Rural Health Champion

November 19, 2015 is National Rural Health Day!

 

• Is someone you know a rural health champion?
• Do you know someone doing exceptional work in rural Virginia and advancing rural health?
• Do you have a friend/family member/colleague who you feel should be recognized for contributions to rural health?  

The Virginia State Office of Rural Health wants to hear from you!

 

We are looking for nominations for rural health champions in Virginia. 

Click here for more information about how to nominate a rural health champion in your community!

2015 Health Equity Hero Award

Is someone you know a health equity hero?

The Mid-Atlantic Health Equity Council’s nomination period for the 2015 Health Equity Hero Award is now open. This award highlights the exemplary achievement of the individuals that support community efforts in the goal of ending health disparities and promoting health equity.

 

Nominees can be health care providers, advocates, administrators, clinicians or policy makers. Volunteers and individuals that work to improve health equity and whose efforts make a difference in communities are unsung heroes that deserve to be recognized and honored.

 

The award ceremony will take place in November 2015. Submissions are due September 30, 2015.

Check out the flyer for more information

Online applications can be submitted at http://region3.npa-rhec.org/heroapplication.

Completed hard copy nominations can be sent to Mathew.McCollough@dc.gov.



Virginia's Congregations for Million Hearts on Facebook

Are you following Virginia's Congregations for Million Hearts on Facebook?

Like us to receive up-to-date information about the program and connect with other Virginia congregations!  You can also see photos of the heart healthy events hosted by the congregations who are members of the initiative!
http://www.facebook.com/VACongregations

It's all about Salud (Health)!

 

It's all about Salud (Health) - How to work effectively with Spanish speakers

 

Two-Part Webinar
Part 1:  Wednesday, August 12 - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Part 2:  Friday, August 14 - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

 

Have you ever...

• Felt limited in your ability to effectively communicate with the Spanish-speaking population because you don't understand the language or culture?
• Wanted to know "what works" to better educate and engage Hispanics in prevention and care programs?
• Needed to have a better understanding about the Spanish-speaking population in order to do your job?

Come join us for a webinar designed to help!

 

Guest Instructors:

Dr. Dirk G. Schroeder, Executive VP/Chief Health Officer, HolaDoctor.com

Gloria Giraldo, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Latino Health Access

Click here for the flyer!
 

Recognition for Virginia Flex Program

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded the Virginia Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (Flex) Program with a Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP) Certificate of Excellence on June 23, 2015, during the "Pathways to Value: 2015 Flex Program Reverse Site Visit" in Bethesda, Md.

 

The award “recognizes the dedication to provide quality care on MBQIP inpatient measures demonstrated in 2014” by Virginia Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).  “Pathways to Value” was a two-day long event that served as an opportunity for state Flex Program grantees to convene and share information about providing assistance to CAHs as they become top performers in the new value-based reimbursement system.

 

The Virginia Flex Program is in the Virginia State Office of Rural Health in the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity.

Understanding Unconscious Bias: 

How It Impacts Your Work 

Friday, June 12, 2015

11 a.m. - 12: 30 p.m. 

Training Focus

What is implicit bias? Why does it exist?

What are the implications of implicit

bias for individuals and

organizations?

What strategies are there for

eliminating implicit bias?

Keynote Speaker

Matthew Freeman 

Diversity and Inclusion Consultant 

TMI Consulting

Region III Health Equity Blueprint for Action Released

Region III Health Equity Blueprint for Action Released

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Health Equity Council (RHEC) has released a Regional Blueprint for Action. This blueprint illustrates trends in regional data on health disparities and the social determinants of health. Among the trends identified:

• The entire Mid-Atlantic region experiences crime rates higher than the national average. The District of Columbia had more than 20 times the national benchmark, followed by Maryland and Delaware with rates nearly 10 times higher.

• In West Virginia, the incidence of food insecurity is the highest in the region, as is the rate of premature death; the state reports nearly double the national percentage of individuals in poor or fair health.

• In all Mid-Atlantic states, individuals with a high school education or higher reported very good or excellent health at a higher rate than those with less than a high school education.

As a next step, RHEC members are sharing information from the blueprint with decision makers and professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region to raise awareness about key health issues and issue a call for action among regional partners.

To download the full Mid-Atlantic RHEC Regional Blueprint for Action  or download the Executive Summary to view a snapshot of the blueprint’s findings, please visit http://region3.npa-rhec.org/in-the-spotlight/blueprint.

You're invited to

Food Deserts: Virginia Challenges and Solutions

Please join the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) for a viewing and discussion of Living In A Food Desert, a documentary describing Virginia's food access problem, how it impacts residents in three parts of the state, and the initiatives in place that address local needs for healthy, affordable food. 

Produced by Virginia State University in collaboration with Virginia Tech, this film will inspire you with its examples of dedicated Virginians creating real solutions to food access.

Following the film, there will be an opportunity for attendees to share successful strategies implemented in Virginia and learn from Melanie Deel about Lenowisco Health District initiatives and John Lewis about the Renew Richmond program.

When

Friday, April 24, 2015 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Where

VDH, Madison Building,  Mezzanine Conference Room 109 Governor Street Richmond, VA 23219 To submit a Polycom site request, please contact Rich Watson at richard.watson@vdh.virginia.gov or  (804) 864 - 7179 Register on TRAIN VA using the Course ID: 1056511.  For more information, please contact Augustine Doe, OMHHE Health Equity Specialist at augustine.doe@vdh.virginia.gov or 804-864-7436.

Input Requested from Rural Providers on New Initiative

On January 26, 2015, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced a major new HHS initiative focused on health care delivery system reform.  The announcement included measurable goals and a timeline to move the Medicare program, and the health care system at large, toward paying providers based on the quality, rather than the quantity of care they give patients. To support these activities, HHS is creating a Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network that will involve both public and private sector stakeholders.  You can read more about the initiative in the links below.

This initiative will have important implications for all health care providers and the patients they serve. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy wants to hear from rural providers to ensure that rural providers can leverage the opportunities to align with the goals laid out by the Secretary.  For example, what are the implications of the unique payment classifications for rural hospitals and rural health clinics for engaging fully in these new directions? How can we ensure that the goals are attainable for rural providers? 

We’re asking our grantees and rural health stakeholders to take a thorough look at information available through the links below and provide feedback.  Send us your comments at the following address:  RuralDSR@hrsa.gov

You can also provide feedback on key rural issues for the Learning and Action Network at the following address: PaymentNetwork@cms.hhs.gov

Links with information about the initiative:

Delivery System Reform News Release

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2015pres/01/20150126a.html

Secretary Burwell’s Blog Item on Delivery System Reform

http://www.hhs.gov/blog/2015/01/26/progress-towards-better-care-smarter-spending-healthier-people.html

Secretary Burwell’s Article in the New England Journal of Medicine

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1500445

Delivery System Reform Fact Sheet

http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-01-26-2.html

Delivery System Reform Taxonomy

http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-01-26-3.html

UNC Minority Health Conference on February 27 via Webinar Broadcast

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (VDH-OMHHE) invites you to join us on February 27, 2015 at 2 to 3:30 p.m. for the keynote address of the 36th Annual UNC Minority Health Conference. 

This year's conference is titled Reaching for the American Dream: Economic Mobility and Minority Health and will consider the impact of socioeconomic factors on minority health, with a particular focus on health disparities in the aftermath of the recession. Dr. William "Sandy" Darity Jr., PhD, Professor at Duke University, will speak, highlighting timely research on this topic and focus on opportunities to advance minority health in the present period of economic recovery. The keynote address will be followed by a facilitated Q & A session. 

The session is part of the VDH-OMHHE's 2015 Health Equity & Cultural Competency Training Series and will take place at the VDH Madison Building at 109 Governor Street, Richmond, VA in the Mezzanine Conference Room. Polycom sites are also available. Please see the flyer for details. Topics and dates of other sessions in this series will be released here and on the VDH-OMHHE website in the near future. 

Healthy People 2020 Progress Review: Social Determinants of Health and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health 

Register Now | February 5, 2015 | 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. ET

Please join us on Thursday, February 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET for a Healthy People 2020 Progress Review webinar featuring the Social Determinants of Health and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health topic areas. Progress Review webinars are focused on tracking and measuring the progress of select Healthy People 2020 objectives.To be more effective, public health, health care, and prevention practitioners must understand the cultural context of their unique community and possess the skills and desire to work in those contexts. Cultural competence, the ability of an individual or organization to interact effectively with people of different cultures and backgrounds to produce positive change, is a key component to achieving the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing health disparities and achieving health equity. This Progress Review webinar will highlight the importance of social determinants of health and cultural competence in working with LGBT and diverse populations to eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity.

This webinar will feature Senior HHS officials. Additionally, presenters from a community-based organization will share their experience in offering culturally competent care.

Free continuing education credits (CME, CNE, CHES) are available!

Apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program by March 30 

Primary care medical, dental and mental/behavioral health clinicians can get $50,000 to repay their health profession student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to work at an approved NHSC site in a high-need, underserved area. The payment is free from Federal income tax and is made at the beginning of service so you can more quickly pay down your loans. Approved sites are located across the U.S., in both urban and rural areas.After completing your initial service commitment, you can apply to extend your service and receive additional loan repayment assistance.
The amount you receive and length of your commitment depends on where you serve (service at sites in higher need areas yields greater loan repayments). It also depends on whether you select the full-time or half-time option. See the 2015 Application and Program Guidance (PDF - 383 KB) for details. See if your site is already approved at the NHSC Jobs Center.

For more information or to complete an application, visit the NHSC website; Applications are accepted through Mrach 30, 2015. 

First 10, Winning Congregations Announced for Virginia's #MillionHeartsChallenge

On November 24, 2014, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) launched Virginia’s 100 Congregations for Million Hearts initiative with the #MillionHeartsChallenge, a social media call to action for Virginia’s faith-based organizations to commit to increasing the heart health of their members. Over the next year, OMHHE plans to sign up over 100 congregations around the state with the goal to improve heart health among members!

To jump start the initiative, OMHHE offered the first 10 faith-based organizations that joined free customized resources, including 100 blood pressure tracking cards and heart health toolkit packages. OMHHE congratulates the first 10, winning faith-based organizations: 

• St. Paul Reform Zion Union Apostolic Church – Suffolk, VA
• Herald of His Coming Church – Norfolk, VA
• Beraen Community Church – Norfolk, VA
• Living Waters Christian Fellowship – Newport News, VA
• Cathedral of Faith – Chesapeake, VA
• Garden of Hope, Inc. Community Development Corp. – Norfolk, VA
• New Light Full Gospel Baptist Church – Virginia Beach, VA
• Tabernacle of Praise Ministries International – Richmond, VA
• Islamic Center of Virginia – North Chesterfield, VA
• Ebenezer Baptist Church – Newport News, VA

To date approximately 15 faith-based organizations have joined the Virginia’s 100 Congregations initiative. To bring your faith-based organization on board, complete the sign up form available at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/omhhe/VA100congregations.htm and return to Augustine Doe at augustine.doe@vdh.virginia or call (804) 864-7436 for more information. OMHHE and its collaborative partners will continue to offer assistance to joining faith-based organizations in planning and implementing activities related to this initiative.