Public Health
HUD Announces New Initiative for Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness Funding Opportunity
HUD Package Includes $322 Million, Including $54.5 Million Set-Aside for Rural Communities, For Permanent Housing, Supportive Services, And Other Costs Package Also Provides $43 Million To Fund Approximately 4,000 New Incremental Housing Choice Vouchers WASHINGTON – The Biden Administration through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released a first-of-its-kind package of resources to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments, including funds set aside specifically to address homelessness in rural communities. The $365 million package includes grant funds along with additional vouchers that will enhance communities’ capacity to humanely and effectively address unsheltered homelessness by connecting vulnerable individuals and famili...
Public Health Partnership Conference Recap
This year NYSARH partnered with the NYS Public Health Association (NYSPHA), the NYS Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), and the NYS Conference of Environmental Health Directors (NYSCEHD) to promote the 2022 Public Health Partnership Conference. The conference took place from April 27th-29th with attendees participating virtually and in-person in Niagara Falls, NY. Attendees from NYSARH included Director for Strategic Development, Sara Wall Bollinger, Communications and Development Specialist (Americorps VISTA service member), Ella James, and Board members Karin Pantel and Mandy Qualls. Attendees enjoyed around 20 different breakout sessions, two poster presentation sessions– one for professional posters and one for student posters–and two compelling keynote addresses. The fi...
Apply to a New York State Fellowship Program
New York State has several fellowship programs that provide opportunities in State government to eager and talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Empire State Fellows: The Empire State Fellows Program is a full-time leadership training program that prepares the next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York State policymakers. The incoming class of Empire State Fellows will serve from September 2022 to September 2024, and receive an annual salary of $76,500, plus a generous benefits package. Applications are being accepted through April 4. Apply and learn more here. Excelsior Fellows: The Excelsior Service Fellowship Program is an initiative to bring highly talented recent graduates of law, graduate and professional schools into government service. Prospective fe...
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
The NYS Cancer Consortium’s Colorectal Cancer Action Team acknowledges March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Each year in New York State, approximately 9,000 people develop colorectal cancer, and 3,000 New Yorkers die from it. One out of every 24 adults will develop colorectal cancer sometime in their life. Colorectal cancer occurs most often as people age (60% of new cases occur among those age 65 and older), however nearly 94% of all colorectal cancers are diagnosed after age 45. Average Risk Colorectal Cancer Screening Starts at Age 45: Regular screening for colorectal cancer can save lives. For adults at average risk for colorectal cancer, the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society now recommend that screening for colorectal cancer begin a...
The State of Rural Upstate New York
Cornell University Professor, John W. Sipple and PhD students Peter Fiduccia, Kate Foster, and Kristie LeBeau recently presented at the 2022 Rural Alliance Symposium. Their presentation focused on data for rural New York and covered the following topics: population change, education, housing, employment, internet access, and public health. View their slides here: The State of Rural New York-Cornell
Rural Hospitals, Short of Staff, Brace for Omicron
https://www.marketplace.org/2021/12/28/rural-hospitals-short-of-staff-brace-for-omicron/ By Savannah Maher Dec 28, 2021 Heard on: Hospitals in the U.S. are struggling to stay staffed up. Many were short of workers even before the pandemic caused an exodus of doctors and nurses from the field. Now, the more transmissible omicron variant is sending some of the remaining workers home, and hospitals are running out of backup plans — particularly in rural areas. Vermont was already in dire need of health care workers, even before the pandemic drove many into early retirement and other careers, according to Jeff Tieman with the Vermont Association of Hospitals. “Our workforce is shrinking and stressed, you know, at a time when we need it to be growing and resilient,” he said. In New Mexico, more...
HOW NEW YORK STATE CAN PRESERVE RURAL ACCESS TO EMS
In order to preserve rural communities’ access to emergency medical services, New York State government must act now. Due to inadequate reimbursement from Medicaid causing strained budgets, minimal provided incentive for volunteers, and lack of utilization of EMS capabilities, rural ambulance agencies are at risk of closing down or consolidating with other agencies. Fewer ambulance agencies will only increase response and wait time for emergency medical situations, putting rural New Yorkers at an even higher risk of serious medical complications. To amend this crisis, New York State can increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for EMS, increase incentive for volunteerism by providing SUNY scholarships for volunteers and/or their children, and initiate community paramedicine programs in rur...
Rural Networks Making a Difference in the Opioid Epidemic
We didn’t want to miss sharing this webinar, recorded on National Rural Health Day, which features Karen Madden of the New York State Office of Rural Health, Rebecca Evansky, AHI, and Charlotte Crawford, Lake Plains Community Care Network. The recording showcases how small rural networks are innovating and collaborating with their communities to address the opioid crisis. Hit play to watch it below or click here for direct access.