Rural Reporter
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LAP Program Open (05/10/2022)The application period is now open for the Health Professions Loan Assistance Program and the Rural Provider Loan Assistance Program. This link will direct you to the online application, which includes a link to the Employer Form. The Loan Assistance Program application period will end September 13th. All applicants will be informed of their status in mid-December. Contact Kevin Jacobson with any questions.
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Virtual Grant Writing Workshop, May 2022 (04/11/2022)The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health will host a virtual grant-writing workshop on three consecutive Fridays in May. Beginning May 6, participants will learn how to identify appropriate funders, develop budgets, plan for sustainability, and other grant writing topics. Tens of thousands of sponsors give away more than $400 billion annually. This virtual workshop will give you the insights you need to begin the grant proposal planning and writing process with confidence. Your presenter will be Jeremy T. Miner, M.A., Associate Director of Pre-Award in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Office of Sponsored Programs. Jeremy has conducted a number of grant workshops and webinars for the Office over the past several years. In addition to developing and administering proposals to public and private grantmakers, he has served as a reviewer for federal and state grant programs and helped private foundations streamline their grant application guidelines. He has presented grantseeking workshops nationally and internationally to thousands of grant-getters. His successful grant writing techniques have generated millions of grant dollars for many nonprofit education, health care, and social service agencies. Day 1: May 6, 2022 (all times central) 10:00am-11:00am Overview and Building Believable Budgets 11:00am-12:00pm Identifying Public and Private Sponsors In this session you will learn how to find grant funding to support your organization’s programs and operations. To illustrate the diversity of funding opportunities, select grant programs will be profiled, with a focus on Wisconsin-relevant funding sources. Preparing budgets can be a bedeviling experience for beginning – and experienced – grantseekers. A budget is more than a statement of proposed expenditures. It is an alternate way to express a project’s story. You will learn that in addition to being mathematically accurate, the budget must be believable. Day 2: May 13, 2022 10:00am-11:00am Engaging in Preproposal Contacts 11:00am-12:00pm Writing Problem Statements, Goals & Objectives In this session you will learn a four-step process to help match your needs with sponsor funding priorities, to pick the sponsors that have the highest probability of funding your initiatives. Strong grant proposals often include a clear discussion of problems, goals, objectives, and outcomes. You will gain a foundational understanding of each term so you can connect with sponsors’ values as you write compelling narratives that crystalize the “why” and “what” of your proposed projects. Day 3: May 20, 2022 10:00am-11:00am Considering Methods, Evaluation, and Dissemination 11:00am-12:00pm Planning for Sustainability Increasingly, in their RFPs, sponsors are requesting information about sustainability. They want to know not only “how” your projects will be carried out, “how” project effectiveness will be determined, and “how” project results will be shared with the larger community but also “what next?”—what will happen to a project after the grant ends. In this session you will learn about five different types of sustainability and two core questions that must be answered when designing sustainability plans. The registration fee for this three part workshop is $20 and will give you access to all three days. Jeremy will conduct the sessions on Zoom; you will receive a link before each meeting. You may register here on the Office of Rural Health site. The registration deadline is May 3. Contact Kevin Jacobson if you have any questions. Kevin Jacobson Wisconsin Office of Rural Health 310 N. Midvale Blvd. #301 Madison, WI 53705 608-261-1888
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2022 EMS Operations Management & Leadership Courses (01/18/2022)Registration is now open for the 2022 EMS Operations Management & Leadership Courses, sponsored by the Office of Rural Health. Over 100 participants from dozens of Services have completed this popular course in 2021 and we have received requests from around the State to host more sessions. We are offering these courses as virtual sessions, via Zoom. Over seven, two-hour online sessions, the instructors will dive into management of daily tasks including on-call schedules and budget development; development and revision of policies and procedures; and identifying and filling out of required state forms. Wednesdays, 6:30 pm - 8:45 pm; six sessions = 13.5 hours total. Participants who complete a course will receive 12 CEUs. We will offer the courses on the following dates: February 2 – March 9 March 30 – May 4 May 18 – June 22 The registration fee for the course is $25. Participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting before each session. This link will take you to the course registration. Note: This course is a duplicate of the courses held last year; it is not a new course, although you are welcome to register and take it again.
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Nurse Shortage Impacting Rural Services (12/06/2021)
Some rural hospitals are suspending or postponing services due to the latest COVID-19 surge.
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Report: Vaccine Rates Among EMS Personnel (12/06/2021)
Connecticut EMS Services reported 84.8% were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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$400 Million for Opioid Distributor Settlement (12/06/2021)
The Joint Finance Committee approved two settlement agreements, bringing $420.2 million over 18 years
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Fear the Deer (11/24/2021)
Scientists recently published evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is widespread in the white-tailed deer population across the United States.
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Drugstore Deserts (11/23/2021)
From 2003 to 2018, 20% of the country’s independent rural pharmacies closed.
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DHS: COVID-19 Booster Shots for All Adults (11/23/2021)
DHS is encouraging residents who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine to get a third dose.
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VA Concerned about Workforce Shortage during Latest Surge (11/23/2021)Veteran homes in Wisconsin are facing workforce shortages due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. The WI Department of Veterans Affairs runs three veterans’ homes, serving nearly 1,000 people. The three homes are all certified Medicare and Medicaid providers, which now must meet COVID-19 vaccine requirements for workers by January 4, 2022. There’s a concern the staffing shortage may be exacerbated by the new federal vaccine requirement.
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National Rural Health Day! (11/18/2021)Thursday marks National Rural Health Day, an opportunity to recognize the efforts of healthcare professionals and volunteers serving in rural areas. We asked healthcare workers to nominate colleagues or organizations who have been COVID heroes in their communities. We received nearly twenty nominations. COVID Heroes include county health outreach specialists, EMS services, hospital workers who were new to their jobs. What all stories share is resiliency and creativity. Please check WORH's Facebook page to read the stories we couldn't fit in this issue. https://www.facebook.com/wi.ruralhealth
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New Report Details EMS Challenges (11/04/2021)
EMS providers are straining under the pressures of labor shortages, an aging population and a lack of adequate funding.
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Direct Aid Available to Farmers Due to Pandemic (11/04/2021)
The application link will be live on November 8 and will close on November 29.
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CMS Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Healthcare Workers (11/04/2021)
All eligible staff must have received the necessary shots to be fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022.
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Teletherapy for Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College Students and Staff (11/02/2021)
The rural, tribal college, near Hayward, has a student enrollment of 500 and will offer mental health support to students and staff.
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Healthcare.gov Open Enrollment Begins (11/02/2021)
From November 1 until January 15, 2021, Wisconsinites are eligible to enroll in one of the health plans available on the federal marketplace.
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Children’s Hospital to Open New Clinic in Fox Valley (11/01/2021)
The new building will have the ability to support up to 70,000 visits a year.
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Retiring Workforce Adds to Pandemic Strain (11/01/2021)
Wisconsin was already facing a double-sided problem: a shrinking workforce and greater demands from the growing number of elderly patients in the state.
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Waushara EMS Awarded Federal Grant for Telehealth (10/28/2021)
The telehealth project will benefit approximately 25,000 rural residents.
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DHS Looking for On-Site Vaccination Clinic Partners (10/28/2021)
Schools, businesses, and community-based organizations can host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
