Rural Health Briefing
Volume XXIV November 14, 2008
Rural Health Office
UA Zuckerman College of Public Health
in conjunction with the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc.
- Nation Salutes Those Who Served on Veterans Day
- Obama Vows Change, Agency by Agency
- Med Schools Report Record Enrollments, More Minorities
- FCC OK's Use of White Spaces to Deliver Broadband
- Survey Finds Widespread Dissatisfaction with Current Health Care Payment System; Fee-for-Service Not Effective, Experts Say
- UA Program Aims to Place Doctors in Rural Areas
- The Arizona Rural Health Association Announces its First Scholarship Recipient
- Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Monthly Conference Calls: Rural Health Care Program (RHCD) Conference Call Scheduled for September 2008
- United Healthcare: New Grant to Benefit Arizona Health Care Consumers - Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
- Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Comprehensive Geriatric Education Program
- HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau: Healthy Start Initiative-Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities – Deadline: December 5, 2008
- The National Health Plan Collaborative Took kit
- Resources and Tips for Working with American Indians and Alaska Natives
- Web-based Seminars: Understanding Census Bureau Data on Language and English Speaking Proficiency
- Racial and Ethnic Brochures Updated
- Asian/Pacific Islander/Hispanics/Latinos and Cardiovascular Disease Statistics
November 2008 |
Date |
Event |
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Nov 18 |
Passion- Voice- Power, the Health Care Crisis and Advocacy
Presented by: The Arizona Cancer Coalition
Location: Kiewit Auditorium, Arizona Cancer Center, 1515 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85724
Contact: Diane Williams by November 7th at williadi@azdhs.gov
Click here for more information. |
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Nov 18-19 |
Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health
Presented by: Health Resources and Services Administration
Location: New Orleans, LA
Contact: 301.594.0367
Click here for more information. |
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Dec 2-4 |
Childhood Obesity/Diabetes Prevention in Indian Country: Making Physical Activity Count!, San Diego, CA. The conference is targeted to health care providers, diabetes educators, school nurses, nutritionists, coaches, physical education teachers, fitness program directors, and individuals involved in community or school based physical activity for Indian children and youth. Sponsors of this conference include the HIS, Bureau of Indian Educators (BIE), Active Living Research Center of San Diego State University, LIFESCAN, and The University of Arizona.
Click here for conference agenda, registration, and Call for Papers/Posters. |
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Dec 3-5 |
The 24th Annual ITCA Indian Child & Family Conference
Location: Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino
10438 N. Fort McDowell Road
Fountain Hills, AZ 85264
Click here for more information. |
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Dec 11-12 |
Rural Minority & Multicultural Health Conference: Connecting the Dots: Economic Development and Rural Minority & Multicultural Health
Presented by: National Rural Health Association
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Contact: rmckenzie@NRHArural.org
Click here for more information. |
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Dec 16-18 |
NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities
Presented by: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Location: Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD
Contact: NIHSummit@blseamon.com Click here for more information. |
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Mar 5-6 |
The National Medicare RAC Summit
Location: Renaissance Washington DC Hotel, Washington, DC
Or via the Internet with 24/7 Access for six months in your own office or home
Click here for more information. |
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Jun 14-17 |
ENGAGE CHALLENGE INSPIRE 2009: Empowering our Nation through Health Education
Location: Crowne Plaza, 23 S Second St, Harrisburg, PA 17101
Call for proposals by January 15, 2009. For more information click here. |
1. Nation Salutes Those Who Served on Veterans Day-[Nov 5, 2008]
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake calls on Americans to recognize the nation's 23.4 million living veterans and the generations before them who fought to protect freedom and democracy. [Read Article]
2. Obama Vows Change, Agency by Agency-[Nov 5, 2008] President-elect Barack Obama vows to reverse or sharply modify many of the Bush administration's policies based on campaign promises. [Read Article]
3. Med Schools Report Record Enrollments, More Minorities
[Nov 3, 2008] First-year class size has grown each year of the past decade, but concerns about future physician shortages remain. [Read Article]
4. FCC OK's Use of White Spaces to Deliver Broadband - [Nov 6, 2008] The Associated Press released information on The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreement to open up unused, unlicensed portion of the television airwaves knows as "white spaces" to deliver wireless broadband services. [Read Article]
5. Survey Finds Widespread Dissatisfaction with Current Health Care Payment System; Fee-for-Service Not Effective, Experts Say- [Nov 3, 2008] - Leaders in health care and health care policy feel strongly that the way payment for healthcare in the U. S. needs to be fundamentally reformed. [Read Article]
1. UA Program Aims to Place Doctors in Rural Areas - [Nov 6, 2008]Tucson Citizen (AZ) story tells of the University of Arizona College of Medicine's Rural Health Professions Program, sending up to 15 UA beginning medical students a year to study rural communities to study. [Read Article]
2. The Arizona Rural Health Association Announces its First Scholarship Recipient
The Arizona Rural Health Association announces its first scholarship recipient,
Hannah Carlson, and MPH student at The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health is the recipient of AzRHA's first scholarship. Hannah will use the funding to support her efforts to foment collaboration among health and social service agencies in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.[Read Article]
1. Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Monthly Conference Calls
The Rural Health Care Program hosts monthly outreach conference calls for applicants and service providers on the second Thursday of each month at 2PM, ET. Monthly conference calls offer an opportunity for applicants and service providers to raise issues and concerns or to seek clarification on program rules and requirements. An agenda is provided by USAC for the calls which are followed up by a general question and answer period.
Click here for more information regarding USAC’s conference calls and the 2008 schedule.
Note: Technical assistance is available for the development of grant proposals and other funding applications from the professional staff of the Rural Health Office and the State Office of Rural Health Program. Please contact Jennifer Peters.
1. United Healthcare: New Grant to Benefit Arizona Health Care Consumers - Deadline: Dec 15, 2008
Focus: under a range of categories, including technology improvements for safety-net providers; medical education programs in traditionally undeserved communities; population-based preventive health strategies; and cash or in-kind contributions to help establish and support healthcare information technology initiatives designed to improve healthcare delivery.
Total of funding: $1.3 million
Range of funding: $50,000 to $500,000
Contact: Deborah Chambers at 602-954-3381
Click here for full RFP.
2. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Comprehensive Geriatric Education Program -
Deadline: Dec 19, 2008
Purpose: to train and educate nursing personnel in providing geriatric care by providing support for training of individuals, development and dissemination of curricula relating to the treatment of the health problems of elderly individuals; for training faculty members in geriatrics; or for continuing education to individuals who provide geriatric care.
Eligibility: schools of nursing, academic health centers, a health care facility, a program leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant, a partnership of such a school and facility, or a partnership of such a program and facility, other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities; including the faith-based and community-based organizations, and for-profit entities capable of carrying out the legislative purpose.
Expected Number of Awards: 19
Estimated Total Program Funding: $2,883,200
Click here to download RFP.
3. HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau: Healthy Start Initiative-Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities – Deadline: Dec 5, 2008
Purpose: to address significant disparities in prenatal health indicators. The grant focuses on disparities among Hispanics, Americans Indians, African Americans, Alaska Natives, Asian\Pacific Islanders, Immigrant Populations, or differences occurring by education, income, disability, or living in rural-isolated areas by enhancing a community’s service system. Communities must provide a scope of project services that will cover pregnancy and interconceptional phases for women and infants residing in the proposed project area. Services are to be given to both mother and infant for two years following delivery to promote longer interconceptional periods and prevent relapses of unhealthy risk behaviors.
Eligibility: State governments; County governments; City or township governments; Special district governments; Independent school districts; State controlled institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized); Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments); Nonprofit's having a 501 (C)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Nonprofit's without 501 (c)(3) IRS status, other than institutions of higher education; and Private institutions of higher education
Estimated Amount of this Competition: $78,456,834.00
Estimated Number of Awards: 74
Estimated Average size of Awards: $750,000
Contact Information:
Maribeth Badura at 301-443-0543 or Maribeth.badura@hrsa.hhs.gov
Click here for to download RFP.
1. The National Health Plan Collaborative Took kit- [Sept 2008] The National Health Plan Collaborative a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program published an online toolkit of resources, lessons learned, best practices and case studies to help health plans join the effort to reduce disparities among their enrollees. The resources in this toolkit include health plan case studies; sample tools, forms and policies related to implementation; videos of experts talking about the importance of reducing disparities and firsthand experiences in developing and implementing interventions; and a compilation of other resources in this field.
Click here to learn more
2. Resources and Tips for Working with American Indians and Alaska Natives- [Oct 2008] The Resources and Tips for Working with American Indians and Alaska Natives was recently posted on The Association of State & Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors (ASTPHND) web site to promotes fruits and vegetables among American Indians /Alaska Natives.
Click here to learn more
3. Web-based Seminars: Understanding Census Bureau Data on Language and English Speaking Proficiency
Presented by: The Census Committee of the Federal Interagency Working Group on Limited English Proficiency and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey Office
Length of Seminars: four 1-1.5 hour online sessions, which will also be recorded and posted for future viewing
Contact: CRT.LEP@usdoj.gov with the subject line “Census Webinar” and provide your name, phone number, email address and agency or organization affiliation. Please also indicate if you will require access to the captioned broadcast or a copy of the presentations and web links for use with a screen reader
4. Racial and Ethnic Brochures Updated. A series of four trifold brochures that focus on health concerns for each of the four federally designated racial and ethnic populations have been updated. The updated brochures can be used as handouts for customers, training's and health fairs, email link to other community and public health organizations.
Click here to view updated handouts
5. Asian/Pacific Islander/Hispanics/Latinos and Cardiovascular Disease Statistics. The American Heart Association recently released statistical fact sheets outlining the leading causes of death among the following groups. Links to each of the groups are provided below.
Click here to view Asian/Pacific Islander men and women group
Click here to view Hispanics/Latinos men and women group
Contact Your Representatives
a. Arizona Congressional Delegation: Links to Arizona members of the U.S. House of Representatives are available at: U.S. Representatives. Links to Arizona members of the U.S. Senate are available at: U.S. Senate
b. Arizona State Legislators: Available through the Arizona Legislative Information System (ALIS): Call 1-800-352-8404 or follow links at Arizona Legislature.
Editor's Note: This online newsletter is a joint project of the Rural Health Office housed at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, and the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. The mission of the Rural Health Office is to promote the health of rural and medically undeserved individuals, families, and communities through service, education and research. The Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. advocates on behalf of the health needs of rural Arizonans at national, state and local levels. Its multidisciplinary membership provides a respected and highly effective group of rural health practitioners and rural community residents. For example, the AzRHA, Inc. has actively and successfully advocated with the state legislature for funding for telemedicine and mobile clinics in all fifteen counties of the state. Your questions (or answers) are always welcome. Please send them as well as address changes to Sharon Van Skiver, RHO Administrative Associate.
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