Brad Gibbens, MPA

Brad Gibbens is the associate director for community development and policy of the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences and an assistant professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. His primary areas of responsibility are community development, community engagement techniques, and health policy.

The Center for Rural Health is one of the country’s most experienced rural health offices being formed in 1980 to serve as a focal point for rural health activity in North Dakota. The Center’s primary functions revolve around providing technical and community assistance to health care providers and facilities, conducting provider and facility oriented social science and health services research, conducting health policy analysis, and advocating for rural concerns.

Gibbens works closely with health policy, government affairs, community development (including assessments, planning, and community engagement), grant development, and information dissemination activities. Center programs that address community development include the following: State Office of Rural Health, Rural Hospital Flexibility, Small Hospital Improvement Program, Rural Access to Emergency Devices, Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND Rural Health Grant Program, VOICE, and the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health. Gibbens is also the project director for a W.K. Kellogg supported rural policy initiative called Rural People, Rural Policy.

He has given numerous presentations on such subjects as Rural Health Trends and Issues, The Future of Rural Health, The Importance of the Community in Rural Health, State Rural Health Policy Activities, The Role of the Health Sector in Community and Economic Development, Grant Development, and Health Planning. He has facilitated numerous strategic planning sessions and grant writing workshops. Gibbens has successfully secured approximately $8 million in grants through 38 separate grant awrds. Gibbens served as an alternate member to the North Dakota Health Task Force from 1990 to 1995. From 1993 to 1999, he served as a board member of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), which represents all 50 state rural health offices and received their Recognition Award in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Award in 1999. He is presently Co-Chair of the NOSORH Legislative Committee and a member of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Committee. He is an active member of the National Rural Health Association, serving on the State Office Council. He is currently a member of the Governor’s Health Insurance Advisory Committee and the Community of Care Advisory Committee and a past member of the Statewide Bioterrorism Committee. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Flex Program having served as Chair from 1999-2005. He is the past chair of the National Flex Tracking Project Advisory Committee.

Gibbens is a native North Dakotan (fourth generation) growing up on a durum wheat farm near Cando. He has his Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration from UND.

Contact Information:

Tel:	(701) 777-2569
Email:	bgibbens@medicine.nodak.edu
Web site:	http://ruralhealth.und.edu

Projects

• Evaluation of North Dakota Family Support Coalition -- Evaluation of the project's goal, which is to establish a collaborative network of organizations serving families of children with special health care needs to improve outcomes of children and their families.
• Rural People, Rural Policy -- A five year national program that builds and strengthens multi-state and multi-organizational networks of local organizations to develop policy options to help rural communities and small towns.
• Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant Program -- Works toward the building of a comprehensive system of coordinated services for individuals with TBI and their families.
• Vision, Opportunity, and Inspiration through Civic Engagement -- Works to develop and build rural community capacity based on a regional approach.

Publications

• North Dakota Health Care Workforce: Planning Together to Meet Future Health Care Needs (Part I), Wakefield, M., Amundson, M., Moulton, P., & Gibbens, B., January 2007
  
• North Dakota Health Care Workforce: Planning Together to Meet Future Health Care Needs (Part II), Amundson, M., Moulton, P., Wakefield, M., Beattie, S., & Gibbens, B., April 2007
  
• Demographics, Gibbens, B., Spring 2006
  
• Access to Health Care for Rural America: Why it Matters, Wakefield, M. & Gibbens, B., Around the Kitchen Table, Issue 14, February 2006
  

Presentations

• The Power Potential of Economic Development and Health Care
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Jun 17, 2008 at the Economic Development Association of North Dakota, Summer Conference, Carrington, ND.
  Discusses the economic contribution made by rural health organizations and providers to both local economies and the state's economy overall. In addition, the discussion dealt with issues facing rural health and the role of the Center for Rural Health in working with rural communities.
• Factors Shaping North Dakota Rural Heath Policy
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Jun 5, 2008 at the Legislative Candidate Forum, Grand Forks, ND.
  Presentation on rural health policy issues in North Dakota to presented at a legislative candidate forum.
• Rural Health Policy: Framing Your Message to Maximize Change
  Presented by Gibbens, B., Knudson, A., & Fry, T. on May 8, 2008 at the National Rural Health Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  Policy framing is an approach to communicate policy messages to an audience so that they better understand the perspective of the presenter. Policy framing techniques have been acquired through the Center's participation in the Rural People Rural Policy program of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
• The Rural Health Delivery System
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Apr 21, 2008 at the International Visitor Leadership Program, Minot, ND.
  Alana Knudson and Brad Gibbens co-presented as part of a panel presentation on April 21, 2008, Minot Center for Family Medicine. The event was the International Visitor Program, Public Safety: Preparing for Potential Pandemic Disease. This international educational program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. International participants included representatives from Bangladesh, Ghana, and India. Dr. Knudson's presentation was titled "The Rural Public Health System" and Mr. Gibbens' presentation was titled " The Rural Health Delivery System." The event was hosted and facilitated by Kim Krohn, MD, Director, Center for Family Medicine, Minot, ND.
• Future of Rural Health Care: Factors Driving the Need for Change
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Apr 3, 2008 at the Cooperstown Community Forum, Cooperstown, ND.
  Brad Gibbens and Chris Lennon facilitated a community forum in Cooperstown, ND on April 3, 2008. The forum is the second in a series of community forums held in rural North Dakota to gain the perspective of North Dakotans on rural health issues and how to structure the rural health system in the future. The forums are part of the input process for the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program's State Rural Health Plan. Mr. Gibbens provided a presentation, "The Future of Rural Health Care: Factors Driving the Need for Change." The event was hosted by the Coooperstown Medical Center.
• Rural Health Policy: Framing Policy Messages to Better Understand Your Message
  Presented by Gibbens, B. & Knudson, A. on Mar 27, 2008 at the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Fargo, ND.
  The presentation addressed a policy communication process, referred to as policy framing, and how this process can be applied to further rural health policy development. Common framing techniques and applications were discussed. The Center for Rural Health has been applying the process to policy messages and to grant development.
• Access, Cost, and Workforce: Three Factors Driving Rural Health Care in North Dakota
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Feb 27, 2008 at the Linton Community Forum, Linton, ND.
  
• North Dakota Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant Advisory Committee Meeting
  Presented by Quinn, R., Gibbens, B., Moulton, P., & Wagner, S. on Jan 31, 2008 at the Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant Advisory Committee Meeting, Bismarck, ND.
  
• North Dakota Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant
  Presented by Offutt, S., Wagner, S., Gibbens, B., & Kruger, R. on Oct 30, 2007 at the Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Grant Advisory Committee Meeting, Bismarck, ND.
  
• Future of Rural Health: A Convergence of Community and Policy Frames
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Aug 17, 2007 at the Upper Midwest Rural Health Policy Summit, University of Minnesota, Crookston, MN.
  Additional information is available in the presentation narrative.
• Rural Economic Development Believes in Wellness Too
  Presented by Dickson, L., Gibbens, B., & Rice, J. on May 16, 2007 at the National Rural Health Association Annual Conference, Anchorage, AK.
  
• Nursing Consortium Testimony
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Jan 29, 2007 at the North Dakota Senate Human Services Committee, Bismarck, ND.
  
• Factors Impacting the Rural Health Delivery System
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Oct 30, 2006 at the Occupational Therapy 511 Service Delivery System class, Grand Forks, ND.
  
• Challenges and Options in Rural Healthcare
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Jun 21, 2006 at the Richardton Community Forum, Richardton, ND.
  Discusses: Population Change, Health Workforce, Hospital Finance and Capital, Technology, Quality of Care, Options/Solutions
• E-Money: Finding the Funding Source for You
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Mar 2, 2006 at the Electronic Medical Record Conference, Bismarck, ND.
  This presentation provides information on funding relative to HIT in ND including federal policy proposals, the RAC, grant writing tips, and potential federal and private based funding sources.
• Factors Impacting the Rural Health Delivery Systems
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Nov 7, 2005 at the Occupational Therapy 511 Service Delivery System, Grand Forks, ND.
  Presentation given to students in the University of North Dakota's Occupational Therapy 511 Service Delivery System class.
• The Role of Community in Healthcare Leadership
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Nov 1, 2005 at the Nelson County Health Systems, McVille, ND.
  Presentation discussing how the local healthcare system can work with the community to build a healthier community.
• Issues and Opportunities In Rural Health
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Apr 15, 2005 at the West River Health Services department managers meeting, Hettinger, ND.
  Discusses North Dakota demographics, economics, workforce, and strategies.
• Rural Health: Where You Stand Depends on Where You Sit
  Presented by Gibbens, B. on Mar 29, 2005 at the Occupational Therapy Service Delivery System class, Grand Forks, ND.
  Talk given to University of North Dakota students of the Occupational Therapy 511 Service Delivery System class.
• Strengthening Rural Health Care Facilities through Community Development
  Presented by Gibbens, B. & Miller, M. on Mar 9, 2005 at the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Bismarck, ND.
  What is community development and why is it important in strengthening rural health care facilities?
• North Dakota Critical Access Hospital and Flex Program Survey - 2005
  Presented by Gibbens, B. & Miller, M. on Mar 8, 2005 at the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Bismarck, ND.
  Discusses results from the Critical Access Hospital and Flex Program Surveys.

Topic Areas

• Community Development
• Evaluation
• Hospitals and Clinics
• Policy