AzCRH Highlights

Thanks to all attended the Arizona Rural Health Conference (in-person and virtually)!

AzCRH Receives $4.47M Federal Grant to Continue Health Services to Rural Arizona

The Arizona Center for Rural Health’s mission to improve the health and wellness of Arizona’s rural and vulnerable populations through its state and federally designated and funded State Office of Rural Health (SORH) program will continue thanks to a 5-year, $4.47 million competing continuation grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the State of Arizona.

“We are very honored and excited to receive competitive continuation funding from the HRSA over the next five years to build on the more than 30-year history of the State Office of Rural Health Program here in Arizona,” said Dan Derksen, MD, director of the Center for Rural Health in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at UArizona Health Sciences. “This program shows how federal, state and community collaboration can really make a difference in the lives of rural Arizonans.”

Arizona Town Halls: Spending One-Time Federal Funds

Over the next two years, Arizona will receive more than $12 billion dollars in one-time federal funding, through legislation like the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. The key question is, what do Arizonans think about how it might be used most effectively? 

Arizonans’ voices need to be heard regarding how these funds can be used to maximize the resiliency and vibrancy of our communities. Vitalyst has partnered with Arizona Town Hall to create forums around the state to collect input on where these funds can be invested to address disparities in health and well-being.  

Get connected to the process, and get your voice heard. See the dates below and register to engage in one of these forums. All sessions will be held from 12:00pm-1:00pm.

July 29 – East Valley

July 30 – Northern Arizona

August 2 – West Valley

August 24 – Southern Arizona

August 25 – Statewide

Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Renters and landlords in the twelve Arizona rural counties may apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program using the program portal. Renters and landlords can receive up to $3,500 per month in rent and utility assistance. Applications will be accepted through the program’s expiration on December 31, 2021 or until funding is exhausted. 

Arizona Maternal and Infant Mortality Summit 2021

September 28th and 29th | 9:00am - 3:30pm
Virtual | No registration fee
Registration opens July 12
The registration link will come from Dave Ryder, dryder@veerconsulting.com

Summit Objectives:

• Present the prevalent and associated risk factors leading to maternal and infant mortality.
• Identify opportunities to reduce preventable maternal and infant mortality.
• Discuss how Arizona can achieve health equity for populations experiencing disparities.
• Discuss cross-sector strategies to support Arizona families during and after Covid-19.

Staff Recognition

Congratulations and thanks to AzCRH staff members for their service to AzCRH and the University of Arizona!
Jennifer Peters - 20 years of service
Joyce Hospodar - 20 years of service
Bryna Koch - 10 years of service
Michelle Albert - 10 years of service

Happy Juneteenth!

The Juneteenth holiday has been celebrated by our Black and African-American communities for many years to recognize the end of slavery in the US and the Congressional recognition is a welcomed acknowledgement and a cause for celebration. 
The AZ Center for Rural Health encourages all to embrace Juneteenth as an opportunity Juneteenth presents an opportunity for us all to reflect on the past year of struggle to battle racism and promote social justice even as we faced the pandemic. Here are some resources to consider exploring:

• Tune in to learn more about Juneteenth from Professor Tyina Steptoe on the UArizona TikTok channel.
• National Museum of African American History & Culture Virtual Exhibit

The Fight for Social Justice

The discovery last month of the bodies of 215 indigenous children in a mass grave near the site of the former Indian Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, has reminded us of the dark history of injustice towards native peoples in the Americas. The AZ Center for Rural Health expresses our solidarity in grief and healing with all our first nation communities. In a move towards positive change for tribal communities, UArizona College of Public Health researcher Dr. Stephanie Carroll shared the new UArizona Native American Advancement, Initiatives, and Research Web Portal, and please note the new land acknowledgement language in the blue block near the top of the portal landing page.

Happy Pride Month!

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States, the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day is flexible. 
The "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events in major cities across the nation. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events that attract millions of participants worldwide. In addition, memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

NASHP Policy Academy on Rural Mental Health Crisis Services – July 9.  The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) seeks applications from state-level health officials for this learning opportunity.  NASHP will provide technical support, opportunities for peer-to-peer discussion, targeted support for state policy goals, and access to national expertise.

USDA Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance - Ongoing.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps with management, financial health, and operations for food access projects still in the early stages.

• Participants will be able to assess the history of medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) and its relationship with criminal justice, analyze the historical influence on the provision of evidence-based treatment today, particularly in rural areas, and more.
• July 13, 2021. 12:00pm to 1:00pm
• Register here: 
  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3gy74UhgShiG81hQdMXEog

Customizable COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Rural Communities. This toolkit from the FORHP-supported National Rural Health Resource Center helps rural community- and faith-based organizations, businesses, public health, schools, and health care organizations with internal and external COVID-19 vaccine communication materials. Organizations have easy access to customizable communication templates that include print ads, poster, brochure, social media posts, and an online resource guide.

Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings on Hospital Compare: Overview for Flex Programs and Rural Stakeholders The National Rural Health Resource Center provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings including background information, rural relevant discussion/talking points, and a summary of the methodology including the recent changes made as part of the Calendar Year 2021 CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule.

New Study: Gap in Rural-Urban Death Rates Tripled Over Last 20 Years. Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital used publicly available data for the years 1999 to 2019 and found an overall increase of more than 12 percent in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for rural residents aged 25 to 64 years. While death rates fell among Black individuals, this group had greater AAMRs than all other racial/ethnic groups across both rural and urban environments.  The study, published last week in JAMA, was conducted before the outbreak of COVID-19; authors note the pandemic may have since exacerbated the rural-urban divide they observed.