Advancing Rural Health: Utilizing State Rural Offices and Plans to Create Healthier Communities

People living in rural communities, make up approximately 60 million or one-fifth of the U.S. population. Rural America and rural Americans experience unique needs and challenges and rural communities in each state have unique health care needs. All 50 states have a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) and many have created state rural health plans to address their states’ rural health needs and challenges.  

This webinar will discuss the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and the process of two states: Pennsylvania and Virginia, that recently developed or updated their state rural health plans.

Speakers: 

Tammy Norville

Ms. Norville is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). She has nearly twenty years of experience working with and for the State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) and providing hands-on technical assistance in rural communities with a focus on operations and administrative efficiency. She is a North Carolina native and graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill.  Tammy is committed to finding innovative and straightforward ways to help SORH, rural providers, patients, neighbors and communities become and remain more well comprehensively while moving the Power of Rural forward.

Lisa Davis, MHA

Ms. Davis serves the Director of Outreach for the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health and an Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State University.  As Director, she focuses on the Office’s mission of being a source or networking, coordination and technical assistance to advance rural health care delivery.

Heather Anderson, MPH

Ms. Anderson serves as the Director of the Division of Primary and Rural Health at the Virginia Department of Health. In her role, she directs the Virginia State Office of Rural Health to address and rectify health disparities affecting the state’s rural residents. This is accomplished through establishing and growing partnerships and collaborations throughout the Commonwealth.

This webinar addresses increasing health equity through the NNLM initiative of environmental determinants of health by understanding the socioeconomic factors, natural and built environmental factors that influence human health in rural communities.

By registering for this class, you are agreeing to the NNLM Code of Conduct