UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health

11/05/2025

11/05/2025

💡 Did you know? Hospitals exploring Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation can access free technical assistance through the Rural Health Redesign Center (RHRC)!

👉 RHRC helps hospitals understand REH requirements, assess financial and operational impacts, and navigate the transition process, all at no cost.

Why does this matter? REH designation can help sustain access to emergency care and essential outpatient services in rural communities.

🏥 Learn more or request assistance: https://rhrco.org/reh/

📩 Questions? Reach out to our office at matt.coleman@uky.edu

11/05/2025

💙 We’re keeping the 2025 National Rural Health Day countdown going strong as we head toward November 20!

🏥 Today, we’re celebrating the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health for its ongoing commitment to Kentucky’s rural communities. From collaborating in impactful health care research to training future providers and supporting rural hospitals and clinics, UK CERH continues to be a driving force for healthier, stronger communities across the Commonwealth.

Thank you, UK CERH, for your unwavering dedication to bridging gaps in care, empowering local leaders, and uplifting our rural health heroes! 💛💚

11/05/2025

🎉Today we begin the countdown to 2025 — happening Thursday, November 20! ⏰ This is our day to celebrate the strength, resilience, and innovation of rural communities and the health care heroes who serve them. 🩺💙

Rural health care thrives because of the dedicated professionals who bring quality care, compassion, and connection to every corner of our communities. The is real!

A huge shout-out to NOSORH for their unwavering support and advocacy, ensuring our State Offices of Rural Health and rural stakeholders have the resources and recognition they deserve. 👏👏👏

💚💛Let’s amplify the voices of rural health champions and keep pushing the movement forward!

10/23/2025

National Rural Health Day is November 20th! Learn more below!

📅Mark your calendar!

🌟 NOSORH and the Kentucky Office of Rural Health invite you to join the celebration on November 20 for . 💚

Discover how you can get involved at 👉 powerofrural.org!

10/22/2025

Don't forget! Tomorrow, October 23rd, is the final day to apply for Healthy WAY 2025-26! See below for more details and the link to apply.

Only One Week Left! Apply by October 23!

The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health is accepting proposals for the 2025-26 Healthy WAY program.

Download the Healthy WAY proposal application:
https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/ruralhealth/healthy-way

Healthy WAY (Wellness in All Youth) is a leadership development and research training program for rural Kentucky high school students. Student-led teams have the opportunity to work on projects to address issues that are impacting youth health and well-being at the school and community level.

Project funding, hands-on research experience, technical support, and research mentoring are available to student teams selected for this competitive program.

Key Dates
Proposals Due: October 23, 2025
Applicants Notified: October 31, 2025
Project Window: November 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026

Please feel free to share this announcement with schools and students in your community.

Contact: Beth Bowling, RN, Rural Project Manager, UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, beth.bowling@uky.edu, (606) 439-3557 ext. 83545.

10/22/2025

Appalachian Center for Assistive Technology-ACAT Program Manager Keisha Wells and Program Coordinator Crystal Hignite have had a busy week sharing their knowledge and skills for adapting toys during the 2025 Assistive Technology in Pre-Employment Transition Services Workshop in Frankfort, KY.

Adapting toys and making them available for members of our community is one of the many ongoing services provided by the ACAT team.

Families may borrow adapted toys for free from the ACAT lending library, located in Hazard, KY. For more information, please reach out to Keisha at keisha.wells@uky.edu or 606-439-3557.

10/16/2025

Only One Week Left! Apply by October 23!

The UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health is accepting proposals for the 2025-26 Healthy WAY program.

Download the Healthy WAY proposal application:
https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/ruralhealth/healthy-way

Healthy WAY (Wellness in All Youth) is a leadership development and research training program for rural Kentucky high school students. Student-led teams have the opportunity to work on projects to address issues that are impacting youth health and well-being at the school and community level.

Project funding, hands-on research experience, technical support, and research mentoring are available to student teams selected for this competitive program.

Key Dates
Proposals Due: October 23, 2025
Applicants Notified: October 31, 2025
Project Window: November 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026

Please feel free to share this announcement with schools and students in your community.

Contact: Beth Bowling, RN, Rural Project Manager, UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health, beth.bowling@uky.edu, (606) 439-3557 ext. 83545.

10/16/2025

The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH) invites you to save the date for the 2026 Appalachian Research Day: come sit on the porch!

April 8, 2026
The Corbin Center
222 Corbin Center Drive, Corbin, Kentucky

This one-day conference is hosted annually by the UK CERH to share the results of health research conducted with communities in Appalachia. The event includes podium presentations, a poster competition, and a health & research fair.

Watch for the call for abstracts coming soon!

For More Information Contact:
Beth Bowling (beth.bowling@uky.edu)

10/15/2025

Congratulations to Darla Shepherd, Certified Community Health Worker at Kentucky Homeplace!!!

10/15/2025

UK CERH team members were honored to join researchers from a multi-state region of Appalachia to spend two days sharing, learning, and networking during the Appalachian Translational Research Network (ATRN) Annual Health Summit in Abingdon, Virginia, on October 13-14.

Congratulations to our team members whose projects were selected for presentation. AND, we want to wish A VERY BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Kentucky Homeplace Certified Community Health Worker Darla Shepherd for winning the People’s Choice Award for her poster, “Growing Together: Enhancing Wellness in Older Adults in Rural Communities.”

The ATRN Health Summit provides an opportunity to have important discussions surrounding the dynamic and evolving health landscape in the Appalachian region. With a focus on innovative strategies and collaborative approaches, the summit aims to address pressing challenges and explore opportunities for enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes.

We extend our thanks to ATRN for hosting an excellent summit!

10/09/2025

Come on out on Friday, October 10th! Hope to see you there!!

See you tomorrow for our Community Health Fair in Hazard!