1118: Bridging the Rural Health Gap: Building Capacity, Workforce, and Connection

Rural communities face some of the most complex and often overlooked public health challenges. Today, Melanie Ramsey, deputy director of CDC’s Office of Rural Health, discusses how a new national effort is working to close those gaps.  The Rural Health Academy is a growing initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of state and local health leaders. Ramsey will share how the Academy is fostering peer-to-peer learning, connecting federal and state partners, and equipping leaders with practical tools to better serve rural populations.  Some states are exploring creative solutions like housing incentives for health workers, while new federal coordination efforts aim to align strategy and funding across agencies.  Ramsey also highlights CDC’s Rural Public Health Training Plan, a free, self-paced program built to deliver real-world, scenario-based training to anyone working in rural health.National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network | HomeAbout the Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke | Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke | CDCProject Firstline | Project Firstline | CDCRural Health Mapping ToolRural Health Science Tips | Rural Health | CDCRural Public Health Training Plan - CDC TRAIN - an affiliate of the TRAIN Learning Network powered by the Public Health FoundationRural Public Health | Rural Health | CDCASTHO Policy Institute Lunch & Learn Series: Modernizing and Strengthening Data For STI PreventionFunding & Collaboration Opportunities | ASTHO