Community Health Status CG

Chair:

Michael Meit
Deputy Director
Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
NORC at the University of Chicago
4350 East West Hwy. Ste. 800
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 301-634-9324
meit-michael@norc.org

This group represents members interested in community-level policy development and advocacy. Recognizing that change occurs at the community level, this group works to ensure that local policy is well informed and that policies contribute to promoting access to health care services and tangible improvements in the community’s overall health status.

Clinical Services CG

Chair:

Raymond G. Christensen, MD
Physician
Minnesota Rural Health Association
1035 University Dr. # 1315
Duluth, MN 55812-3031
Phone: 218-726-7318
FAX: 218-485-4724
rchriste@d.umn.edu

This group represents interests in clinical issues, including proprietary and non-proprietary practices.

Community-operated Practices CG

Chair:

Greg Dent
CEO
Community Health Works
105 Patrol Rd. Ste. 2
Forsyth, GA 31029
Phone: 478-994-1914
Fax: 478-994-8302
gdent@chwg.org  

This group recognizes the interests of members affiliated with a primary care practice operated and governed by a community board of directors, such as a community health center.

Diverse Underserved Populations CG

Chair:

Marita Novicky, LPN
Rural Policy Analyst
University of Maryland School of Medicine
401 W Redwood St.
Baltimore, MD 21201-1732
Phone: 410-706-1044
Fax: 410-706-1050
mnovicky@som.umaryland.edu

This group addresses the concerns of NRHA members associated with facilities or organizations that work with populations with unique health care needs, such as the rural elderly, American Indians, migrant and seasonal farm workers, and those needing mental health care.

Frontier CG

Chair:

Kristin Juliar
Director
Montana Office of Rural Health
P.O. Box 170520
Room 302, Culbertson Hall
Bozeman, MT  59717-0520
406-994-6003
kjuliar@montana.edu

The health care interests and issues of NRHA members working or living in sparsely-populated areas are served by this group. Members come from all areas-hospitals, medical practices, public health nurses, emergency medical technicians, state health organizations, research and more.

Their common bond is ensuring access to health care in areas with a population density of less than six people per square mile where there can be great distances to facilities. The group works with others to alert members of their concerns with pending legislation and laws and regulations already in effect that can adversely affect frontier areas.

Hospitals and Community Health Systems CG

Chair:

Jodi Schmidt
VP Chief Development Officer
Hays Medical Center
2220 Canterbury Drive
Hays, KS 67601
Phone: 785-623-2301
jschmidt@haysmed.com

This group is NRHA's largest, representing anyone affiliated with rural hospitals or hospitals with significant interest in rural areas.

Research and Education CG

Chair:

Michael F. French
Director
MO AHEC
800 W Jefferson St.
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
Kirksville, Mo. 63501-1443
Phone: 660-626-2887
Fax: 660-626-2928
mfrench@atsu.edu

The Research and Education Constituency Group is one of the largest in the NRHA. Its membership includes practitioners and scientists located at academic medical centers as well as persons involved in health professions education in rural communities. These individuals include community-based faculty, who teach clinical practice to rotating and regionally based health professions students, as well as administrative and support staff who make such important work possible. Area Health Education Centers are well represented among the membership as are the nation's Rural Health Research Centers.

Among our more important activities are the management of several sessions at the NRHA Annual National Conference; co-sponsorship of other educational conferences throughout the year, along with other constituency groups and the association; and support for The Journal of Rural Health, which is published by the NRHA. As active members of the Rural Health Policy Board, our representatives have authored or co-authored a number of the association's issues papers on public policy. We invite and encourage input from NRHA members interested in health professions education or research designed to enhance our understanding of rural health issues.

Rural Health Clinics CG

Chair:

Tommy L. Barnhart, CPA
Partner
Dixon Hughes, PLLC
1 W 4th St. Ste. 700
Winston Salem, NC 27101-3818
Phone: 336-714-8100
FAX: 336-722-9199
tbarnhart@dixon-hughes.com

The NRHA Rural Health Clinics Constituency Group is comprised of health care professionals and others who are interested in encouraging the delivery of quality primary care services in rural areas and in the development, organization, operations, regulation, reimbursement, support and success of federally designated Rural Health Clinics. These clinics are designed to provide primary health care services in medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas.

This constituency strives to:

• enhance the knowledge and skills of rural health clinics providers and their organizations,
• promote the delivery and enhancement of quality primary health care services to rural Americans through rural health clinics, and
• be an advocate for the success of rural health clinics, their providers and staff, and the health care services they provide.

The Rural Health Clinics Constituency Group will achieve these goals through:

• improved communication among rural health clinic professionals,
• creation of opportunities for discussion, debate and learning,
• member services designed to assist and promote the delivery of quality care and the success of rural health clinics,
• advocacy for regulatory issues necessary to the success and survival of rural health clinics, and
• preparing members for the changing world of health care, especially its structure and reimbursement.

The constituency group is designed to be member-driven to directly address members' needs and the issues important to them by encouraging maximum member involvement.

Statewide Health Resources CG

Chair:

Lisa Kilawee
Director of Rural Health Services
Avera Health
3900 W. Avera Dr. Ste. 100
Sioux Falls, SD  57108-5721
Phone: 605-322-4650
Fax: 605-322-4666 
lisa.kilawee@avera.org

NRHA members interested in building or strengthening statewide rural health care systems make up this constituency group.

Student CG

Michelle Clark-Forsting, MPH
Student
Univeristy of Wisconsin School of Medicine
clarkforstin@wisc.edu

This group is comprised of student members, whose input is very important to NRHA since they are the future workforce and leaders in rural America. As a member of the Student CG, students can come together with their peers, educators, administrators, health professionals and other stakeholders to dialogue about rural health and its related issues such as workforce and policy.

Forming Constituency Groups

In order to become a recognized constituency group within the NRHA, a group of members with a specific interest must gather 75 signatures of members willing to affiliate with that constituency. The group can then petition the Board of Trustees for provisional status. When provisional status is granted, the constituency then has one year in which to increase its membership to 100 to gain full recognition as a constituency group.

In addition to the constituency groups already within the NRHA, members are considering forming several others. For information on these forming constituencies, contact the NRHA at 521 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64110; (816) 756-3140; E-mail: mail@nrharural.org.