In order to achieve health equity, access barriers need to be removed and high quality, need-based resources allocated. Health equity promotion is the aspirational guarantee of optimal health for all.

In this article, five actionable strategies for promoting health equity are summarized by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Often, meaningful equity work requires major shifts in approaches, dedicated resources, and targeted efforts toward social justice.

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.

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.

RHA members and staff traveled to Nashville for the Rural Health Association's Day on the Hill March 7th, 2023. While there, RHA met with several members of Tennessee's legislative branch to talk Rural Health Workforce, Rural Health Clinic Modernization, and Maternal Health. 

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

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:

Rural Health Association of Tennessee members met with several of Tennessee’s legislators and staffs on Wednesday, March 9^th.

Topics of conversation ranged from discussing the Access to Naloxone Act, telehealth, health equity, and the importance of coordinated school health.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee members met with several of Tennessee’s federal Congressmen, Congresswomen, and staffs on Wednesday, February 9^th.

Topics of conversation ranged from discussing the 340B drug program, Rural Health Clinic Modernization Act, and the importance of programs such as the National Health Service Corp and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (R-CORP)

The National Rural Health Association's 33rd Annual Policy Institute has moved to a virtual platform! 

Join us on February 8-10 for the NRHA's Policy Institute to learn more about policy and have a chance to advocate for the issues you care about. Prices have dropped as the event has moved to a virtual platform. This is a great opportunity if you haven't been able to make it to D.C. in the past. Join other staff and members of Rural Health Association of Tennessee to advocate for the policies that effect you! A tentative schedule can be found here.

Find out more information and register 

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.

RHA of TN Communications Toolkit 

Before getting vaccinated, people have the right to ask questions and have those questions answered so they can feel confident they are making the best choice for themselves and/or their family.

Click for a free communications toolkit to help build vaccine confidence among rural and other minority populations.

Access Toolkit and other resources

NRHA sent to Secretary Xavier Becerra a letter regarding the HHS CARES Provider Relief Fund.

In it, NRHA reiterates our ongoing concerns (already shared with HHS on numerous occasions) about the implementation of the Provider Relief Funds, as well as the newly created Health Care Heroes Sustainability Fund.  We urge Secretary Becerra to make critical changes to this program in order to support rural provider across America.  NRHA will keep you all up to date on a response or other activity from the Department on this issue. 

Senator Briggs spoke to Rural Health Association of Tennessee leaders on the Mental Health Parity Legislation (SB151) he sponsored in the 112th General Assembly and how the bill supports rural hospitals, providers, and clinics.

Your Voice. Louder.

We are excited to introduce a new tool for Rural Health Advocates to connect with their state and federal legislators on issues important to improving health and access to care in rural Tennessee.

Visit our Action Center to compose and send a message to your state legislator. On the Action Center Page, click on the "Bills" tab to see the list of bills RHA of TN is following, whether we support or oppose, and link to more information such as who is sponsoring the bill, where it is in committee, and to view the bill in it's entirety.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee would like to thank the below Tennessee Representatives for supporting the 340B Drug Discount program by signing a letter to Acting Secretary Cochran of the Department of Health and Human Services. This bi-partisan effort asks HHS to take immediate action to ensure that drug manufacturers are prohibited from imposing unilateral changes to the program in direct conflict with congressional intent and decades of written guidance. Read the full letter here.

• Representative Tim Burchett
• Representative Steve Cohen
• Representative Jim Cooper
• Representative Chuck Fleischmann
• Representative Diana Harshbarger
• Representative David Kustoff

February 9-11th, 2021 a delegation of 19 Rural Health Association of Tennessee Members and affiliates attended National Rural Health Association's Policy Institute. We welcome you to contact your federal legislators to share your experience and insight explaining the need to fund rural programs, providers, and facilities. See below for resources. If you would like to participate in upcoming state advocacy events, please email [email protected]. 

National Rural Health Association 2021 Policy Document

The U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for a woman to give birth, even more so for moms and babies of color. This is a health crisis that has only intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

That is why Rural Health Association of Tennessee has signed on to the #BlanketChange campaign. The campaign outlines key commitments that policymakers, organizations and community leaders can take to improve the health of all moms and babies across the U.S. By supporting #BlanketChange, organizations are calling for eliminating health and racial disparities, driving equity, improving access to care and addressing preventable health conditions.

With 46 other organizations across Tennessee, Rural Health Association of Tennessee sent a letter to Commissioner Smith with Department of TennCare to request smoking quit aids be added to the CoverRx formulary.  

The full letter may be read here.