Welcome Christin McWhorter, RHC Network Director

Christin will be working with the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Advisory Committee and Network Members by facilitating professional development opportunities, technical assistance, and advocacy opportunities for rural providers and administrators.

Christin has more than 17 years of experience working with and advocating for vulnerable communities. Prior to joining RHA, Christin served as the Community Outreach Manager for the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability where she oversaw the agency’s community service programs including the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

Tennessee public school students are required to turn in the state department of health immunization certificate before returning to the classroom. The list of required vaccinations are here. VFC helps families of children who may not otherwise have access to vaccines by providing free vaccines to doctors who serve them. 

Who Is Eligible for the VFC Program?

Children ages 18 years or younger who meet at least one of the following requirements:

What is the Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course (CRHCP) ?
RHCs have unique rules and regulations that require specialized knowledge and expertise. The course is designed specifically for Directors, Clinic Administrators, and other RHC leaders and covers all aspects of operating a successful RHC, including federal and state regulations, billing and coding, financial management, human resources, and more. Industry experts will provide you with the tools and resources needed to effectively manage your clinic, ensuring that it thrives and grows. 

Scholarships:
We are excited to offer a limited number of scholarships valued at $600 for those interested in completing the course! Applications must be received by August 31st, 2023. Click here to download and fill out the application. Please return it to Christin McWhorter, [email protected].

Please join TN-RCORP members, Power of Putnam and Tennessee Tech’s Counseling Honor Society Tau Tau, for a collaborative symposium to discuss new developments and best practices in substance use prevention and recovery. In person and virtual options are available.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) released a Rural Health Workforce Ready report featuring successes  from their pilot workforce development program aimed at addressing the state’s workforce shortages.

The program launched in West Tennessee with funding from Delta Regional Authority and Amerigroup before expanding to other parts of the state. Over the past two years, RHA has assisted more than 300 aspiring healthcare professionals seeking certification and employment. To support career pathway development, RHA partnered with K-12 schools and community colleges to train more than 700 students in goal setting, healthcare careers, and communication skills.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee’s (RHA) Board Secretary, Dr. Brenda Jones, testified February 28^th in from of  the Tennessee Senate’s Commerce and Labor Committee in support of Senate Bill 394/HB 738 that would establish a recognized Doula certification.

Dr. Jones is an assistant professor at Lee University, a CNM, FNP, Public Health Professional, residing in Bradley County, TN. Throughout her career as a Certified Nurse Midwife, she has attended over 2,500 deliveries. Dr. Jones’ full testimony can be viewed below along with a handout highlighting maternal health in Tennessee.

Tennessee has among the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the nation. RHA advocates for programs and

policies that prevent teenage pregnancy, provides case management services to pregnant women, and advances professional knowledge of providers.

RHA has published a Maternal Health in Tennessee policy brief modeled after the National Rural Health Association's 2021 Rural Obstetric Unit Closures and Maternal and Infant Health.

RHA members and staff traveled to Washington D.C. for the National Rural Health Association's Policy Institute February 7th - 9th 2023. While there, RHA met with several members of Tennessee's congressional delegation to talk Rural Hospitals, Rural Health Clinic Modernization, and Maternal Health.

A special thanks to the following offices for meeting with us:

RHA is delighted to share a summary of our member events and  programs for 2022. Thank you to our members, staff, funders, and many community partners for your support the past year!

Click here to view the online report
Click here to download a PDF of the report

Congratulations to our 2022 Poster Contest Winners!

RHA's 8th Annual Poster Contest included submissions for the following divisions:

1. Undergraduate and Masters’ Students
2. Doctoral and Professional Students (MD, DO, PA, NP, DMS, PhD, etc.)
3. Postdoctoral Trainees (Medical Residents, Fellows, etc.)
4. Faculty

Submissions are scored for Scientific Content (75%) and Virtual Poster Display (25%). Winners receive a small gift card from Rural Health Association of Tennessee.

Tennessee Rural Health Clinic (TN-RHC) Network Updates

July 1, 2022, Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) received a HRSA Planning Grant (P10RH45771‐01‐01)  to build capacity to support the state's more than 200 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). With an Advisory Committee of independent and provider-based RHCs and others the group conducted site visits, surveys, and focus groups to explore how RHA can support integrating RHCs into the larger healthcare system. Here's what we've been up to! Activities have been made possible thanks to the generous support of National Rural Health Association, Center's for Disease Control (CDC), and Health and Human Resources Services Agency (HRSA).

September 20th-22nd, RHA sent TN-RHC Advisory Member Candance Garrett with Ascension/Saint Thomas to National Rural Health  Association's RHC conference in Kansas City, MO for the latest in RHC policy and updates. Also pictured, Alicia Calloway, RHA's Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Burnett, THA's VP Rural Hospitals, and Jacy Warrell, RHA's CEO.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) has been awarded a $1million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to combat Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in rural Tennessee over the next three years.

The announcement comes during National Recovery Month – an observance to bring public awareness surrounding mental health and addiction recovery. Tennessee, via the Behavioral Health Safety Network, prevention coalitions, and other change agents, have achieved many successes toward reducing Substance Use Disorder in the state. Most notably, opioid prescriptions have decreased statewide, resulting in fewer deaths involving opioids obtained through a prescription. Targeted prevention, treatment, and recovery programs do work.

Allie Haynes will represent Rural Health Association of Tennessee on Tennessee Council on Developmental  Disabilities.  The Council, established by the federal Developmental Disabilities Act (Spanish language version of the Developmental Disabilities Act.) and by Tennessee Executive Order 50 exists to:

• Build bridges between the experiences of real people with disabilities and the policies and service systems that affect their lives.
• See the big picture across government programs to help connect dots and fill gaps to meet real needs.. 
• Use these connections to make change toward greater inclusion, independence, and self-determination for people with disabilities in Tennessee.

To learn more about the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, visit their website.

In November 2021, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh announced the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative to bring   together industry, labor, education, equity and workforce leaders to partner with the department’s Office of Apprenticeship to promote Registered Apprenticeships as a valuable workforce strategy in high-demand industries to develop and expand opportunities for people historically underserved.

The goal of RHA’s apprenticeship program is to support the recruitment and retention of entry level healthcare workers such as Certified Nursing Assistants and Community Health Workers. Serving as an “Apprenticeship Sponsor,” RHA assists healthcare employers who need a partner in establishing a program and when possible, finding resources to support apprentices.

From RHA of TN's Past President of RHA of TN's Board of Directors

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 per Grand Region) for the 2023 - 2025.

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.

Engooden Health becomes Rural Health Clinic
Sustaining Member!

Engooden Health, a company redefining chronic disease management, today announced a partnership with the Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA of TN), granting members access to technology-enhanced chronic care management (CCM) services between provider visits. Engooden will provide association members with the ability to scale personalized interventions for patients living with chronic diseases to help improve their quality of life and health outcomes.

Health disparities within rural communities occur due to social determinants, including geographic isolation, socioeconomic status, and reliable food sources. These factors place larger populations of people at risk for having chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Engooden’s proprietary technology, in partnership with RHA of TN, will help bring more ongoing and equitable care to Tennesseans by providing its members with outsourced services to rising risk patients in between office visits. 

Today the CDC Director issued two COVID-19 related recommendations following actions by the FDA:

• people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine as their primary series are recommended to get a booster after 5 instead of 6 months
• moderately or severely immunocompromised 5–11-year-olds should receive an additional primary dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 28 days after their second shot. 

The media statement released this morning is below.  The FDA action authorizing booster shots for children ages 12-15 will be discussed at an ACIP meeting scheduled for Jan 5.  When available,  we will communicate CDC’s decision. Providers are reminded to wait for the CDC recommendation before administering booster shots to this age group.  

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and TennCare convened the  Tennessee Public Behavioral Health Workforce Workgroup in June 2021. Serving as convenors and facilitators of this workgroup, the agencies gathered a diverse group of stakeholders and professionals, each of whom was uniquely positioned to provide insight to this critical issue. This report represents the work of the Public Behavioral Health Workforce Workgroup and proposes short-term and long-term strategies that directly address recruitment and retention opportunities that can be implemented by local behavioral health providers, colleges and universities, and various Tennessee State Government Departments.

Pages 17 and 18 name replication of RHA's Apprenticeship program as a key strategy for promoting public behavioral health careers.

After working in various parts of the country, Erica Johnson-Locket fulfilled her promise to the elders of her community and returned home. That “homegrown kid” is now the Chief Nursing Officer of Bolivar General Hospital in Bolivar, TN. 

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