Skip to main content

March 2026 Center for Rural Health Update

FOCUS on Rural Health

From Scrubs Academy to Medical School
Lizzie Holzwarth, a University of North Dakota medical student, shares the impact of Scrubs Academy on her journey to becoming a doctor.

News

Register Today to Attend the Reimagined Dakota Conference on Rural Health
The Dakota Conference is introducing a new format and session tracks. Learn more and register today.

CRH Welcomes New Employee
Seneca Riggins joins the Center for Rural Health (CRH) as a senior communications and marketing specialist.

Job Opportunities
CRH is seeking applicants for five job openings:

  • Education coordinator
  • Outreach specialist
  • Senior research analyst
  • Tribal liaison
  • Senior project coordinator

Funding & Other Opportunities

2026 Mind Matters Conference
The 2026 Mind Matters conference will be held March 26 and 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Fargo, North Dakota. The conference is for individuals with brain injury, family members, caregivers, and professionals. This event highlights new research, trends, practice strategies, and collaborative models of care. Innovative approaches and new systems of care for individuals living with brain injury will be presented.

  • Registration Deadline: March 26

Scrubs Academies 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.

CRH Events

March 25 TeleECHO: Connections Matter
This teleECHO clinic is designed to help school-based professionals share best practices for overall mental health among students.
March 26‑27 2026 Mind Matters Conference
Hosted by the North Dakota Brain Injury Network (NDBIN), this conference is for individuals with brain injury, family members, caregivers, and professionals.
April 1 TeleECHO: Supporting Children and Families Through Loss – A Grief-Informed Approach for Healthcare
Nicola Herting, a specialist in child psychology, will present in this Pediatric Mental Health teleECHO.
April 2 New Qualified Service Provider (QSP): Next Steps Monthly Meeting
This monthly meeting will provide recently approved QSPs with an introduction to the QSP handbook, as well as resources, links, and advice to support them in their role as a QSP. Hosted by the North Dakota QSP Hub.
April 14 TeleECHO: Mobility
This Geriatric teleECHO will be presented by Amanda Wilson, a physical therapist and teaching assistant professor at the University of North Dakota.
April 15 Webinar: Trauma and Brain Injury for Peer Support Specialists
Join NDBIN’s peer support specialists, Mychal Cook and Beth Beckers, as they explain trauma and its impact on the brain.
April 15 TeleECHO: When They Can't Unplug – An Overview of Gaming Disorder and Current Treatments
Presented by Thad Shunkwiler, associate professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, this clinic will focus on pediatric gaming disorder.
April 22 TeleECHO: Prevent Child Abuse
This Pediatric Mental Health School-Based teleECHO is designed to support school professionals in addressing mental health concerns.

Publications & Resources

'No Safe Level of Lead': How Mining Towns Are Reducing the Risk of Lead Exposure – And What Other Rural Communities Can Learn from Them
Rural Health Information Hub's newest Rural Monitor article looks at how efforts to grow public awareness, encourage testing, and expand resources in Idaho and Kansas may offer a blueprint for lead poisoning prevention.

A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Distributed by the Rural Health Research Gateway, this brief from the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center examines how independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals differ across organizational structure, financial performance, community context, and financial distress risk, using the most recent national data.