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January 2025 Center for Rural Health Update

FOCUS on Rural Health

Dr. Jacob Warren Named Director of Center for Rural Health
Dr. Jacob Warren has been named the new director for the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

News

Threadgold Named Director of North Dakota State Office of Rural Health
The State Office of Rural Health is a federal-state partnership that supports rural communities in building and maintaining healthcare services. Nicole Threadgold has been named the new director.

Unmasking Brain Injury Events
The North Dakota Brain Injury Network will be displaying the masks from the Unmasking Brain Injury Project in Grand Forks in February.

3RNET Hosts Recruitment for Retention Webinar Series
Registration is free for this two-part series on recruiting and retention guiding principles and practices for North Dakota healthcare facilities.

Rural Telehealth Sees More Policy Wins, But Only Short-Term
Brad Gibbens, retired deputy director, was interviewed in this article from the Public News Service about rural telehealth services.

Funding & Other Opportunities

North Dakota Critical Access Hospital Subcontract Program
Applications are open for funding through the Critical Access Hospital Subcontract Program for Community Health Needs Assessment Implementation Activity.
Deadline: January 24

Scrubs Academy I and II Applications Open
Applications are now open for the Rural Collaborative Opportunities for Occupational Learning in Health (R-COOL-Health) Scrubs Academy I and II. Scrubs Academies are for middle school (Academy I) and high school (Academy II) students to explore healthcare professions.

2025 Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health
The 2025 Dakota Conference will take place June 17-19 in Bismarck, North Dakota. Connect with healthcare professionals, educators, and students from across the state to discuss strategies and challenges related to rural health.

CRH Events

January 22 Webinar: Daily Self-Care and Its Impact on the Nervous System
This North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN) webinar will feature Amber Lohret, author and brain injury survivor, as she discusses the importance of self-care after a brain injury.
January 22 Webinar: Rural Cancer Care and Models to Improve Care Delivery in Rural Communities
The North Dakota Rural Health Association is hosting a webinar on rural cancer care, presented by Dr. Wade Swenson, medical oncologist and hematologist.
February 5 Webinar: Help Hope Live
Hosted by NDBIN, Karli Njaa with Help Hope Live will explain what this national nonprofit can do to support your community and with fundraising for medical-related costs after brain injury.
February 6 New QSP: Next Steps Monthly Meeting
This monthly meeting will provide recently approved Qualified Service Providers (QSPs) an introduction to the QSP handbook as well as resources, links, and advice to support them as a QSP.
February 11 TeleECHO: Interprofessional Collaboration for Transitions of Care for Older Adults
This Geriatric and Age-Friendly teleECHO will share guidance and best practices in caring for aging patients.
February 19 Webinar: Vivistim
Learn about Vivistim, a new technology for stroke survivors. Vivistim, paired with vagus nerve stimulation therapy has been shown to have success among 300 patients across the U.S. Hosted by NDBIN.

Publications & Resources

Medical Debt and Its Impact on Rural Patients and Providers, with Carrie Henning-Smith
In RHIhub's January episode of our Exploring Rural Health podcast, we talk with Carrie Henning-Smith, co-director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, about the impact of medical debt for both rural patients and providers.

Medical Students Write About Health Outcomes
The Targeted Rural Health Education (TRHE) project helps resident physicians and health profession students take a closer look at the health needs of communities in which they are training. The writers promote positive health outcomes in their rural communities. Here are the six most recent articles: