UA’s Rural Health Conference Focuses on Emergency Preparedness and Response

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Emergency preparedness and response will be the focus of the 13^th Annual Rural Health Conference presented by The University of Alabama Institute for Rural Health Research.

The conference, “Rural Rebound: Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Response,” will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 20, at the Ferguson Center on the UA campus.

Keynote speakers are James Spann, chief meteorologist of ABC 33/40-TV in Birmingham, and Dr. Daniel Dodgen of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in Washington, D.C. Dodgen is director of the Division for At-Risk Individuals, Behavioral Health and Community Resilience in the Office of Policy and Planning.

Conference breakout session topics include emergency preparedness and response in special populations, mental health and research.

The conference comes nearly a year after the April 27, 2011, tornadoes that devastated parts of Tuscaloosa and many other areas of Alabama. Health-care providers and others who assisted victims of Alabama’s tornados will be honored at the Rural Health Conference as part of the conference’s first Rural Health Heroes Awards.

UA’s Institute for Rural Health Research and The University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa Campus (College of Community Health Sciences) are hosts for the conference. Health-care providers, researchers, community leaders, government officials, policymakers and representatives of faith-based organizations attend the conferences to hear from prominent speakers in the field and share information and knowledge about rural health issues.

The registration fee for the conference is $100 a person and $25 for students. Registration includes breakfast and lunch. Continuing Education Units and Continuing Medical Education will be offered. After April 6, the registration fee is $125 a person and $30 for students.

For more information, and to register online, visit the conference website at http://rhc.ua.edu or contact the Institute for Rural Health Research at 205/348-0025.

The Institute for Rural Health Research was established in 2001 and conducts research to improve health in rural Alabama. The goal is to produce research that is useful to communities, health care providers and policymakers as they work to improve the availability, accessibility and quality of health care in rural areas. The Institute also serves as a resource for community organizations, researchers and individuals working to improve the health of rural communities in Alabama.

The UA School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The school designates this educational activity for a maximum of 4 AMA PRA Category 1 credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. License details: Continuing Nursing Education, University Medical Center, The University of Alabama, License Number ABNP1358, Expires 4/2015, 5.0 CE Pending Approval.