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.

August 31, 2021

Join Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and our many members who are  raising awareness on how to prevent and respond to overdose.

Inspired by annual community events hosted in Melbourne, Australia, International Overdose Awareness Day was brought to the global stage in 2012 as nations like the United States and Australia were beginning to understand the magnitude of the opioid crisis. Since 2012, IOAD has maintained it’s original purpose to raise awareness, reduce stigma of drug-related death and commemorate those who have been lost to drug overdose.

Article is written by Taylor Sisk. Published on www.NationalGeographic.com July 14, 2021. We are sharing snippets and quotes from RHA of TN and National Rural Health Association. Please read full article here.

Hope amidst declining health care

Across the nation, 12 states have not yet adopted Medicaid expansion as allowed for under the Affordable Care Act. None of the eight states with the most rural hospital closures has implemented expansions. (Voters in two of those states, Missouri and Oklahoma, last year approved ballot measures to expand.)

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. 

Last week, the Tennessee Department of Education released the Educator Emotional Support Video Series to  provide free, optional resources to support the mental health of Tennessee educators, created in partnership with statewide partners. 

In support of Teacher Appreciation Month and Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the video series provides guidance, resources, and interactive activities by two licensed clinical social workers focusing on the mental health of Tennessee educators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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

Assistant Commissioner Kenyatta Lovett, PhD, Workforce Services, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

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.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee signed on to a letter with 346 other organizations to support the work of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in their efforts to fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

You may read the full letter here.

Rural Health Association of Tennessee's President, Elaine Jackson, was selected to join Tennessee Department of Education's COVID-19 Wellbeing Task Force.