MI-SORHI Update Michigan’s State Rural Health Plan

1. MI-SORHI UpdateMichigan’s State Rural Health Plan Conference call Advisory Group & Issue Workgroups October 24, 2008

2. April 2008 • John and Lonnie presented the Plan to 125 people at the Annual Rural Health Conference. • Panel of elected state officials reacted to the Plan (Caswell, Ball, Espinoza, Huizenga, Friedman). • The Plan was mailed to all 35 rural state representatives. • The Plan was presented and distributed to the Small or Rural Hospital Council of the MHA. • Staff interviewed by WOOD 1300 radio (GR).

5. May 2008 • MCRH staff visited with 25 rural state senators and representatives; each received the Plan and a presentation of process/outcomes. • MCRH staff also proposed a Healthy Lifestyles Community Matching grant program ($150,000). • Staff interviewed by the Cadillac Newspaper.

6. June 2008 • MCRH and MDCH staff re-visited the six original communities and distributed the Plan to 120 people (Manistique, Sault Ste Marie, Cheboygan, Fremont, Sandusky, Hillsdale). • Staff interviewed by Traverse City TV Channel 7 & 4 http://www.tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=148950

7. July 2008 • Senator Kahn and Representatives Caswell and McDowell create the Healthy Lifestyles Community Matching Grant Program and appropriate $60,000 to it. • In order to receive funding the community must form partnerships to address any of the twelve Healthy Lifestyle objectives.

8. July 2008 (continued) • The twelve participating communities: Ontonagon, Cheboygan, Eaton Rapids, Fremont, Alma, Newberry, Hillsdale, St Ignace, Sandusky, Manistique, Pigeon, and Sault Ste Marie. • Addressing Objectives A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-4 in Healthy Lifestyles (see attachment). • Project begins September 1, 2008.

9. August 2008 • Rose Young from the Midwest Alliance for Telehealth and Technology Resources (MATTeR) begins publishing monthly articles in the CAH Chronicle and Rural Health Quarterly regarding telehealth (addressing Objective C-4 and C-5 in Access and Availability to Health Care). • The MSU-COM OsteoChamps Program director, Margaret Aguwua, begins publishing a series of article in the CAH Chronicle and Rural Health Quarterly about the OsteoChamps Program (addressing Objective C-3 in Recruitment and Retention of Health Care Providers).

10. September 2008 • The MCRH, the Michigan Pharmacists Association and the Michigan Registered Dental Hygienists Association agreed to partner to provide educational contact hours for both associations members (addressing Objective B-1 in Recruitment and Retention of Health Care Providers).

11. October 2008 • The Blue Cross/Blue Shield Social Mission Department agrees to extend the Healthy Lifestyles Matching Community Grant program to an additional 12 rural communities. • Each community will receive a $5,000 grant that will be matched (in-kind or direct) to address any of the 3 goals and 12 objectives in the Healthy Lifestyles section of the MI-SORHI document.

12. October 2008 (continued) • The selected communities are: Ironwood, Larium, L'Anse, Munising, Carson City, Sheridan, Cass City, Caro, Marlette, Deckerville, Allegan and Dowagiac. • The project kicks-off in November at the Annual CAH Conference in Boyne.

13. Next Steps • Through the Flex Program grant two additional communities will receive Healthy Lifestyles funding. • On November 12 & 13 MCRH staff will meet with Senator Kahn and Rep’s Caswell and McDowell. • In January 2009, the Michigan Health Council will receive a $9,500 grant for Practice in Rural Michigan campaign (R/R Objective A-6).

14. Next Steps - continued • The Plan will drive the April 2009 Annual Rural Health Conference agenda. • Behavioral health in the RHC setting • School-based centers/clinics • HOSA • The Plan continues to be revised with baseline data (version 4 on MCRH website). • MCRH staff will visit all newly elected rural state representatives in January & February.

15. Your ideas… • For MI-SORHI partnerships, funding, programs… • If you think of any later please email: barnas@msu.edu