| Our Sponsors |
 |
|
| Contact Us |
MT Rural Health Initiative
PO Box 170520
Bozeman, MT 59717
Phone:
406.994.5627
Remember to check out our calendar for more updates!
|
|
|
 |
Thank you for being part of our network and encouraging health and wellness. Please let us know if we can be of any assistance.
|
 |
RHI News
|
RHI Wellness Webinars Series
Past Webinars
July 28
- Taking Care of Your Kidneys
; Hope Mitchell, RN, BSN, and Cindy Cornell, MSW.
April 06 -
National Health Service Corps; Julie Fife
March 24
- Arthritis
: Self-Management Tools for your Community
; Heather Beck, Melissa VanderVos and Katie Levine
Upcoming Webinars
September & October 2015 - Using Telehealth for Diabetes Prevention & Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs; The Montana Diabetes Program and the HRSA office of regional operations in Denver will be teaming up with RHI to present a two part webinar series
December 2015 -
Mental Health First Aid;
Kailyn Dorhauer, Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center
Coming Soon
Community Engagement Webinar Series!
Do
you have a active community success story you would like to share? We would love to hear from you!
!
R
emember, all of your past webinar recordings can be found
here
.
|
|
National Rural Health Day
|
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health sets aside the third Thursday of every November - November 19 of 2015 - to celebrate National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to "Celebrate the Power of Rural" by honoring the selfless, community-minded, "can do" spirit of that prevails in rural America. It also gives us a chance to bring to light the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face - and showcase the efforts of rural healthcare workers.
In honor of National Rural Health day, the Montana Office of Rural Health & Area Health Education Center is holding two fun contests to help raise awareness about the importance of rural health!
Health Care Careers Interview Contest
Recognizing healthcare workers and giving students a chance to explore healthcare careers!
Seeking students who are interested in healthcare! Do you know or want to know more about someone in your community who works in healthcare? Want to find out more about a certain healthcare position? Now you can! We are asking students to:
1. Identity a local healthcare professional you want to recognize
2. Snap a photo of them in their working environment
3. Ask the health care professional the following questions:
How did you become interested in your health career?
What are the benefits of working in a rural community?
What do you love about working in a rural community?
4. Record their answers, and include a paragraph of why you think health care careers in rural areas are important.
5. Submit your photo and answers via email to us at
Please include the healthcare professional's name and organization they work for, your first and last name, school, grade level, and tell us what health career path you are most interested in.
Prizes!!!
Two prize divisions:
Students in grades K-6
-and-
Students in grades 7-12
1st place winners in each division will be awarded a $50 Amazon gift card!
Submission Deadline is November 2, 2015
Stay tuned for the display of our submissions and awards!!!
Rural Health Photo Contest
The National Rural Health Day Photo Contest is an opportunity for you to visually share what rural health means to you. We encourage you to be creative, and show us what rural health means to you! You may choose to do this by
snapping a photo highlighting your favorite pastimes that keep you happy, healthy and active in your community!
Submission Deadline is November 2, 2015
Citizens within Montana are eligible to enter the contest. Each photo/caption is one submission, however you may submit as many photos as you would like. All photos must have been taken in Montana.
Submitting Photos
To submit a photo, send as high resolution version of the photo in a .jpeg, .gif, or .tif file format to
Include a caption of the photo, any other information you would like included about the photo, your name, e-mail address, and phone number.
Prizes
Adult Division (18 & Over)
- 1st Place - $50 Amazon gift card
- 2nd Place - $25 Amazon gift card
- 3rd Place - $25 Amazon gift card
Youth Division (17 & Under)
- 1st Place - $50 Amazon gift card
- 2nd Place - $25 Amazon gift card
- 3rd Place - $25 Amazon gift card
Contest winners will be notified on National Rural Health Day (November 19, 2015). If we are unable to reach the winner, the entry will be forfeited and the selection committee may choose a different winner. All photos will be posted on the RHI Facebook page.
By submitting a photo you agree to RHI's
Images submitted must be royalty-free. By submitting a photo, you understand you give the rights and permission of the photo to be used by the RHI and AHEC offices.
Photos not meeting this requirement will not be eligible for prizes and will be disqualified from the National Rural Health Day Photo Contest.
|
|
It's time to submit your Frank Newman Award Nominations!!!
|
 The Montana Office of Rural Health/AHEC and Montana Rural Health Association are seeking nominations for the Dr. Frank Newman Rural Health Award. Dr. Newman represented the spirit of Montana in nearly 50 years of service to rural communities and healthcare in our state. The nominees who most exemplify what Dr. Frank Newman represented, will be announced on National Rural Health Day - November 19, 2015.
To nominate someone who has a strong commitment to rural health
|
|
|
Funding Opportunities
Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program
Description: RCAC's Community Facilities Loan Program offers loans to create and improve essential community facilities in the rural West.
Agency
: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (Western RCAC)
Deadline
: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust Grant program
Description: Grants for projects that offer assistance to foster youth, elder populations, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Agency:May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Plum Creek Foundation Grants
Description: Grants are offered in areas of company operations for projects related to arts, community, education, and environment.
Agency: Plum Creek Foundation
Deadline:
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Description: Supports capital improvement projects in the areas of higher education, churches, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects, and housing projects.
Agency:
Sunderland Foundation
Deadline
: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Montana J-1 Visa Waiver Program
Description: Offers a J-1 Visa waiver to foreign physicians who commit to serving for three years in an under served area of Montana, allowing them to remain in the United States.
Agency
: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Deadline
: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
NAMI Walks Montana 5k
September 20, 2015
Helena, Montana
Join in raising funds for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Through NAMIWalks' public, active display of support for people affected by mental illness, they are changing how Americans view persons with a mental illness. This is leading to ensuring that help and hope are available for those in need. Please join in NAMI's efforts to improve lives and our communities one step at a time!
|
Montana Public Health Association Annual Conference Meeting
October 13-14, 2015
Bozeman, Montana
- Discover emerging trends in Public Health research, policy, partnerships and practice
- Recognize the importance of expanding your professional networks.
- Establish new norms that will sustain public health efforts.
Montana Healthy Communities Conference: New Knowledge, New Partners, Better Solutions
October 27-28, 2015
Helena, Montana
There is more to health than health care. Affordable housing, fresh produce, safe places to exercise, quality early child care, and good jobs are all critically important when it comes to the health of Montana
residents.
This conference will bring together professionals from the community development and health and human services fields to address these upstream factors that influence health.
Participants will learn about cross-sector approaches for building healthier communities, hear from national organizations about what makes for success, and have an opportunity to discuss next steps for collaboration in their own communities.
Keynote Speaker: James S. Marks, Executive Vice President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the Montana Health Care Foundation, and the Montana Area Health Education Center and Office of Rural Health at Montana State University.
Registration will open in September
December 3, 2015
Great Falls, Montana
The Montana HealthCare Forum is the largest and most diverse network of stakeholders and the public who are interested in health care policy and reform in Montana. Started in 2007, the Forum includes representatives from consumers, advocacy groups, health care organizations, legislators, public health, business, education, providers, hospitals and medical centers, insurers, and government entities.
|
| |
Protect Your Self from Wildfire Smoke!
Smoke from wildfires can be especially harmful to people with heart or lung diseases, older adults, and children.
Check out these tips from the CDC on how to decrease your risk from wildfire smoke:
|
- Check local air quality reports. Listen and watch for news or health warnings about smoke. Find out if your community provides reports about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI). In addition, pay attention to public health messages about taking safety measures.
- Consult local visibility guides if they are available. Some communities have monitors that measure the amount of particles that are in the air. In the western part of the United States, some states and communities provide guidelines to help people determine if there are high levels of particulates in the air by how far they can see.
- Keep indoor air as clean as possible if you are advised to stay indoors. Keep windows and doors closed. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter in a designated evacuation center or away from the affected area.
- Avoid activities that increase indoor pollution. Burning candles, fireplaces, or gas stoves can increase indoor pollution. Vacuuming stirs up particles already inside your home, contributing to indoor pollution. Smoking also puts even more pollution into the air.
- Prevent wildfires from starting. Prepare, build, maintain and extinguish campfires safely. Comply with local regulations if you plan to burn trash or debris. Check with your local fire department to be sure the weather is safe enough for burning.
- Follow the advice of your doctor or other healthcare providers about medicines and about your respiratory management plan if you have asthma or another lung disease. Consider evacuating the area if you are having trouble breathing. Call for further advice if your symptoms worsen.
- Do not rely on dust masks for protection. Paper "comfort" or "dust" masks commonly found at hardware stores are designed to trap large particles, such as sawdust. These masks will not protect your lungs from the small particles found in wildfire smoke. An "N95" mask, properly worn, will offer some protection. If you decide to keep a mask on hand, see the Respirator Fact Sheet provided by CDC' National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
- Evacuate from the path of wildfires. Listen to the news to learn about current evacuation orders. Follow the instructions of local officials about when and where to evacuate. Take only essential items with you. Follow designated evacuation routes, others may be blocked, and expect heavy traffic.
CDC.gov
|
|
| |
|
