The Rural Health Voice

  What’s the opposite of addiction? Jason Prichard, Community and Coalition Engagement Specialist for Ballad Health discussed how people recovering from addiction can be successful.  Read his full recovery testimony (https://vrha.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/JP-testimony.pdf).  Certification to be a Peer Recovery Specialist is available through the Virginia Certification Board (https://www.vacertboard.org/).   If you are a healthcare provider who wants to earn CMEs related to the opioid crisis, check out the upcoming Prescription Drug and Heroin Misuse Forums (https://www.etsu.edu/com/cme/pdaf_2019.php).

  May is Mental Health Month. Does your community have a plan to support people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders? Kevin Martone, Executive Director, of the Technical Assistance Collaborative (http://www.tacinc.org/) joined RHV to discuss how behavioral health can be addressed at the community level. Mr. Martone mentioned the need for telehealth to support behavioral health services.  Don’t forget to download the TestIT app (https://www.naco.org/testit) to help map out broadband connectivity in our rural communities.  For details, go back and listen to episode 15.   Additional resources mentioned in this episode: * WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research (https://www.wiche.edu/wicheCenter/research) * National Association for Rural Mental Health (http://www.narmh.org/) * Rural Health Information Hub (https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/) * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (https://www.samhsa.gov/) * Health Resources and Services Administration (https://www.hrsa.gov/) * National Alliance on Mental Illness (https://www.nami.org/) * Mental Health America (http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/)

How fast is your broadband? Arthur Scott, Associate Legislative Director and Political Outreach Manager for the National Association of Counties (https://www.naco.org/) and native of Scott County, Virginia talked to me about the TestIT app (https://www.naco.org/testit) NACo has to map broadband speed in rural America. If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, and you are a student in a health professions or policy program, consider joining the VRHA Board of Directors (https://vrha.org/board-of-directors/).  VRHA will accept applications for student representatives to the board between now and May 5th. Download the application form (https://vrha.org//wp-content/uploads/2019/02/VRHA-Student-Application-2019.docx).

  Virginia has 725,000 Veterans across the state, many of which live in our rural communities. Who speaks for them? RHV talked with Carlos Hopkins, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs (https://www.vada.virginia.gov/). Contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/) if you want to help a Veteran in your community. If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, and you are a student in a health professions or policy program, consider joining the VRHA Board of Directors.  VRHA will accept applications for student representatives to the board between now and May 5th.  Download the application form here (https://vrha.org//wp-content/uploads/2019/02/VRHA-Student-Application-2019.docx).  

  If someone swallows something that you think might be dangerous, do you call 911 or Poison Control? Kristin Wenger, Education Coordinator from the Blue Ridge Poison Center (https://med.virginia.edu/brpc/) joined the Rural Health Voice to help you determine which is best. No matter where in the US you are, 1-800-222-1222 is the number to call. National Poison Prevention Week is March 18-24. Celebrate by visiting the Poison Center materials page (https://med.virginia.edu/brpc/free-materials/view-our-materials/) for stickers and other resources.   Additional information: www.poison.org (https://www.poison.org/) HRSA National Poison Prevention Week web page (https://www.poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-can-you-do/national-poison-prevention-week/index.html)  

  Do you understand all of the information your doctor gives you? Are you sure? Dr. Erin Cruise, Associate Professor at the Radford University School of Nursing joined me to discuss this unique barrier to healthcare access.   Health Literacy video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGtTZ_vxjyA).

  What’s the difference between equality and equity? Dr. Lauren Powell, Director of the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity (http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/health-equity/) joined me to talk about how giving everyone the same thing is not as good as giving everyone what they need. If you want to learn more about resources available to your community, check out the Virginia State Office of Rural Health Partnership Meeting (https://vdh-state-office-of-rural-health.ticketleap.com/the-virginia-state-office-of-rural-health-va-sorh-2nd-annual-gr/) March 11-13 in Roanoke.   Health Equity graphic (https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/infographics/visualizing-health-equity.html) Henrietta Lacks Commission (http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/health-equity/henrietta-lacks-legacy-week/) Appalachian Substance Abuse Coalition (https://www.facebook.com/asacpt/)    

  Do churches have a responsibility for the physical health of their members? Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III a community organizer, social entrepreneur and Senior Pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church joined The Rural Health Voice to discuss how churches and other members of the faith based community can address health on a very local level. Links: Black Church Food Security Network (http://www.blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/) Coalition for Healthier Eating (http://www.c4healthiereating.org/) Farming While Black (https://www.farmingwhileblack.org/)  

  Nathan Baugh – Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (https://narhc.org/) joined the Rural Health Voice to talk about these Clinics and their benefits and challenges. Mr. Baugh is advocating for a payment structure that allow Rural Health Clinics to remain vital parts of their communities.  VRHA will be hosting a Rural Health Clinic Summit on April 17 & 18. Send an email to podcast@vrha.org (mailto:podcast@vrha.org) for details.  

  Are you interested in telehealth, but aren’t sure how to start? Dr. Kathy Wibberly, Director of the Mid Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (https://matrc.org/) answered my questions about the benefits and complexities of telehealth, and how MATRC can help. If you want telehealth to be a part of your toolbox, check out the Telehealth Summit (http://matrcsummit.org/), March 31 – April 2 in Williamsburg. For details, visit vrha.org (http://www.vrha.org/), click the calendar tab (http://www.vrha.org/calendar.php), and scroll down to that event.  

  How are Emergency Medical Services in rural communities transitioning to a new way of business that involves more interaction with patients and fewer lights and sirens? Tim Perkins from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/emergency-medical-services/) discusses the future of EMS. Check out more from the Virginia Rural Health Association on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VaRuralHealth/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/VaRuralHealth).  

Senator Deeds provides his insight on how citizens and lawmakers can work together to make a difference.  He encourages listeners to get informed, make noise, and be the squeaky wheel for the community.  If you want to be part of the conversation about rural health, you can join VRHA at the Rural Health Policy Institute (https://www.ruralhealthweb.org/events/event-details?eventId=17), Feb 5-7, in Washington, D.C. Senator R. Creigh Deeds (https://www.senatordeeds.com/) represents Virginia''s 25th Senate District, which includes the counties of Albemarle (part), Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Nelson, and Rockbridge, and the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, Charlottesville, and Lexington.

  How do the concerns of people on the ground turn into federal law? Join the conversation with Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association (https://www.ruralhealthweb.org/) to discuss how policy decisions filter up from local communities.  Includes an invitation to hear Mr. Morgan at the 2018 Virginia Rural Collaborators Conference (http://www.vrha.org/2018conference.php).  

Updated version of Episode 4 with the corrected audio

  What can make a difference for healthcare in rural communities where access to providers is limited? Dr. Laura Hunt Trull, Assistant Professor of Social Work at James Madison University discusses how students can be better trained to work with each other once they are professionals. Students are required to volunteer at a RAM Clinic. Join the conversation at the 2018 Virginia Rural Collaborators conference.