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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Medical/Behavioral Telehealth Options: 

Removing the barriers of access, stigma of care, and cost of treatment are of paramount importance.  Whether you are charged with delivering healthcare to the uninsured public or providing a low-cost benefit to help recruit and retain employees (especially those who are part-time, unbenefited, or cannot afford group health plans), you need answers.  It sounds impossible that you could help solve that problem for as little as $10/mo/family, but it is possible - with TELADOC and Health Advocate.

On this week’s episode of Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking to a nurse trying to make a difference in the Appalachian region. Robyn Seamon has earned advanced degrees, studied, and conducted research to help prepare her to serve Appalachian residents.

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Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA) celebrated National Rural Health Day in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, November 18^th, 2021 to honor those who work every day to help keep Tennessee healthy. This year's conference was dedicated to local and state health department officials, providers, and advocates who have served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Missed the event? Copies of presentations are in our Rural Resource Center (login required).

By Kimberly K. Estep, Ph.D.

The news is often gloomy regarding healthcare and education in rural communities. Rural hospitals are closing at a distressing rate, with nearly 140 closing their doors since 2010. Rural Tennessee has lost more hospitals than anywhere else in the country. It’s also true, as Taylor Sisk reported for The Daily Yonder, that we need to reassess our approach to filling the gaps. It’s terrible to see hospitals closed, jobs lost, and healthcare interrupted, but the solutions should be tailored to the needs.

On September 9, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration announced they were acting to address the systemwide issue of unvaccinated health care staff and would require COVID-19 vaccinations for workers in nursing homes and additional regulated health care settings, including, but not limited to, hospitals, dialysis facilities, ambulatory surgical settings, and home health agencies. On November 4, 2021, CMS released the finalized requirements for the “IFC6” Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination. We ask that you share the attached resource documents with your memberships, constituents, and post on your communication channels.  The web links to the resource documents are also below:

• Press Release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-issues-emergency-regulation-requiring-covid-19-vaccination-health-care
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs): www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-omnibus-staff-vax-requirements-2021.docx or https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page (on the CMS Current Emergencies webpage under “Clinical & Technical Guidance for all health care providers”)
• Interim Final Rule with Comment Period in Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current

Tyler Melton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science at the  University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), College of Pharmacy. He has nine years of pharmacy practice experience including inpatient and outpatient pharmacy in rural environments. Tyler joined UTHSC in September of 2020, after completing a postdoctoral research fellowship in Community Pharmacy Practice and Prescription Drug Abuse and earning his Master of Public Health from East Tennessee State University. His areas of research expertise include community pharmacy practice, rural health, health disparities, and prescription drug abuse.

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Lisa Beasley joined the UTHSC CON faculty in September 2020. Prior to joining UT, Lisa was previously at the  University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing for 10 years, serving as a Clinical Associate Professor and the Director of Clinical Education for the last 6 years of her time there. Lisa’s practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner has been in hospice and palliative care for the last 9 years serving patients in rural and underserved communities. Prior to becoming a nurse, Lisa enjoyed an 18-year career in the radio industry.

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We hope to see you in November!

Early Bird registration has been extended! Register by October 8, 2021 to receive a discounted rate.

To view the conference agenda and register, visit https://www.tnruralhealth.org/annual-conference. Continue reading for our planned safety measures.

LifeLine Pilots provides free air transportation for people with medical or humanitarian needs far from home.  Their 10-state midwestern region includes Tennessee.  LifeLine Pilots has more than 270 volunteer pilots, located throughout our region, to help fly people in need.  There is never a cost to fly with us and no limit to the number of times a passenger can fly.
 
Below is a FAQ sheet, for medical professionals wanting more information about our service and a passenger rack card.
LifeLine Pilots_Free Flights for Medical Care.pdf
LifeLine Pilots_Passenger Rack Card.pdf

 For more information contact Lindsey Kerr, Executive Director, LifeLine Pilots
Direct Dial: 309-306-7853  l   Office:  800-822-7972
[email protected]   l   www.lifelinepilots.org  
www.facebook.com/lifelinepilotsusa

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

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.

CareQuest and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) are sponsoring a pair of Nov. 18th sessions at 
the Rural Health Association of Tennessee's 27th Annual Conference.

The NRHA will lead off that morning with a session from 8:30 - 9:30am EST titled "Rural Health in the United States – Updates from the National Rural Health Association," which will feature NRHA Vice President for Member Services Brock Slabach Sr.

From WUOT 91.9 Knoxville: 

More than a quarter of Tennessee counties don’t have a hospital and a fifth don’t even have an emergency facility, though they may have an ambulance service. When a hospital closes or there's no hospital at all, rural economies suffer. It's impossible to recruit businesses and to keep employers, residents, and retirees in the area. The communities impacted by all of this are disproportionately made up of the uninsured, the elderly, the chronically ill, and those living in poverty.

WUOT's Chrissy Keuper spoke with members of state agencies, nonprofits, and social justice advocacy about what the present and future look like for healthcare in Tennessee’s rural counties.

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6th Annual Student, Resident and Faculty Virtual Poster Competition Information 

This virtual research poster competition is a low-cost way for students, residents and faculty to share their research without the costs of producing a “hard-copy” poster.  

Division winners and the overall winner will receive a gift certificate or modest cash award (check).

The Tennessee Department of Health assures families across Tennessee that information and access to vaccinations for children through state health departments continues and there has been no disruption to these services.

While misinformation has been circulated regarding the status of these resources, parents who need information regarding routine childhood immunizations can find resources here. Parents seeking the COVID-19 vaccine for children 12+ can find additional information here.

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.)

Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHA of TN) is proud to have recently received approval as a registered Apprenticeship Program by the United States Department of Labor and a pre-Apprenticeship program by Tennessee Department of Labor.

This spring RHA of TN worked with West Tennessee Healthcare to register an apprenticeship program for Patient Care Tech/Nursing Assistant roles. Apprenticeships are paid on-the-job work experiences paired with mentoring over the course of 2000 hours. When requirements of the program are met, apprentices receive a nationally recognized certificate in their field.