Rural Matters

In Part III of our four-part series on rural funding, produced in collaboration with and supported by Thomas USAF, Michelle chats with ChadParker, who has worked with USDA Rural Development for 30 years and is currently serving as the Acting Rural Housing Service Administrator, overseeing all Rural Housing Service's programs including the Community Facilities Program. She also speaks with Thomas Kimsey, President and CEO of Thomas USAF Group, who manages more than $100 Million+ annually in loan production. In his usual role as the Deputy Administrator of Community Programs, Parker is responsible for Community Facilities Direct Loans, Guaranteed Loans and Grants, Economic Impact Initiative Grants, Tribal College Grants, and the Rural Community Development Initiative. The guests discuss the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program and other funding opportunities available from the USDA to assist rural health care facilities. This episode and the entire four-part series are sponsored by the Thomas USAF Group. With 40 years of experience working in the government guaranteed loan space, Thomas USAF Group is uniquely positioned to offer exceptional services to meet your business needs. For more information, visit www.thomasusaf.com .

In Part V of our landmark series on rural higher education and workforce development, produced in collaboration with and supported by the Asscendium Education Group, Michelle chats with Danielle Vetter, Senior Program Officer and Kirstin Yeado, Program Officer, at Ascendium Education Group, both supporting partnerships focused on rural education and workforce training; Emily Cole, a higher education researcher and a Project Director with Sova; and Dr. Allen Pratt, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association (NREA). The riveting discussion focuses on Ascendium's research initiatives, including its rural postsecondary education agenda and partnerships; themes and stories that informed the agenda; what rural leaders and communities can take away from the agenda; and NREA's rural research projects. This episode and the entire series is sponsored by the Ascendium Education Group, a nonprofit organization committed to helping learners from low-income backgrounds reach their educational and career goals. For more information, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org.

Synopsis; In the concluding segment of our four-part series, Viewing Rural Health, Education, and Business Through an Equity Lens. produced in collaboration with and supported by Grantmakers In Health. Michelle chats with four riveting guests: Ann McMillan, Program Director at Grantmakers In Health (GIH), responsible for access and quality programs; Allen Smart, national spokesperson and advocate for improving philanthropic practice under his group. PhilanthropywoRx; Debby Warren, Executive Director of the Southern Rural Development Initiative (SRDI) and the Community Reinvestment Association of NC; and Emily Hinsey, Director of Operations and Program Development of Grantmakers In Aging (GIA), the national membership organization of philanthropies amplifying the voices of older people and issues of aging.. McMillan discusses the GIH's role in advancing health initiatives and how organizations can seek funding from her organization. Smart describes how his organization is helping rural stakeholders deal with the pandemic and the future challenges that will be presenting themselves in the rural space.

Warren discusses her group's two-year initiative involving the United Philanthropy Forum, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to strengthen and expand philanthropic investments that promote rural racial, social economic, and health equity. Hinsey details the key focus areas GIA has been elevating within rural aging philanthropy and some of the strategies that have worked well in this space. This episode of Rural Matters and the entire series is sponsored by Grantmakers In Health, a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Its mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community's knowledge, skills, and effectiveness. Learn more by visiting www.gih.org

In Part III of our groundbreaking fabulous four-part series on Viewing Rural Health, Education, and Business Through an Equity Lens, produced in collaboration with Grantmakers in Health, Michelle chats with Kim Davis, Senior Advisor (Home Region Team) at the Walton Family Foundation; Shao-Chee Sim, Episcopal Health Foundation's Vice President for Research, Innovation and Evaluation; Adam Linker, director of programs at the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, and Dr. Gary Nelson, President of Healthcare Georgia Foundation, Inc. Nelson describes The Two Georgias Initiative, which represents the Foundation's focus on rural health and is opening the door to its work on the social determinants of health. Linker talks about a variety of important rural grassroots issues, including supporting rural entrepreneurship, providing innovative transportation solutions, fostering equity. and building more viable economies. Davis describes several innovative projects, including howe a long-time Arkansas business, Delta Dirty Distillery, which is launching a vodka spirit business based on utilizing sweet potatoes on their family-owned farm, and emphasizes the importance of coalition building. Shao Chee Sim details how the Episcopal Health Foundation get involved in addressing rural hospital closures and what the foundation learned from its first commissioned research report on this topic. This episode of Rural Matters and the entire series is sponsored by Grantmakers in Health, GIH's mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community's knowledge, skills, and effectiveness. Learn more by visiting www.gih.org

In the second of our fabulous four-part series on Viewing Rural Health, Education, and Business Through an Equity Lens. produced in collaboration with and supported by Grantmakers in Health, Michelle talks with Heather Dimeris. the Director for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (OAT), in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a Commander in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS); Marilyn Werber Serafini, director of the Health Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University; Mei Wa Kwong Executive Director for the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP), the federally designated National Telehealth Policy Resource Center; and Walter Panzirer, a Trustee at the Helmsley Charitable Trust and grandson of Leona Helmsley. During the pandemic, Dimeris notes, telehealth expanded exponentially in utilization. In 2020, health centers saw telehealth visits increase to more than 28 million, equating to a nearly 6,000% increase — with more than 5.7 million of these additional telehealth visits occurring in health centers serving rural communities This increase in telehealth services was possible because of the temporary flexibilities with telehealth reimbursement during the pandemic. She also discussed the many ways that HRSA is seeking to address equity issues in rural areas in the further expansion of telehealth services, including a focus on tele-emergency care last year and on direct-to-consumer care this year, in 2021. In addition, just last month, HRSA announced funding more than $19 million in key telehealth investments in rural and underserved communities. (Check out telehealth.hhs.gov for more information about telehealth and broadband resources for both patients and providers.) BPC recently conducted a national survey about lessons learned about telehealth use during the pandemic, Serafini notes, which found that about one in seven people (14%) who used telehealth said they would have sought care in an emergency department or urgent care if telehealth was not available, and that more than half of those people had their primary health issue resolved. The survey also found that consumers are likely to use telehealth in the future as it has served as a valuable tool for accessing routine and preventive care during the pandemic, she adds Kwong says that the pandemic broadened awareness of telehealth and its breadth of utilization, but adds that while telehealth is a terrific tool for providing these virtual services, it is important to note that many rural residents do not have the capability to access broadband. Panzirer describes how the Helmsley Foundation is funding needed health projects to address equity access in the rural upper Midwest. This episode and the entire series is sponsored by Grantmakers In Health (GIH), a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Learn more by visiting www.gih.org

Michelle chats with Mike Shimmens, Executive Director for 3RNET, the nation's most trusted resource for health professionals in rural and underserved communities, about an increasingly important topic in rural communities: assisting health care professionals to find jobs and careers and helping health care employers to find qualified workers. In the last four months, Shimmens says, 3RNET is seeing fewer applications from health care professionals, but it's unclear whether there is just a blip or the result of increasing burnout in this space as the pandemic continues to plague communities. Shimmens notes that many states are experiencing health professional shortages, according to HIPSA scoring that is monitored by governmental primary care offices. If you're a stakeholder in a rural or underserved area, you may want to look into the J1 visa program, he adds. On a positive note on shortages, Shimmens says, in terms of loan repayment assistance, there recently has been an infusion of $800 million into the National Health Service Corps, which is available to subsets of health professionals, as well as from state agencies. 3RNET, a nonprofit, is a valuable resource for its members in this area as well, providing educational information and job listings. If you're an employer that wants to participate in this effort, you can reach out to a 3RNET network coordinator in your state, explains Shimmens. This episode is sponsored by 3RNET. Whether you're looking for a job or searching for the perfect candidate, 3RNET is here to help. Get started today at 3RNET.org.

In another special Rural Matters Bonus Brief, Michelle meets with White House Senior Policy Adviser for COVID-19 Equity Dr. Cameron Webb to discuss how COVID-19 and the Delta variant continues to challenge rural America. "We've got so many states now with surges and cases, and it tends to track pretty closely to the vaccine rates in states... It is because this Delta variant is really less forgiving... if you are not vaccinated, you are not protected," said Webb.

They also discuss how staffing shortages effect the number of beds available in rural hospitals. As a result of less elective surgeries during the pandemic, rural hospitals have been hit extra hard. This has resulted in hospitals being forced to cut staffing, leaving some rural residents with less-than-ideal care available to them.

Dr. Webb talks on his belief that the recent FDA approval of the Pfizer MRNA COVID-19 vaccine will help ease the minds of some remaining individuals that haven't received the shot yet. Michelle brings up the misinformation involving vaccines and COVID-19 treatments, and what messengers of information should be trusted. Dr. Webb suggests trusting local health providers, and the CDC for guidance.

Lastly, they discuss how the Delta variant impacts children. "...more kids are being hospitalized... If you think that just because you made it through 2020 just fine doing things a certain way, what I need (for) you to understand is this is a game changing variant, it spreads with twice the transmissibility," Dr. Webb stated.

Click the below links to listen to more Rural Matters Bonus Brief episodes with Biden-Harris Administration officials Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Chief Science Officer of COVID Response Dr. David Kessler, Member of the Council of Economic Advisers Heather Boushey, NIH Director Francis Collins, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh.

In the first of our four-part series, Viewing Rural Health, Education, and Business Through an Equity Lens, produced in collaboration with and supported by Grantmakers In Health, chats with an excellent group of practitioners and experts: William Buster, Senior Vice President for Impact at Dogwood Health Trust in Asheville, NC, oversees the foundation's grantmaking and program-related investments and ensures that the foundation lives up to its goals for diversity, equity and inclusion; Nathan Ramsey, Executive Director of Land of Sky Regional Council and Director of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board serving Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania Counties; and Tressie White, Program Director at the Montana Healthcare Foundation. Rural and urban families struggling with poverty face the same challenges, from educational opportunities to broadband access, notes Buster. Indeed, with our current labor shortage, it's important that we ensure that all residents live up to their full potential, Ramsey notes, whether in urban or rural communities. There are clear-cut health disparities in Montana, White says, including that, on average, those in trial communities have a lifespan 20 years shorter than non-native Americans. Her organization helps tribal communities in a variety of areas, including securing grants, providing technical assistance, and developing school-based services. The guests discuss lessons learned from the pandemic and what communities can take advantage of post-pandemic, including access to housing and health care, increased broadband equity, and infrastructure and sustainable enhancements. This episode and the entire series, is sponsored by Grantmakers In Health.

In Part IV of our landmark eight-part series on rural higher education and workforce development, produced in collaboration with and underwritten by the Ascendium Education Group, Michelle chats with an intriguing panel immersed in issues involving the digital rural economy, including Sarah Cacicio, Senior Project Director of Adult Learning at Digital Promise; Cindy Lopez, Executive Director of Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream; Meredith Hatch, Director, Network Relations at Achieving the Dream; and Mark Rembert, the Director of the Rural Innovation Network at the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI). Almost three-fourths of jobs require at least a minimal degree of digital skills, notes Rembert. There are opportunities for rural residents in this economic transformation, but traditionally rural workers have worked in positions that don't require that a high degree of digital skills, he adds. CORI is a national nonprofit advancing inclusive rural prosperity through digital economy ecosystems that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation. One way they do that is by focused on developing entrepreneurial programs and working with education institutions to offer digital opportunities in rural areas. Hatch describes how Achieving the Dream is building resiliency in rural areas, by facilitating program analysis and peer learning that will support adoption of digital skill-building programs. Those initiatives include coding, cybersecurity, and other training programs to help residents adapt to the digital economy. Indeed, colleges are now leading the change to create local digital economies in sync with the national economy, says Lopez. This involves partnering with local, regional, and national businesses and investing in training their own faculties on digital skills, she adds. Lopez notes that it's also critical to expand broadband capabilities in rural communities to enable economic opportunity. Cacicio describes Digital Promise's adult learning initiative, which is currently researching the use of micro-credentials (digital certifications that verify learners' skills) in postsecondary rural communities. Micro-credentials open up opportunities for learners to earn and verify their skills, and have the potential to mitigate existing biases. It's important to get the learner's perspectives on micro-credentials and adult learning, she adds. This episode and the entire series on rural higher education and workforce development is sponsored by Ascendium Education Group, a nonprofit organization committed to helping learners from low-income backgrounds reach their educational and career goals. For more information, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org

This seven-minute Rural Matters Bonus Brief brings Michelle and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack together again for a discussion on how the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill passed on August 10th in the U.S. Senate will benefit rural communities. "For rural America, this is a very important day. Expanded access to broadband, improved infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, (there is) a lot to like about this bill," Secretary Vilsack shared.

They also discuss how this bill addresses the issues that face rural communities in the face of our current climate crisis. Secretary Vilsack relates how the significant investment in expanded access to broadband will assist rural farmers with precision agriculture, helping them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make their farming more efficient. In addition, he mentions how the bill's focus on greater resiliency in the face of a changing climate will help rural communities through adapting to drought, and mitigating the impacts of wildfires.

Secretary Vilsack and Michelle continue by discussing how improving transportation infrastructure will benefit rural America, allowing for efficiency in an export-dominated economy, as well as how improved public transportation systems will help rural residents access health care and schooling.

Lastly, they cover how the new infrastructure bill will focus on the importance of eliminating lead in rural America's drinking water. "This bill... addresses a problem that has been with us for far too long... So that when we turn on the tap, regardless of where we are turning it on, we have the peace of mind, and assurance that the water we are going to consume, and our families are going to consume, and our children will consume at schools is safe.," said Secretary Vilsack.

For more discussions on President Biden's 'Build Back Better' plan and how it relates to rural communities, click the links below for previous Rural Matters Bonus Briefs with Biden-Harris Administration officials Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Chief Science Officer of COVID Response Dr. David Kessler, Member of the Council of Economic Advisers Heather Boushey, NIH Director Francis Collins, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh.