THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY NEWSLETTER
July 2018
Rural Health: Suicide High and Mental Health Professionals Low
Mental health and wellness became a national talking point with the news of the suicides of two famous American celebrities: handbag designer, Kate Spade and chef, Anthony Bourdain . Their suicides brought much needed attention to the issues of mental wellness, as well as, needed resources to those who in need.

Unfortunately, mental health professionals are at an all-time low and depending on where you live, you're less likely to have access.

"If you’re in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston ... you will get the best mental health services we have to offer. If you’re in some of these rural areas, you won’t," said Ron Manderscheid of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.

According to a recent study conducted by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, there is not one psychiatrist in 65 percent of non-metropolitan counties. To read the full story on the Huffington Post, click here .
Virginia SOHR Made a G.L.O.B.A.L IMPACT in Richmond
The Virginia State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH) hosted its inaugural grantee and partnership meeting in Richmond on June 21 at the Delta Hotel by Marriott.

More than 60 registrants were in attendance to benefit from the event; allowing VA-SORH to facilitate a discussion focused on innovative ways to tackle issues specific to rural Virginia.

The theme for the meeting was: G.L.O.B.A.L (Gaining Leadership Opportunities to Better serve Areas Lacking Resources) Impact.

The meeting served as both an informational and networking opportunity for rural organizations, providers and healthcare systems. The primary purpose was to introduce its attendees to proper ways of collaboration with VA-SORH and its funding opportunities.

The keynote speaker, Kathy Harkey , executive director of the National Association of Mental Issues (NAMI) made the point that in rural communities, everyone can be “star throwers,” helping one person at a time to create a lasting impact in rural Virginia by funding meaningful projects.

Another interesting component to the event were presentations from the Office of Health Equity and the VA-SORH grantees; both showcased their unique initiatives catered to rural Virginia.

Congratulations to Stone Mountain Health Services on being the recipient of the VA-SORH 2018 Innovative Rural Award!

To see more pictures of the event, click here .
Virginia hosts National State Office of Rural Health in Charlottesville
The Virginia State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH) hosted the Region A: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) meeting on June 12-14 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Region A consists of: Virginia, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maryland, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maine. The three-day event began with NOSORH, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) state and regional updates.

Attention at the conference was paid to highlighting the unique limitations of the rural community in areas such as: farmer’s health insurance, integrated care and, the use of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). VA-SORH made a big impression in front of the 13 states present with its innovated initiatives and new funded programs for the upcoming grant year.

VA-SORH was able to introduce its new logo, marketing tools and application process that inspired other offices in their funding process. West Virginia will host the Region A meeting for 2019.
Virginia Partners in Prayer and Prevention Provide
Urgent Love
Virginia Partners in Prayer and Prevention (P3) recently provided a presentation to Urgent Love in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Urgent Love is an initiative of the Prevention Council, dedicated to the combat of the opioid crisis in Virginia.

Veronica Cosby presented at the Lynchburg health district on June 22. She spoke about the goals and importance of community collaboration when improving health outcomes for those most in need of additional support. Veronica also spoke to an audience for Urgent Love in Blacksburg the day prior at Virginia Tech.

Veronica continues to do work, empowering congregations with healthy messages and support from the state health department.
Pictures taken at the Lynchburg health district during the Urgent Love event on June 22.

Veronica Cosby, (middle) with former P3 intern (left) Olubunmi S. Obayemi and P3 Champion, Cynthia Cole of Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Lynchburg.
Danville Youth Health Equity Leadership Institute (YHELI) Take a Trip to the Nation's Capital
The cohort of 50 students at George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia recently traveled to Washington, DC. While in the nation's capital, they participated in a college tour at Howard University and a visit to some of the national monuments, that included the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Lincoln memorials.

The college visit was an opportunity to put into the practice the leadership and interpersonal skills they are building in the program. It also gave the students an opportunity to continue exploring the benefits of higher education. 

“YHELI is helping me reach my goals step by step,” said one student on the trip.

In addition to college trips this summer, YHELI will have a six-day summer program focusing on: college preparedness, career planning, financial literacy, and mentorship.
Find out if you should attend and to register on the 3RNet website.
A New Face in the Office of Health Equity: Clarissa Pacheco
The Office of Health Equity welcomes Clarissa Pacheco as the new health services program coordinator for Small Rural Hospital Improvement (SHIP) and the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) programs.

Prior to joining the Virginia Department of Health, Clarissa worked at El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) in El Centro, CA as the project manager for the Public Hospitals Redesign and Incentives in Medi-Cal (PRIME) program.

She is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences. She is currently working toward a master's degree in public health at National University.

Clarissa is a sports-enthusiast who grew up in Southern California who grew up playing softball and dodgeball. She's also the mom to two dogs she loves, Lola and Brady.

She lives by a quote from Mary Anne Radmacher: "As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way."
2019-20 Grant Application Announcement Coming Soon
The Virginia Department of Health’s State Office of Rural Health (VA-SORH) will release the FY2019-20 grantee funding round in the fall. Be on the look out for the announcement in the coming months.

The State Office of Rural Health uses HRSA federal funding to provide grants to:

  • public agencies, tribal organizations or private nonprofits holding a 501(c)3 tax-exemption in the Commonwealth of Virginia that is a designated rural service provider, rural health clinic, health professional shortage area or medically under-served area/population,
  • encourage collaboration with local health departments and other organizations focusing on rural needs,
  • and meet the needs of rural health communities and providers in the Commonwealth.

If you are unable to find a grant opportunity offered that meets your organization's needs, VA-SORH offers an innovative/open grant program. Please stay tuned for more information as the grant window is open and available for funding.

Questions can be directed to Ashley Clark when the official release date has been announced at (804)-864-7432.
Upcoming Events to Watch

Webinar

Mid-Atlantic Regional Health Equity Council webinar series. Baltimore's Innovations in Faith and Community Collaborations. This webinar will focus on Baltimore's efforts to galvanize the faith-based community to help prevent violence and address trauma.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) Full-Service Community Schools program supports the planning, implementation, and operation of comprehensive academic, social, and health services in high-poverty schools. Applicants must propose to provide at least three eligible services, including "social, health, nutrition, and mental health services and supports." ED will prioritize proposals serving high-poverty school districts in rural areas. Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (CDC) and school-based services integration are two models by which can play a vital role in improving the health of rural residents.

Savannah, GA

Planners for the Sixth Annual Rural HIV Research and Training Conference have closed the call for abstracts and presentations, but still seek proposals for posters that will be displayed at the event. Preference will be given to proposals that include objectives and learning outcomes that present new information and evidence-based tools to address the challenges of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Washington, DC

The NRHA-sponsored State Rural Health Association (SRHA) Leadership Conference (formerly known as the Skill-Building Workshop) provides an opportunity for state rural health association leaders to learn from each other and develop skills for achieving the goals of their own state association.

Advanced Nursing Education- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Program Grant. Funds will advance nurse education to increase the number of Registered Nurses, Advances Practice Registered Nurses and Forensic Nurses who are trained and certified as sexual assault nurse examiners.



Grants to address the opioid crisis in tribal communities by increasing access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment.

Sponsored by: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This project was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human (HHS) under grant number H95RHoo138