Oregon Office of Rural Health

Forum on Rural Population Health & Health Equity

Forum

Save the date! The next Forum will be held in person May 19-21, 2025, at the Seaside Civic & Convention Center in Seaside, Oregon.

ORH is now accepting presentation proposals for the 2025 Forum!

Click here to view the request for proposals

Proposals are due by Jan. 17 at 5:00 P.M. PST.

Proposals will be selected by Feb. 3

Registration will open on Feb. 10

The Forum aims to strengthen community health in rural Oregon by gathering experts, leaders and practitioners from across the health care continuum to share best practices, emerging models and strategies, resources, case studies and innovations focused on enhancing community health from an array of perspectives. 

The Forum welcomes attendees from across the health care continuum, including health care workers and administrators, Coordinated Care Organizations, community-based organizations, local and state officials, local leaders, policymakers, public health officials and anyone invested in promoting rural community health.

The Forum is an evolution of the Forum on Aging in Rural Oregon, and will allow ORH to focus more expansively and inclusively on population health and health equity issues that are important to our rural communities. ORH maintains a strong commitment to rural older adults, and will emphasize presentations that address this topic through a specialized aging track.

Receive updates on the Forum by subscribing to the ORH newsletter.

Partner With Us

Would your organization like to partner for the 2025 Forum? Check out the partner information sheet and complete the partnership form. Once the form is submitted, ORH will follow up with the next steps. If you have questions, contact Stepha Dragoon | dragoon@ohsu.edu.

Contact

Stepha Dragoon | dragoon@ohsu.edu

2024 Virtual Forum on Rural Population Health & Health Equity

2024 Virtual Forum

Welcome Remarks | Stepha Dragoon

A Population Health Impact Pyramid for Health Care 

Presenter: Philip M. Alberti, PhD | Association of American Medical Colleges Center for Health Justice

Transitioning Hospitals Towards Values-Based Purchasing and Climate-Friendly Food Initiatives With the Oregon Farm to Institution Collaborative

Presenters: Aliza McHugh | Health Care without Harm,  Amber Hansen, MS, RD | Health Care without Harm

Slides 

Accessing Clinical Research in Rural Communities 

Presenters: Shalini Mohan | Genetech,  Jane Myles | Decentralized Trials & Research Center, Mikael Elisasson | Genentech 

Public Health Palliative Care for Community Well-Being: A Holistic Approach 

Presenters: Elizabeth Johnson, MA | The Peaceful Presence Project,  Erin Collins, RN CHPN | The Peaceful Presence Project

Slides 

Asking Patients About Their Social Needs: Why it Matters, Getting Ready, and Improving Patient Experiences

Presenters: Anna Steeves-Reece, PhD | OCHIN,  Kellee Rosales, AS | OHSU/ORPRN,  Anne King, MBA | OHSU

Slides 

Health Information Technology: Tools for an Integrated Approach EpicCare Link

Presenters: Lisa Parks | Willamette Health Council,  Andrew Clarke, MD, FACS | Salem Health

Slides 

Addressing SDOH by Providing Integrated Patient Navigation Services

Presenters: Amy Schanno-Sugg, MHA, RN, CCM | Adventist Health Columbia Gorge,  Jasmin Huila Flores | Adventist Health Columbia Gorge

Slides 

Sing It Together Now! Uniting Diverse Sectors, Partners and Funding Together for Systemic Change

Presenter: Shannon Buckmaster | Yamhill CCO

Slides 

Bridging the Gap: Advancing LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Health Equity in Rural Communities

Presenter: Elliott Orrin Hinkle, BS | Unicorn Solutions LLC

Speaker resources

How to Track, Show and Plan for Progress in Creating Suicide Safer Care Environments: Using the Oregon Zero Suicide Implementation Assessment Tool

Presenters: Karen Cellarius, MPA | Portland State University, Meghan Crane, MPH | Oregon Health Authority, Aliza Tuttle | Portland State University

Slides 

Understanding and Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Rural Communities

Presenters: Rebecca Larson, LCSW, C-SWHC | Columbia Memorial Hospital, Allison Whisenhunt, LCSW | Columbia Memorial Hospital

Slides 

Connected Care for Older Adults: Community Health Workers Meeting the Unique Needs of Older Adults in Rural Areas

Presenters: Jodi Ready, MD | Providence Hood River, Teresa de Jesus Obregón Arroyo, MSW, CHW | One Community Health, Joan Field, CHW-MIH, CP-C | Asher Community Health Center

Slides 

Using Population Data to Drive Care Management Program Development

Presenters: Lindsay Corcoran, MHA | Stroudwater Associates, Cameron Smith, MBA, CPHQ | Stroudwater Associates

Slides 

Community Health Disparities Assessment: Using a Community Health Assessment Model to Identify Local Health Disparities Unique to Rural Counties

Presenter: Vanessa A. Becker, MPH | Douglas Public Health Network

Slides 

Street Nursing: An Emerging Best-Practice Model for Care of People Experiencing Homelessness

Presenters: Rachel Richmond, MSN, RN | OHSU School of Nursing, Marilyn Gran-Moravec, MSN, RN | OHSU School of Nursing, Caleb Hill, MPA | OHSU School of Nursing

Slides 

Federal Updates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region 10

Presenters: Priya Helweg | The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Louise Ryan | The Administration for Community Living

Slides 

Creating a Health Equity Culture: Tools and Resources to Support Rural Health Care Leaders

Presenter: Alana Knudson, PhD | NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis

Slides 

Connecting Rural Oregonians to Health Coverage

Presenters: Amy Coven | Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, Carolyn Black | Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace

Slides 

Creative Funding Strategies to Support Integrating CHWs Into Primary Care

Presenters: Kelly Volkmann, MPH | Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, Christian Castro, BASc | Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, Gloria Andia, MSc | Health Resources and Services Administration

Slides 

Community Balance and Fall Prevention Program of Wallowa County

Presenters: Stacey Karvoski | Wallowa Memorial Hospital and Medical Clinics, Brooke Pace | Wallowa Memorial Hospital and Medical Clinics

Slides 

1115 Medicaid: Opportunities for Addressing Social Determinants of Health in rural Oregon

Presenters: Jessi Wilson | Oregon Health Plan, Meg Cary, MD | Oregon Health Authority

Slides 

Delivering Prenatal Care in a Rural Oregon Health System: An Implementation Case Study to Improve Rural Family Health

Presenter: Candice Hunter, FNP | Orchid Health

Slides 

Elevating Community Input to Address Rural Health Inequities

Presenters: Mika Ingram MPH, CPH | Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, Kaj Jensen, MA | Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, Grace Hocog, B.S. | Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office

Slides 

Oregon AHEC: Impacting Oregon's Current and Future Health Care Workforce Needs

Presenters: Eric Wiser, MD, FAAFP | Oregon AHEC, Melissent Zumwalt, MPA | Oregon AHEC

Slides

A Contextual Approach to Health Equity

Presenter: Theo Latta | OHSU Health IDS

Slides 

Development of the Oregon Center for Excellence in Behavioral Health and Aging

Presenters: Nirmala Dhar, LCSW, ACSW | Oregon Health Authority, Walt Dawson, PhD | OHSU-PSU School of Public Health; Institute on Aging at Portland State University, Allyson Stodola, MSW | Institute on Aging at Portland State University

Slides 

Equity in Action: How to Build a Latinx Mental Health Program From the Ground Up in a Rural Outpatient Clinic

Presenter: Trevor Whitbread | South Lane Mental Health

Slides 

Our Data, Our Story; Bilingual Community Data Walks in Jackson and Josephine Counties

Presenters: Sadie Siders | Jackson County Health and Human Services, Public Health Division, Skylar Fate | AllCare Health Gina Beer | OHSU

Slides 

Shared Power: An Intentional Approach to New Partnerships for Workforce and Talent Development

Presenters: Vani Kapur | AGE+, Sarah Foster | Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Slides  | Speaker resources

The Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services provided financial support for this project. The award provided 17% of total costs and totaled $17,567. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of the Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. government.