The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a new Emergency Broadband Benefit resource last week.   The tool allows partners and consumers to view by state or territory the providers that will be participating in the Emergency Broadband Benefit program.  Each listing includes the type of service offered, whether it’s “fixed” or “mobile”, and whether the provider offers connected devices as part of the program.

As the debate over mental health continues across the country, many rural areas still lack resources for proper treatment. Jo Ann Brown, Program Director and Coordinator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mid-Hudson, is working to change that. In her role at NAMI Mid-Hudson, Brown helps address awareness issues and provides resources and education for families affected by mental illness. Brown and her team of volunteers have provided invaluable leadership and energy to ensure rural residents’ mental health needs are met with unique programs and services. Brown helps lead the “Ending the Silence” program in the local schools and teaches “Family-to-Family,” a 12-week, evidence-based course that provides communication and problem solving skills, m...

Andrew Fox Williams, MD was recognized with the Dr. Gary Ogden Rural Health Practitioner of the Year for his contributions to the North Country community during the COVID-19 pandemic. His dedication in time and knowledge to this pandemic response demonstrates his sincere commitment to the core values of public health and quality care that Dr. Ogden exemplified. When COVID-19 struck the North Country in March 2020, Dr. Williams helped lead the St. Lawrence County public health response.  He directed the clinical response to COVID-19 at St. Lawrence Health System to keep our community safe and use the rapidly evolving guidelines and evidence to provide the support needed within our county to respond to this pandemic. Dr. Williams worked day in and day out to ensure all stakeholders were incl...

Tina Cobb received the Senator Patricia McGee Award for Leadership in Rural Health on National Rural Health Day, November 19, 2020. She is acknowledged as a leader for her insight and know-how as well as for her devotion to improving rural health. Cobb is a tireless advocate, at every level, ensuring that rural issues are never forgotten. She is regarded as an expert not only in maternal/infant and adolescent health, but in the overarching issues impacting rural communities, such as access to insurance and health care, lack of transportation, and prevention services. Cobb has been an active member of multiple local, regional and statewide coalitions, boards, and networks committed to addressing the social determinants of health through systematic and individual level change. A few of these...

Donna Kahm works to foster collaboration among community agencies to enhance the health and wellness of residents living in rural southwestern New York.  She works with a wide variety of community agencies to develop and administer programs that promote access to health care and continuing medical education and directs numerous initiatives that identify and overcome barriers to quality of care and quality of life. In 2016 Kahm was responsible for initiating the Cribs for Kids program through her participation in the HFWCNY’s Health Leadership Fellows program to respond to unsafe sleep-related infant deaths. Since the program began the program has distributed 488 cribs and trained 627 parents/caregivers in safe sleep practices. We are happy to report that 0 infants involved in the pro...

The Rural Outreach Center breaks the cycle of rural poverty in southwestern New York by accompanying people to self-sufficiency using a robust, comprehensive, two-generation model based on empowerment and accountability. This model recognizes the close intersection between poverty and health. The NYS Association for Rural Health is pleased to announce that the Rural Outreach Center received the Outstanding Rural Program of the Year Award on National Rural Health Day. Under the leadership of Dr. Frank Cerny, the Rural Outreach Center offers wrap-around services in collaboration with over 80 partners, including hospitals and other health care providers. The Center uses a multimodal transportation service model to address accessibility. Immediate needs are assessed, and resources accessed – s...

NYS Senator Rachel May was elected to the Senate in 2018.  Even though she was brand new to the Senate, Senator May stepped up to her role as one of only a few Upstate Senators in the majority.  She is Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Commission on Rural Resources and was instrumental in negotiating a supplemental Appropriation for Rural Health Networks and Rural Access Hospitals in the 2019-20 budget. Senator May received the Rural Health Champion Award from NYSARH for her support of rural health initiatives. Senator May has held hearings on the Climate Leadership and Community Preservation Act, rural broadband, farm labor rights, health care for all, and upstate nursing home issues during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, she has brought her downstate colleagues to upstate for roundtabl...