Client News
Indiana Rural Health Association, in collaboration with AgrIInstitute, to offer critical community training to raise awareness and reduce stigma about mental health, mental illness, and suicide prevention. Registration is now open for workshops of 35 people each.
TERRE HAUTE, Indiana – Untreated or ignored stress and mental health issues in rural areas impact quality of life, economic development and lives of farmers, agriculture workforce and rural families. Unfounded stigma around seeking help with mental health and/or mental illness issues can compound farming, agricultural and life issues of stress and rural life. To raise awareness and help these critical situations, 23 free one-day content-packed workshops with subject matter experts will be conducted in 2022 which will include certification in the lifesaving QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) program. The workshops will begin February 20, 2022, in Mount Vernon, Indiana and expanding to 22 other rural sites around Indiana through July. Registration is now open.
Healthy Minds – Healthy Lives
IRHA Program Director
“The suicide rates among farmers are six times higher than the national average and almost all of them are male,” said Kathy Walker, Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA) program director for Healthy Minds – Healthy Lives. “Financial stress is always present, pressure to never lose the family farm is great, the work is physically and mentally stressful with long hours, social isolation and lack of confiding relationships.”
“Add to this the onset of mood disorders that go untreated and reluctance to seek help, and you have a formula to set up conditions for suicidal ideation,” she added, noting that the QPR program can help local community people recognize signs of suicidal ideation and/or mental health issues through proven intervention techniques.
Each workshop will open with a presentation by either Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch or Bruce Kettler, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, followed by short presentations by local leaders and the Future Farmers of America (FFA). Beth Archer, Executive Director of AgrIInstitute, will discuss the mental landscape in Indiana, and Cameron Hilt, Director of the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center (UMTRC), will discuss telehealth options, followed by information about the Purdue Farm Stress Program. After a lunch break, Kathy Walker of the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA), a trained instructor in Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), will present training for QPR. After a brief discussion about strengths, weaknesses and local resources, each workshop will conclude with a short video from the Kicking Stigma campaign of the Indianapolis Colts.
Leveraging its deep experiential expertise, Hamilton pivoted its traditional service offerings and organized numerous outdoor COVID-19 mass vaccination efforts for FEMA, IDOH and DOD across Indiana in 2020-21. “Hamilton has stepped up several times this year in critical ways to help the Indiana Department of Health,” said Kristina Box, MD, Indiana State Commissioner of Health.
INDIANAPOLIS – Drawing numerous accolades from federal and state officials for “doing whatever it takes,” Hamilton’s extensive 2021 pivot earned top recognition from the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) with an EDDIE Award, according to Jason Weddle, Hamilton CEO. The award was formally presented at the annual ACCESS Conference on December 1st.
The 2021 EDPA EDDIE award for Best Industry Pivot recognized Hamilton for its internal innovation during a time when traditional external events were largely shut down. Hamilton drew on its corporate culture of stepping in and adapting the skills of its proven professional event staff to create multiple complex mass COVID-19 vaccination events. The 2021 effort created a complex and efficient platform capable of delivering more than 200,000 vaccines. (Note: Hamilton continues to support vaccine and testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through December 22, 2021 – see details here)
“Being named for this award was most unusual and humbling as Hamilton was privileged to be selected to support a high-intensity statewide effort that helped save thousands of lives and helped keep people out of emergency rooms and hospitals,” explained Weddle. “Given the wide array of weather, logistical and supply issues that we faced, we received several positive comments from federal and state officials for doing whatever it takes to deliver these life-saving vaccines.”
UPDATE: IMS vaccine and testing operations supported by Hamilton have been extended through JANUARY 22, 2022. COVID-19 tests, vaccinations, flu shots administered in Hamilton’s second Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) engagement at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, following prior events at Notre Dame, Ivy Tech in Sellersburg, mobile sites, and FEMA operations near Chicago.
INDIANAPOLIS – Leveraging the company’s innovative event development and extensive management experience in providing a strategic capability for more than 200,000 vaccine administrations, Hamilton’s second major engagement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has been extended to support the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) operations in providing free COVID-19 vaccines, tests and flu shots through December 22 (2021). (Details of IDOH operations at IMS can be accessed here)
This includes supporting FDA/CDC-approved vaccines for children aged 5-15.
In addition to Hamilton’s large-scale IMS vaccine operations, the company previously served IDOH in creating and operating similar large-scale administrations at the University of Notre Dame, Ivy Tech in Sellersburg, the FEMA vaccination site in Gary, and multiple mobile vaccine sites across Indiana.
“Hamilton has stepped up several times this year in critical ways to help the Indiana Department of Health bring multiple thousands of vaccines and other services to the people of Indiana,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, MD. “Their valuable expertise works seamlessly with our staff in planning and executing these important operations.”
“We’ve provided support for these outdoor operations during 2021 in the snow, freezing cold, and rain, but we count it a major privilege to play a role in helping end this pandemic,” said Jason Weddle, Hamilton CEO, whose company is known nationally for its award-winning immersive brand experiences, interactive/experiential solutions, and exemplary customer service supporting face-to-face marketing programs. “We’re committed to doing whatever it takes, especially for serving life-saving operations like this.”
WASHINGTON, Indiana – As part of its continuing efforts to help local businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) has partnered with Purdue Extension to develop and engage local businesses countywide in a formal business retention and expansion program (Daviess County BR&E).
“The pandemic brought many changes to businesses and workforce over the past year and half, and many people worked tirelessly in Daviess County to help local businesses to both keep their doors open and now to start the recovery process,” said Bryant Niehoff, DCEDC executive director. “We know from data from economic development experts and the Purdue Center for Regional Development that businesses – particularly businesses in rural areas – typically benefit greatly when those businesses are engaged together.”
“As a result, the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation is now working with Purdue Extension to bring our broad base of businesses and local community organizations together in a formal Business Retention and Expansion Program,” he explained.
“Through capacity building, robust data analysis and participatory techniques, Purdue Extension works with economic development officials to move counties forward by promoting business development,” said Heather Strohm, Regional Extension Educator, Community Development at Purdue University. “Purdue’s Business Retention & Expansion program seeks to foster collaboration among stakeholders to positively impact economies while deepening conversations about bettering communities.”
KANSAS CITY, Missouri – With more than 130 hospitals closing over the past decade, rural health care faces complex and urgent situations in the United States. To address these critical issues, the National Rural Health Association has launched a three-year rural Leadership Challenge to raise $1 million for scholarships and support.
“Rural health care delivery – both inside and outside of rural hospitals and clinics – continues to confront a variety of issues that are unique to rural areas,” said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). “Fortunately, NRHA already has programs in place to help effectively address these issues and strengthen rural hospitals and health care delivery across the nation.”
NRHA leverages two proven programs that NRHA has been developing and implementing for almost a decade – the intensive NRHA Fellows program, and C-level (CEO, CFO, CNO) executive leadership training administered by the Center for Rural Leadership (CRHL) to support and train current and future health care leaders.
“Since rural hospitals and health care professionals provide an economic and societal anchor for rural communities, this is a critical time for rural health care in America –the key differentiator that brings success centers on the quality and depth of executive leadership,” Morgan continued. “We are looking to corporations, organizations and individuals to contribute to the Rural Health and Leadership Education Foundation to help us provide critical funding and scholarships so more professionals can take part in this training.”
Brittany Stout, a Family Nurse Practitioner with SICHC, was selected as the Grand Marshal for the popular 53rd Orange County Pumpkin Festival Parade in honor of her work in addictions and recovery, including the founding of the Safe Haven Recovery Center in West Baden. Following is a press release about the parade and Ms. Stout’s exemplary service.
FRENCH LICK/WEST BADEN, Indiana – Excitement is building for the return of the popular Orange County Pumpkin Festival Parade on Sunday, October 3, with more than 25 confirmed floats and entries. The long-time event, organized this year by the Love Never Fails -United Christian Church organizations, will begin in West Baden and end near the French Lick Resort, lasting from 2-4 p.m.
More than 3,000 people from the region are expected to attend the two-hour parade.
“The 2021 Pumpkin Festival Parade is shaping up to be a great event,” said Pastor Jason Lindsey of Love Never Fails – United Christian Church in West Baden. “We are privileged and happy to work with the community to help bring this important event back to what looks like an exciting and successful return.”
Brittany Stout, a founder of the Safe Haven Recovery Center in West Baden and a Family Nurse Practitioner with the Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) group, was named to serve as the Grand Marshal for this year’s parade.
“Brittany is an outstanding person in the community and has played an important role in helping the region step up and provide needed recovery and other services through Safe Haven in West Baden, as well as working to reduce the harmful stigma around seeking help in recovery” said Pastor Lindsey. “We at Love Never Fails and the United Christian Church are pleased to be able to partner and work with Safe Haven to provide much needed services to the greater community.”
He noted that the event plans to recognize people coming up in the region who have shown “exceptional commitment to service – people like Brittany represent the future of our community.”
“We at SICHC are grateful and proud to see our providers like Brittany be recognized for their service,” said Nancy Radcliff, SICHC CEO. “The goals and focus of the Safe Haven and Love Never Fails groups align well with what SICHC is focused on achieving in the community, and we look forward to continuing to be supportive.”
UMTRC, a federally funded program of the Indiana Rural Health Association (IRHA), serves four states in helping to establish, grow and sustain critical telehealth operations.
TERRE HAUTE, Indiana – Telehealth continues to grow exponentially across the United States, and telehealth operations in the Midwest will now continue to benefit from the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center (UMTRC). The organization, a pioneer and long-time champion of Midwest telehealth expansion, was awarded $975,000 as part of a major three-year federal grant ($325,000 a year) from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
IRHA CEO
“The need for and expansion of telehealth literally exploded during the 2020 lockdown and COVID-19 crisis,” said Cara Veale, CEO of the Indiana Rural Health Association. “The UMTRC has played an important role in helping hospitals, clinics, physicians and medical professionals institute and bring high-impact telehealth operations up to speed.”
The UMTRC is one of 12 Regional and 2 National Telehealth Resource Centers, one for policy and one for technology, that are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) and HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, which is part of the Office of Rural Health Policy.
“The pandemic year was a transformational time for telehealth services, as telehealth went from an emerging alternative to a dominant solution for the delivery of certain types of healthcare, including urgent situations,” said Becky Sanders, UMTRC Program Director, “Telehealth as a market accelerated from a few million dollars annually a decade ago to an incredible $10 billion in 2020.”
The industry, she said, is expected to more than triple in size over the next few years to approach $40 billion in service value.
Telehealth is recognized as critically important at the federal level. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra outlined the importance of telehealth when he announced the new three-year grants: “Telehealth is crucial to providing convenient and sustained care for patients.”
Added HRSA acting Administrator Diana Espinosa, “Telehealth expands access to care and is a vital tool for improving health equity by providing timely clinical assessment and treatment for our most vulnerable populations.” She went on to say that the new funding “will help drive the innovation necessary to build clinical networks, educational opportunities, and trusted resources to further advance telehealth.”
After turning on the network for its first residential customers in 2016, Smithville also built a 100-gigabit core network node for commercial growth in the Jasper area.
JASPER, Indiana – Smithville, a national top 100 broadband company, turned on its final fiberhood in the city of Jasper in August, bringing fiber construction to a close for its $15 million fiber overbuild project, according to Darby McCarty, Chairman and CEO. The citywide project brings symmetrical gigabit connectivity (up to 1,000 Mbps download and upload speed) to businesses and residents and the network – which includes a 100-gigabit core network node – “will benefit the people of Jasper for many years to come,” McCarty said.
“We promised in our formal announcement of the project in 2015 that we would deliver a transformational network with gigabit speed, and we have achieved that,” she added. Smithville divided the construction segments in Jasper into 27 separate “fiberhoods.” The first residential customers on the new Smithville network were turned on in 2016.
“Smithville has proven to be a great partner for the people and businesses of Jasper,” said Mayor Dean Vonderheide of Jasper. “Their state-of-the-art fiber network and commitment to the community has created many new opportunities for the city.” The Mayor added that he is aware of a number of new Jasper residents who specifically relocated to the city because of the availability of high-speed fiber connectivity.
Unlike many other fiber civic overbuild projects in Indiana, Smithville did not receive any taxpayer funds or TIF district funding for the Jasper project, which began construction in 2015.