The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offers a search tool to enable users to find a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of medications by identifying public disposal locations for prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and other pharmaceuticals.
By entering a zip code, users can access a list of disposal locations including retail pharmacies, hospitals, and hazardous waste centers. Users can also enter a city and state.
Dorothy Monroe and Jennifer Strope are nurse practitioners at Sweetwater Family Medicine in Sweetwater, TN. As participants of RHA's Workforce Development Program, they attended, completed, and received certifications in Suturing and Injections.
Shortly after this training, Jennifer was able to utilize her new skills and provided stitches to a patient in need who would otherwise travelled a long distance to an emergency room for care. Expanding the skill sets of our rural healthcare professionals means lower costs, better outcomes for patients, and healthier, happier communities.
We're excited to launch the Rural Health Clinic Network, a member group for independent and provider-based clinics in Tennessee.
We held a Kick-Off Event in June to learn more about the clinics' strengths, challenges, and needs. We look forward to supporting the clinics through the Network, offering resources to help them succeed. We hope to foster a community of collaboration and support within the Network.
Tennessee's Rural Health Care Task Force, formed in June 2022 by Governor Bill Lee, has released a number of recommendations aimed at improving access to care and health outcomes for rural Tennesseans. In the report are recommendations to increase access to care, train healthcare professionals, and address social drivers of health.
Rural Health Association of Tennessee's CEO, Jacy Warrell, served as the Social Drivers of Health Subcommittee Chair, making recommendations to support grant programs that will allow rural communities to develop and implement their own innovative solutions to addressing social drivers locally. RHA's workforce program also received a nod and is included as a recommendation to address building healthcare career pathways for entry-level healthcare professionals.
The Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE) is a national syndromic surveillance system used to monitor disease trends for early detection of potential disease outbreaks.
In Tennessee, the Department of Health (TDH) is using ESSENCE to monitor weekly trends in suicidal behavior and identify regions/counties across the state seeing increased incidents of persons reporting to an emergency department for suicide-related behavior. Each week, the Suicide Prevention Program within TDH will review reports on how many people visited a local ED for suicidal ideation or injuries related to self-harm or suicide attempts. If a certain county reports an above-average number of suicide-related visits for a certain age group, this will trigger an ESSENCE alert for that county and age group. These alerts will be issued weekly by TDH.
Join us for a webinar to learn about our programs, people, and impact. The benefits of membership with us include but are not limited to: access to member only events and communications, member pricing for events, access to RHA of TN’s membership database to connect with professionals across the state, access to post on our job board for free, and much more. You can find more of that information here.
Meeting will include: RHA’s History, Mission, Vision, Values, Benefits of Membership, RHA Staff and Programs, RHA Volunteer Committees, RHA Board of Directors, and the Annual Conference and Member Meeting.
The Community Health Worker Training Program of Tennessee (CHWTPT) is a partnership between VUSN, the Tennessee Community Health Worker Association (TNCHWA) and the Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA). The program focuses on increasing the quantity and quality of certified community health workers (CHWs) working in Tennessee.
The program is comprised of virtual, competency-based training with an option for a field placement or apprenticeship, when applicable.
Join RHA and Dr. Erica Schlesinger Hurst, Pharm.D., Assistant Chief Pharmacist with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) for a virtual training on MAT/MOUD (Medication Assisted Treatment/Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) and Stigma on August 22, 2023, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm CDT.
Attendees will learn about and understand the change in brain function during active opioid use disorder, gain the ability to identify medications used to treat opioid use disorder, and have a comprehension of the various stigma affecting the treatment of opioid use disorder.
Our participants completed their courses with our Workforce Partner, Professional Allied Health, in Memphis, TN, and received the following certifications: Phlebotomy - Jerrian Romero, Kenisha Whitelow, and Bralyn Harris, and CNA - Cache Lewis.
The key to RHA’s success is our ability to customize the program based on the needs of the employer. By applying U.S. Department of Labor models to the healthcare setting, RHA supports employers and training partners looking to recruit, retain, and upskill healthcare workers.
Come see us at this Community Outreach Event on June 24th, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm at Resurrected Reformed Baptist Church located at 2230 E 18th St, Chattanooga, TN.
TennCare re-enrollment can be complicated and overwhelming - we'll be there to help you renew, apply for, and keep TennCare, and we will have a Spanish-speaking translation available!
For the first time across three decades of research, a greater proportion of Rural Healthy People respondents selected “Mental Health and Mental Disorders” and “Addiction” in their lists of top Healthy People priorities for rural America, than did “Health Care Access and Quality.”
Read the findings of the Rural Healthy People study here.
I am excited to issue a call for nominations from our members that would like to serve on the Board of Directors. The board provides governance, direction, and oversight of the Association and its many programs, projects, and activities. There are 3 seat openings (1 - West, 1- Middle, and 1 - East) for the 2024 - 2026 term.
Board positions are for a three-year term, with an option to renew for another three years after the conclusion of the first term. The commitment involves 4 meetings annually, attendance at the annual conference, and serving on at least 1 committee of the board. To be eligible, an individual must be a member in good standing and live in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Area Health Education Center (TN AHEC) Scholars Program is part of a national initiative to prepare tomorrow’s health professionals to become leaders in inter-professional, transformative practice settings, and to serve in areas and populations with the greatest needs. The program promotes a coordinated approach to education and training for graduate level health professions students with the knowledge and skills to provide culturally competent, quality health care services, especially in rural and medically underserved areas.
For more information about the program, contact Natasha Yokley at [email protected]. Ready to apply? Access the application by clicking here.
Join us for a virtual training webinar on Naloxone on June 27th from 11 am - 12 pm CDT! Topics to be covered include the causes and impacts of the overdose epidemic, the impact of substance misuse on the brain, harm reduction principles, recognizing and responding to an overdose, and how to administer Naloxone.
Presenter:
Marissa Valentine
Sevier County Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS)
Sevier County Office of Alcohol and Drug Programs
Sevier County C.A.R.E.S.
We invite you to be a part of the conversation around rural health care by registering for our 29th Annual Conference, "Shining a Light on Rural Health, Advocating for a Brighter Future!" Enjoy networking with like-minded professionals, learning from industry experts, attending engaging sessions, and being part of shaping the future of rural health care in Tennessee.
To register, and for more information about hotel accommodations and sponsorship opportunities, click here.
Congratulations to the following RHA members for their recent grant awards from TDH in the state's commitment to healthcare resiliency and transformation in the following categories:
Practice Transformation and Extension Grant Program – Hospitals
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Unity Medical Center, Macon Community Hospital
Practice Transformation and Extension Grant Program - Other Health and Healthcare Service Providers
Access Medical Care of Monroe County, Bledsoe County School District, Bradley County Schools, Dayton County Schools, East Tennessee State University, Healing Hands Health Center, Inc. , Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, Inc., Servolution Health Services, Inc., UT Health Science Center, Van Buren County Schools.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provides answers to general and program-specific inquiries including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and private insurance in an informative publication available here.
RHA's 29th Annual Conference's, “Shining a Light on Rural Health: Advocating for a Brighter Future,” Call for Proposals is now open!
We are now 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 proposals is May 31st. Make sure to submit your proposal before the upcoming deadline.
Rural Health Association of Tennessee’s Job Board features more than 100 jobs from 50+ hiring employers across the state, including hourly and salaried positions. Connect with potential employers, apply for jobs, and set up interviews through our Job Board.
Join us in this virtual event by applying for open positions across the state!
Rural Health Association is ready to assist patients in keeping their TennCare Coverage! Trained assisters will be at Saint Louise Clinic in Murfreesboro each Friday in May and June from 9am - 1pm CT to help individuals determine if they are still eligible for TennCare and provide other helpful information. Can’t attend the event? Call 866-675-7092 or click here to schedule an appointment with a trained assister.
The address for Saint Louise Clinic is 1020 N Highland Ave A, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.
