crimes of Human Trafficking and Drug Endangered Children and how you can impact change on May 5-6. Find more about the event and register here.

  • COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador Training - This training course prepares parents of school-age children, PTAs, community members, and school staff to be Vaccine Ambassadors and promote vaccine acceptance in their communities. After completing the course, Vaccine Ambassadors will be able to share knowledge about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine, engage in conversations about vaccine hesitancy in a respectful and empathetic way, and direct people to credible sources for further information about COVID-19 vaccines. To learn more, click here.    

  • HRSA/TRC: Sustainable Solutions for Pediatric Behavioral Health – HRSA will be joined by the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center (TRC) to host this one-hour session on March 29th. Panel members providing hospital and health center services will describe recent challenges to behavioral health for children and families, and effective techniques for telehealth and in-patient visits. Register here.


  • Colorectal Cancer: Prevention, Screening and Care The goals of this Engagement Lounge are to examine regional disparities in colorectal cancer and identify community interventions to improve screening, identify community-based strategies for prevention, and explain the challenges and best practices in health care delivery for colorectal cancer patients on March 29th. Register here.

  • TN Council for Developmental Disabilities Apply for Partners in Policymaking before March 31 for adults with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities. You’ll learn from state and national experts on topics like: Disability services and how to access them, New and innovative programs and ideas, Disability polices and practices and how they affect our lives. Storytelling and media skills. The leadership and advocacy training will run from Sept. 2022- April 2023. Find out more here.


  • Using Innovative Data Science Approaches to Identify Individuals, Populations, and Communities at High Risk for Suicide The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Forum on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders will host a 3-part public webinar series beginning April 28th. Register here.


  • Healthcare in Appalachia This conference is designed to address the unique needs and circumstances in Appalachia. The conference is April 28-30,2022. Find out more information here.

  • Leadership Academy The leadership academy meets for 10-weeks; 6 live, group sessions, and 4 weeks on-demand. 2022 Online Meetings: May 18, June 1, June 15, June 29, July 13, July 27. Find out more information here.
Resources

  • 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.


  • Advancing Racial Equity- American Public Health Association has been tracking declarations of racism as a public health crisis since June 2020, cataloging over 200 declarations. Check out this new resource and learn from six cities and counties that have implemented policies and practices following their declarations of racism as a public health crisis. To learn more, click here.    


  • 13 states with most rural hospitals at risk of closure (Tennessee included) The bipartisan Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act was recently introduced to the 117th Congress with the goal to raise the rural health safety, which is crucial to the survival of rural communities and facilities. Find out more here.


  • Medical Education for African American Communities in the Rural South: What to Consider -An article in The Journal of Rural Health reports on findings from focus groups of medical educators and alumni discussing recruitment and retention strategies and challenges. The researchers discovered multiple factors contribute to rural racial minority recruitment and success, including mentorship, culturally competent faculty, and financial concerns. Find the article here.

  • Spread the Word About Vaccine Boosters -The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services released new resources – posters, flyers, videos, and talking points – to help promote the extra protection from COVID-19 boosters. All vaccinated adults aged 18+ are eligible for a booster. The CDC expanded booster eligibility to include adolescents ages 12 to 17, recommending that they receive a booster shot five months after their initial vaccination. Find those resources here.

  • Rural Emergency Preparedness and Response This updated topic guide includes resources and information to help rural communities address unique challenges when preparing or responding to emergencies. This guide also contains sections on the all hazards approach and ways in which rural communities can prepare for outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. Find the resource guide here.

  • COVID-19 Provider Update The recording of the COVID-19 Provider Update webinar held on March 11, is available at the link here. You will also find the slides shared during the presentation. 

  • HRSA Announcement on Hospital Reinstatement into the 340B Drug Pricing Program - Section 121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, signed into law on March 15, 2022, permits certain hospitals to be reinstated into the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The hospital must be classified as a disproportionate share hospital, sole community hospital, rural referral center, children's hospital, or free standing cancer hospital and meet other specified conditions to qualify. Find out more here.

  • Job Board New jobs have been added to the RHA of TN job board. Those can be found here.
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