The Membership Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
The 2020 regional meetings are just around the corner and NOSORH is ready to start planning! All the sites and locations are secured and the planning committees are forming. If you are interested in volunteering for your region’s meeting planning committee, please contact Matt Strycker. NOSORH is now accepting speaker proposals for all 5 regional meetings and the NOSORH Annual Meeting. Proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2020.
Region A will take place on June 16-18, 2020, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square. It’s surrounded by restaurants and just a short walk over the Monongahela River into the heart of downtown. There will be a pre-meeting on the morning of June 16 (topic to be determined).
Region B will take place on May 5-7, 2020, in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Marriott Lexington City Center. Just a short walk from the city square with tons of restaurants and shops in downtown Lexington. There will be a pre-meeting on the morning of May 5 (topic to be determined).
Region C will take place on July 29-30, 2020, in Chicago, Illinois, at the Westin Michigan Avenue on the Magnificent Mile in the heart of downtown Chicago. There will be a pre-meeting on the afternoon of June 28 (topic to be determined).
Region D will take place on June 3-4, 2020 in Reno, Nevada, at the Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno. There is a rock climbing wall at the hotel, so bring your climbing gear! A pre-meeting will be held on the afternoon of June 2 (topic to be determined).
Region E is tentatively scheduled for July 15-16, 2020, in Anchorage, Alaska. NOSORH plans to host a pre-meeting the afternoon of July 14 (topic not yet determined).
Contact Matt Strycker, NOSORH Program Manager, if you have questions about any of these meetings.
This month will see Region D and Region A meetings hosted in Hawaii and Massachusetts. NOSORH looks forward to seeing everyone there! Meeting resources can be found here on the NOSORH website after each meeting. There is still time to register for Regions B, C, and E. More information on each of those meetings is below:
Region B:
Augusta, Georgia
August 27 – 29, 2019
DoubleTree by Hilton
2651 Perimeter Parkway
Augusta, Georgia 30909
Reservation:
800-222-TREE (8733) or 706-855-8100. The federal rate is $102 per night. The total rate including taxes is $122.28.
Please use code “NOS” to get the rate. Online reservations click here. Reservation deadline: August 5, 2019
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be a free optional meeting centered on issues related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taking place on August 27 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region C:
Kansas City, Missouri
July 30 – 31, 2019
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
2345 McGee Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Reservation: 866-932-6214
The federal rate is $125 per night. The total rate including taxes is $149.39. Please use code: “NOSORH Region Meeting” to get the rate. Click here for the online reservation system. Reservation deadline: July 8, 2019
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be a free optional meeting hosted by the HRSA Office of Regional Operations Regions V and VII. It will take place on July 29 from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region E:
Portland, Oregon
September 4-5, 2019
Embassy Suites – Downtown
319 SW Pine Street
Portland, OR 97204
Reservation:800-HILTONS (800-445-8667)
The federal rate is $184 per night. The total rate including taxes is $212.15. Please use code: “NOS” to get the rate. Online reservations click here. Reservation deadline: August 13, 2019
Online Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be a free optional meeting focusing on issues related to workforce. It will take place on September 6 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
The Regional Meeting season starts next month! The 2019 meetings will feature more diverse topics and structured one-on-one time with the SORHs, creating a great environment to share ideas, seek help, promote success, and most importantly, learn from each other. All five regions will hold either a pre or post meeting on various topics, and one session at each regional meeting will be recorded. The recordings will then be made available for listening as part of the meeting resources. Sharing these sessions is just one more way to provide value to SORH by communicating ideas and information across the regions. As final agendas are being prepared, please click here for up to date information about each meeting.
We are only a couple months away from the start of the Regional Meeting season. The first two this year are Region D in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and Region A in Eastham, Massachusetts. Both regions will feature an optional pre-meeting session, so plan to arrive early to attend. The deadline to register for Hawaii is May 13 and the deadline for Massachusetts is May 1 at 5:00pm ET. Please be sure to register for the meetings and to get your hotel booked as soon as possible. NOSORH is not able to guarantee a room after these deadlines. If you have questions about these meetings or any of the others, please contact Matt Strycker at stryckerm@nosorh.org.
Region D:
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
June 4
1:00-5:00 PM
Pre-conference meeting on Telehealth
June 5-6
SORH Regional Meeting
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
75-5660 Palani Road
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
Reservation: The federal rate is $189 per night. The total rate including taxes is $216.76. Please use code: “NRHG” to get the rate. Click here to make your hotel reservation or call 800-367-2111.
Reservation deadline: May 13, 2019
For the meeting registration and draft agenda, click here.
There will be an optional telehealth meeting on June 4, 2019 from 1:00-5:00pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region A:
Eastham, Massachusetts
June 18
8:00 AM – 12:00
Pre-Conference meeting on Building Collaboration with Community Based Grantees
June 18-20
SORH Regional Meeting
Four Points Sheraton
3800 State Highway
Eastham, Massachusetts 02642
Please Note: Hotel reservations must be made by May 1 at 5:00 pm ET. We are unable to guarantee availability beyond this day and time.
The federal rate is $113 per night. The total rate including taxes is $123.96. Please mention code “SORH Region A Meeting” to get the rate. Call 508-255-5000 to make a reservation.
For the meeting Registration and draft agenda, click here.
There will be an optional pre-meeting session on working with FORHP’s Community Based Division grantees that you can choose while registering.
Information for all 5 Regional Meetings can be found here.
The SORH Regional Partnership Meetings and the NOSORH Annual Meeting are just around the corner and all the regions are setting up agendas that will make for a year of firsts. All five regions agreed that SORH-to-SORH learning time was of most importance, setting aside time in each meeting agenda to learn from each other on a variety of different topics, including EMS issues, telehealth, hospital closures, ACOs, and SORH program infrastructure. Also, new topics, such as rural LGBTQ issues and workforce violence, will be explored. The agendas have shaped up to give each region a unique learning experience.
The NOSORH Annual Meeting will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on October 16-17 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Albuquerque. Click here to reserve your hotel room. This will be on the heels of the WONCA World Rural Health Conference being held October 12-15 in Albuquerque.
Regional Meeting Information:
Region A:
Eastham, Massachusetts
June 18-20, 2019
Four Points Sheraton
3800 State Highway
Eastham, Massachusetts 02642
Please Note: Hotel reservations must be made by May 1 at 5:00 pm ET. We are unable to guarantee availability beyond this day and time.
The federal rate is $113 per night. The total rate including taxes is $123.96. Please mention code “SORH Region A Meeting” to get the rate. Call 508-255-5000 to make a reservation.
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be an optional pre-meeting session on working with FORHP’s Community Based Division grantees that you can choose while registering.
Region B:
Augusta, Georgia
August 27 – 29, 2019
DoubleTree by Hilton
2651 Perimeter Parkway
Augusta, Georgia 30909
Reservation: 800-222-TREE (8733) or 706-855-8100
The federal rate is $102 per night. The total rate including taxes is $122.28. Please use code “NOS” to get the rate.
Reservation deadline: August 5, 2019
Online reservations: click here
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be an optional meeting centered around issues related to the Centers for Disease Control. It will take place on August 27, 2019 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region C:
Kansas City, Missouri
July 30 – 31, 2019
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
2345 McGee Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Reservation: 866-932-6214. Or click here for the online reservation system.
The federal rate is $125 per night. The total rate including taxes is $149.39. Please use code: “NOSORH Region Meeting” to get the rate.
Reservation deadline: July 8, 2019
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be an optional meeting hosted by the HRSA Office of Regional Operations Regions V and VII. It will take place on July 29 from 1:00-5:00pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region D:
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
June 5 – 6, 2019
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
75-5660 Palani Road
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
Reservation: The federal rate is $189 per night. The total rate including taxes is $216.76. Please use code: “NRHG” to get the rate. Click here to make your hotel reservation or call 800-367-2111.
Reservation deadline: May 13, 2019
Meeting Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be an optional telehealth meeting on June 4, 2019 from 1:00-5:00pm. You will have the option to register for it when you register for the regional meeting.
Region E:
Portland, Oregon
September 4-5, 2019
Embassy Suites – Downtown
319 SW Pine Street
Portland, OR 97204
Reservation:800-HILTONS (800-445-8667). The federal rate is $184 per night. The total rate including taxes is $212.15. Please use code: “NOS” to get the rate. Online reservations click here.
Reservation deadline: August 13, 2019
Online Registration: click here
Draft Agenda: click here
There will be an optional meeting centered around issues related to workforce. It will take place on September 6, 2019 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Massachusetts, Georgia, Kansas, Hawaii, and Oregon are set to take the stage this year for NOSORH Regional Partnership Meetings! Thank you to all of the volunteers who work on the planning committees to create meaningful agendas for each region’s meeting. Please note that all five regional meetings will host a half-day pre or post meeting. More information will be provided when the topics for these half-day meetings are finalized.
Region A will take place in Massachusetts in June. NOSORH is currently working on the logistics for this meeting, so stay tuned!
Region B is in Augusta, Georgia, on August 28-29 at the DoubleTree Augusta.
Region C will take place in Kansas City at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel on July 30-31.
Region D will be hosted in Hawaii at the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel on June 5-6.
Region E will take place in Portland, Oregon, on September 4-5 at the Embassy Suites.
Thank you to all the host states and their supporting cast of planning committee members for helping to make the regional meetings the educationally rich and the most important meetings for SORH each year. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Strycker at stryckerm@nosorh.org.
Not even a tropical storm could stop Region B from meeting in Pensacola, Florida, for the Region B SORH Partnership Meeting in September! Flooding, high winds, and rough seas were the perfect backdrop to show how valuable this meeting was for the eight states in attendance. There were many new faces for their first Regional Meeting and it was inspiring to see members reaching out and building new connections, offering help on upcoming grants, giving support for upcoming projects and identifying ways to collaborate across states.
Region B was also joined by Dr. Kathy Black, Ph.D. Principal Investigator, Age-Friendly Sarasota, Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar, and Professor at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, who gave a presentation titled: “Rural Health Alignment with Age – Friendly Communities.” This was the first region to have a speaker address the topic of aging in rural and the conversation made one thing clear; it was needed. Because of this, Dr. Black will be attending the NOSORH Annual Meeting in Cheyenne, WY this month to give a general session talk. NOSORH would like to thank the Florida State Office of Rural Health for hosting and we look forward to meeting in Georgia for the 2019 meeting.
For all of the presentation materials, please click here.
SORH staff from all 10 Region E states descended on Salt Lake City, Utah, for the Region E SORH Partnership Meeting in August. The planning committee was laser focused while building the agenda and made sure to include ample time for the SORH to have group discussions. The six topics covered in the group discussions included: RHC Work, Oral Health, Workforce/Recruitment, Running a SORH with Budget and Political Uncertainty, Opioid Discussion, and Communication and Information Dissemination. These robust discussions brought up many thought-provoking issues, and the SORHs more than helped each other throughout that time.
Region E was also joined by some familiar faces from Region C: John Barnas and Crystal Barter from the Michigan Center for Rural Health. They presented their session, “A SORH is Managing a State-Wide Clinically Integrated Network? It’s True!” Not only was it a much-needed session for the region, but it was also a perfect example of cross-regional partnership.
Next year, Region E will meet in the great state of Oregon. To access the meeting presentations, please click here.
Region C states met in Minneapolis, MN, for the SORH Partnership Meeting in August. Thanks to the Minnesota team for their assistance in planning and hosting the meeting! The kick-off was provided by the Minnesota Health Director. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) shared information regarding current funding opportunities, provided a session on how FORHP might better support SORHs and their partners, and discussed how they may provide facilitation with other HRSA programs, should the need arise.
Region C was joined by Alana Knudson, Co-Director of the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. Alana presented on the CDC’s growing interest in rural health. She discussed various topics within that framework, including the inclusion of rural health coordination within the Office of the Associate Director of Policy, rural health disparities, and how local health departments are funded in rural areas. In addition, Knudson spoke about the impact of health insurance on farmer health and farm viability. Meg Moynihan, a member of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and a small Minnesotan farmer, spoke at length about coping with stressors facing our rural farming families in an engaging and moving session. Click here for the Region C meeting presentations.
The Kansas Office of Primary Care and Rural Health will host the 2019 Region C Partnership Meeting!
The planning committees for all five regions are underway as SORH prepare for the upcoming NOSORH Regional Partnership Meetings. As the agendas take shape, common themes can be seen among all the regions. The want for more SORH-to-SORH discussion time and sessions on SORH management and leadership are two of the most prevalent topics. One region is combing the SORH-to-SORH discussion time and SORH management topic with a SORH-led panel. Taking advantage of the diversity of their SORH makeup in the region, they are building an engaging session to highlight office successes, including effective staffing.
Another theme is communication; how are SORH’s using their newsletters, listserves, social media, etc. in a way that will best communicate their work and how to better leverage resources to get their message out to stakeholders. While these are not all encompassing of every possible agenda topic that has been discussed, it gives an insight into how the SORHs are thinking this year.
If you have any questions about any of these meetings, please contact Matt Strycker at stryckerm@nosorh.org or Trevor Brown at trevorb@nosorh.org