Program areas at Rural Health Association of Tennessee
Rha hosts an annual conference, the purpose of which is to provide continuing education opportunites to Health care providers, state & local government officials, coordinated school Health directors, students and others about the Health concerns of Rural tennesseeans and research-based best practices to address those concerns. The organization also hosts regional events each spring in each of tennessees three grand divisions (west, middle, east).
Rha received grant funding for the following programs: 1) workforce program: rha collaborates with k-12 schools, community & technical colleges, & employers to support more than 200 individuals achieve careers in healthcare. For the past three years rhat has established new relationships with high school career and technical education (cte) directors, technical & community colleges, long-term assisted living facilites, & state-level department of labor (dol) entities through a grant-funded pilot aimed at introducing youth to careers in healthcare; 2) substance use disorder prevention, treatment & recovery-rha operates a consortium of Rural providers & community based organizations committed to reducing the prevalance of substance use disorder across the state. Through the program rha creates & distributes resources relevant to prescription drug take-back events, medicated assisted treatment, & facilitating trainings to reduce stigma & increase access to mental & behavioral Health resources; 3) maternal Health advocacy & education-rha provides information & resources to raise awareness & training opportunities related to tennessees high maternal mortality rates.
Health care enrollment assistance: during the public Health emergency there has been an increased need for assistance and referral programs like assistance enrolling people in Health insurance and supplemental nutrition assistance program (snap). Rha began a program to help clinics, community-based organizations, and the people they serve enroll in tenncare, aca marketplace plans, and other social services.