Appalachians are leading the way to economic development in their communities!

We’re accepting applications now for our Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), which trains people who live or work in the region to:

🌳 Recognize and utilize unique assets in their communities

💡 Identify and implement strategies to improve infrastructure, workforce development, tourism and more

🤝 Collaborate with other leaders to plan for Appalachia’s growth

ALI — at no cost to participants — focuses on skill-building, mentoring and cooperation. Six multi-day seminars will take place across the region from October to June 2026.

Applications are open until June 15, 2025! Learn more and apply now.

Authors: Michelle Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Colorado Rural Health Center; Kevin J. Bennett, Professor, University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Columbia  

A defining theme in early 2025 has been reducing federal government expenditures, with the health care sector not being spared from the discussions.  The withdrawal or reduction of federal support for Medicaid will have potentially devastating impacts on access to essential healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable rural populations such as the elderly, low-income families, and those with chronic conditions. Thus, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), along with multiple partners both at the federal and state levels have been advocating for maintaining the federal support for Medicaid.

In rural communities, more people receive and rely on Medicaid coverage than their urban counterparts, due to lower incomes, greater percentage of older adults, higher cost of private insurance, and fewer private coverage options.  Nearly 40% of children living in rural communities are covered by Medicaid and CHIP, while almost 20% of non- elderly adults are covered.ⁱ Cuts to these populations covered under Medicaid and CHIP would be devastating for rural families. Costs of care for our most vulnerable rural residents would rise to unsustainable levels.

If Medicaid funding is reduced, then it will result in higher rates of uninsurance across the US, with a higher impact in our most vulnerable rural areas.  These are parents, children, and working adults who would no longer be able to obtain needed health care due to it being unaffordable.  These are our neighbors, many of whom have chronic diseases that have to be regularly managed. Without coverage, many would go without care and end up in the emergency room or inpatient facility, resulting in uncompensated care that they will not be able to pay.

Ultimately, reductions in Medicaid funding will force rural facilities to shut their doors and rural residents to lose access to necessary care. NRHA calls on Congress to act as a unified, bipartisan voice to protect Medicaid funding that is vital to the health and economic sustainability of rural communities across the nation. 

Read more.

The PBDA held two webinars providing an overview of the Digital Connectivity Technology (DCTP) Program. These webinars also included presentations from Round One successful applicants, who offered insight to their projects and answered questions from webinar attendees. You can now view the recording of one of those webinars and the presentation utilized during the webinar, on the PBDA’s program page.

As a reminder, the applications for the DCTP will close at 11:59 PM, on Friday May 30, 2025. Additional resources to include updated FAQs can be found on the program page.

Any questions regarding the program, please do not hesitate to contact the PBDA.

The ASERT Collaborative (Autism Services, Education, Resources and Training) is a statewide partnership that provides streamlined access to information for Pennsylvanians living with and impacted by autism. In partnership with UPMC for You Dental Care Managers, ASERT developed a resource for parents and caregivers to help children with autism prepare for dental visits. The content covers learning to tolerate tooth brushing, establishing dental hygiene routines, and getting ready for dental visits. There are also social stories for getting teeth cleaned, getting x-rays, and getting a cavity filled. Printed resources are also available upon request.

Click here to view the resources.

Helen Hawkey, Executive Director of the PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH), received the 2025 M. Dean Perkins Distinguished Service Award presented by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) at the 2025 National Oral Health Conference.

Helen was presented the award by PCOH board member, Kelly Braun from the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. The Distinguished Service Award is for a member, associate member, non-member, or organization who has made a significant contribution to ASTDD programs, initiatives, or dental public health.

PCOH serves as the dynamic leading voice to improve oral health across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PCOH promotes oral workforce development, advocates for community water fluoridation, and advances and advocates for oral health policy and infrastructure across all systems. By bringing together a diverse group of leaders from across the state from schools of public health, philanthropic organizations, businesses, dental organizations, health insurance firms, advocacy organizations, state agencies, and other champions, PCOH has built a powerful coalition of more than 1,000 individual and organizational stakeholders.

An excerpt from her nomination notes, “Helen Hawkey has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing dental public health, leaving an indelible mark on the state and national level. Through tireless leadership, effective advocacy, and fostering unity between stakeholders and decision-makers, Helen has played a pivotal role in promoting the necessity of dental public health and ensuring its sustainability. Notably, she has made significant contributions in the areas of assessing the status of oral health in Pennsylvania, championing policy development that promotes access to dental care, and ensuring there is a solid infrastructure to carry out future work.”

Click here to view the full list of all award recipients and nominations presented by ASTDD.

Even by rural hospital standards, Keokuk County Hospital and Clinics in southeastern Iowa is small.

The 14-bed hospital, in Sigourney, doesn’t do surgeries or deliver babies. The small 24-hour emergency room is overseen by two full-time doctors.

CEO Matt Ives wants to hire a third doctor, but he said finding physicians for a rural area has been challenging since the covid-19 pandemic. He said several physicians at his hospital have retired since the start of the pandemic, and others have decided to stop practicing certain types of care, particularly emergency care.

Another rural hospital is down the road, about a 40-minute drive east. Washington County Hospital and Clinics has 22 beds and is experiencing similar staffing struggles. “Over the course of the last few years, we’ve had not only the pandemic, but we’ve had kind of an aging physician workforce that has been retiring,” said Todd Patterson, CEO.

The pandemic was difficult for health workers. Many endured long hours, and the stresses on the nation’s health care system prompted more workers than usual to quit or retire.

Read more.