Project Grant P1053100

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - THE JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY (JMU) A PLACE FOR US PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH REGIONAL AND LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, PREVENTION SPECIALISTS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO COOPERATIVELY PLAN FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, CHRONIC DISEASE, PREVENTATIVE CARE, AND WHOLISTIC WELLNESS SERVICES FOR UNSERVED AND MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS, IN SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH COUNTY VA. NEW MARKET AND MT. JACKSON, THE COUNTY'S SOUTHERNMOST TOWNS, HAVE HISTORICALLY LACKED EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCED HIGHER POVERTY RATES AND POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTY. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR AND ALL NETWORK MEMBERS ARE FULLY PREPARED TO INTEGRATE THEIR ROLES AND FUNCTIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE NETWORK AND MEET A PLACE FOR US PROJECT GOALS. MEMBERS WILL ALSO PROVIDE MEETING AND OFFICE SPACE FOR NETWORK ACTIVITIES AND ASSUME SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN NETWORK COMMITTEES AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING. THREE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS-VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM, SENTARA HEALTH, VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH-LORD FAIRFAX DISTRICT- HAVE COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON THE SHENANDOAH COUNTY RURAL HEALTH NETWORK. THE TOWN OF NEW MARKET AND LOCAL NON-PROFITS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION AND WELLNESS (CREW), STRENGTH IN PEERS (SIP), AND REUNITE, ARE ALSO CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE NETWORK. A COLLEGE OF BUSINESS SCHOOL OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP STUDIES FACULTY MEMBER, AND RESIDENT OF SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH COUNTY, REPRESENTS THE JMU RURAL ENGAGEMENT AND CAPACITY-BUILDING HUB (REACH) AND RURAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT. 100% OF THIS NETWORK CHARTER MEMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH COUNTY AND HAVE SIGNED LETTERS OF COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT DIRECTOR, A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MT. JACKSON, HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING COLLABORAT IVELY WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY. SHE HAS ALSO SERVED AS PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR A SIMILAR NETWORK PROJECT IN A NEIGHBORING RURAL COUNTY; SEVERAL CHARTER MEMBERS HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THAT NETWORK AND HAVE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES IN COLLABORATIVE WORK IN RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION. A PLACE FOR US WILL FORMALIZE AND EXPAND COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE THE VISION OF INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES FOR ALL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, BY INFORMING AND FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS (CRCS) IN NEW MARKET AND MT. JACKSON WHERE UNDERUTILIZED OLD SCHOOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED. PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES, AND LIFESTYLES WILL BENEFIT FROM HAVING A WIDE VARIETY OF HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM RIGHT IN THEIR HOMETOWNS. MOST HEALTHCARE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COUNTY AND ITS ONLY HOSPITAL, A SMALL CRITICAL CARE FACILITY, ARE 35-45 MINUTES FROM NEW MARKET; AND RESIDENTS MUST TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTY FOR MEDICAL CARE AND HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES. THE NETWORK'S INTENTIONAL COLLABORATION AND PLANNING WITH THE EMERGING CRCS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS WILL ALLOW A VARIETY OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES TO BE REGULARLY AND CONCURRENTLY OFFERED IN SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH COUNTY. A PLACE FOR US WILL IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY RESIDENTS' FEELINGS OF BELONGING.