NOSORH is excited to announce that the 2020 National Rural EMS & Care Conference will be held in Columbus, Ohio, on April 22-23, 2020! This year’s conference will focus on a broad range of topics, including recruitment and retention, an ET3 update, mandatory CMS reporting, new projects funded by the EMS Flex Supplemental monies, financial sustainability, and much more.

Visit the conference website for more details, including a draft agenda, sponsor/exhibitor opportunities, and hotel information. Registration will be available by January 16.

While working with State Offices of Rural Health (SORH), NOSORH discovered an unmet need for more in-depth technical assistance to build SORH capacity as well as provide an extension of the SORH to rural providers. This led to the development of the Tiered Technical Assistance Program- a set of innovative services, technical assistance strategies and resources to help SORH engage rural primary care providers. Read More

In the lead up to the NRHA Policy Institute next month, NOSORH will be hosting the webinar " Preparing to Engage with Legislators and Policymakers" on January 16 at 3:00 pm ET. During this webinar, Andrew Coats, NOSORH Legislative Liaison, and NOSORH Policy Committee co-chairs, Lisa Davis and Scott Daniels, will help attendees understand the environment on Capitol Hill, discuss SORH legislative priorities for 2020, learn how to “orient” new congressional members, and discuss strategies and tips for conducting a Hill visit with state partners. Click here to register for the webinar.

Do you plan to engage with policymakers? NOSORH can help you create a state fact sheet that provides a simple summary of your state's efforts. If you would like assistance with a fact sheet for your state, please contact Matt Strycker by January 24, 2020.

Reminder: NOSORH Legislator of the Year nominations due January 17!

This annual award recognizes an outstanding  federal   l egislator for her/his work and support of rural health initiatives that address national rural healthcare needs. Nominations are due by Friday, January 17, 2020. Click here to nominate today!

You're invited to submit a proposal to provide meaningful education for State Offices of Rural Health and their stakeholders at NOSORH's upcoming regional meetings and Annual Meeting. While all proposals are encouraged, NOSORH is particularly interested in submissions that are future-focused, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and incorporate interactive discussion components.  Click here to access the proposal form. Proposals must be submitted by Friday, January 31, 2020.

Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations Become Law

During the final legislative week of December 2019, Congress passed and the President signed into law, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 HHS Appropriations bill. Congress appropriated the State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program $12,500,000 for Fiscal Year 2020. The amount is an increase of $2.5 million for the SORH line over FY 19. The $12,500,000 for SORH was authorized to be appropriated through the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act of 2018 which was signed into law. Also included in the spending bill was $53,609,000 for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program and $19,942,000 for the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) Read More

This February marks the 10th anniversary of the Hospital Strength INDEX and the annual recognition of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals and Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals. NOSORH and the Chartis Center for Rural Health invite you to attend a webinar on January 29 at 2:00 pm Eastern to explore the 2020 group of Top 100 performers within the context of the broader challenges rural providers must confront across the nation. The webinar will also spotlight new research to be shared at the upcoming NRHA Policy Institute regarding rural hospital vulnerability, explore the performance characteristics of the 2020 Top 100 rural hospitals, and highlight how SORH can leverage this research and recognition to champion rural healthcare in their states. Click here to learn more and register.

The new version of TruServe will launch in the first quarter of 2020! Some new features include:

Be sure to join the TruServe Webinar on January 22 at 2:00 ET to see all of the new features and ask questions.