Rural Health Network of South Central New York partners to celebrate National Rural Health Day

The Rural Health Network of South Central New York will join the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and other state and national rural stakeholders in celebrating National Rural Health Day on Thursday, Nov. 19.

In this 10th Anniversary year for National Rural Health Day, Rural Health Network of SCNY is announcing their first annual Rural Health Awards for Rural Health Practitioner, Leader, Partner, and Champion.

2020 Rural Health Practitioner 

Dr. James Skiff has been a rural primary care physician for the past 32 years. He attended medical school at The Albany College of Medicine and did his Internship and Residency at UHS Wilson Hospital. 

Dr. Skiff practiced medicine at UHS Candor Primary Care for many years before helping to build an active practice at UHS Newark Valley Primary Care, where he currently provides care. He is an active member of the Care Compass Network Primary Care Advisory Committee and has served on the Rural Health Network Board of Directors through multiple terms over the past twenty years. 

Jack Salo, Rural Health Network executive director, stated, “Dr. Skiff has been our longest serving and most engaged rural health practitioner during that time. There are several qualities that have distinguished Dr. Skiff’s board service, including his counsel and helpful questions as new programs have been considered and implemented. We extend our deep appreciation to Dr. Skiff for his many years of service to the residents of Tioga County and the Rural Health Network.”

Amy Lord, MSN, FNP-BC works with Dr. Skiff and had this to say, “Dr. Skiff has dedicated his life to serving his patients and provides a breadth of care through the lifespan. He is very loyal and committed to the people of Newark Valley. He is the definition of a public service. He has worked with several generations of patients in Newark Valley and I truly believe that he has made a positive impact upon the general health of this area.” 

2020 Rural Health Leader 

Diane Albrecht is a founding Board Member of the Rural Health Network. She served on the Board of Directors from the Network’s start in 1998 through 2006, including serving as Board President for two years. While her contributions are too many to list, here are some of the many ways her leadership has made a difference. Diane was the primary organizer and lead volunteer for Growing Health Conferences (connecting locally produced food to better health outcomes) held every two years from 2006 – 2012. These conferences were important to the development of many local and regional food and health initiatives, including Rural Health Network’s – Food & Health Network program, which Diane has worked with and where she served as a lead volunteer since its inception. 

Diane was the lead researcher and co-author of the first Regional Food System Assessment for South Central NY in 2011. Through that process she worked with and mentored multiple AmeriCorps Members serving with the Rural Health Network. She followed up with a second Regional Food Assessment in 2012 and an update in 2014. 

Most recently, Diane suggested and then led an important effort to support the Rural Health Network Capital Campaign through a “Past Presidents and Board Member Challenge.” 

To kick things off Diane hosted a kickoff reception at their new 455 Court St. facility in October 2019. Through Diane’s her efforts, more than $13,000 has been raised or pledged in support of the Capital Campaign.

In accepting this award, Diane Albrecht commented, “Beginning with the Rural Health Network’s inception nearly 25 years ago, I have been blessed to volunteer for an organization that is so much in sync with my values and beliefs.”

2020 Rural Health Partner

Kathryn Connerton is 2020’s Rural Health Partner. Since returning to Binghamton to serve as CEO of Ascension, Lourdes in 2014, Kathryn (Kathy) Connerton has been a tireless advocate for integrating the work of community organizations with healthcare providers to address the full range of health and health related needs of our most vulnerable residents. In both her capacity as CEO of Lourdes Hospital and Chair of the Care Compass Network Board of Directors, Connerton has consistently delivered the message that improved health outcomes cannot be achieved without partnership with community organizations to ensure that educational and economic opportunity, safe-affordable housing, access to nutritious food, transportation and other essential services are available to those in need. 

Executive Director Jack Salo stated, “Kathy Connerton has been a true partner and pioneer in exploring what is possible when community organizations and healthcare providers work together to improve health. In a demonstration of partnership, Kathy supported Rural Health Network’s Northern Broome CARES Program by providing affordable services of a Lourdes Nurse Navigator to support the health needs of older Northern Broome residents served by the program.”

In accepting this award Kathy Connerton commented, “This is an incredible and meaningful honor for Our Lady of Lourdes. Working with Rural Health Network over the years has taught us so much about the real needs of our community.  Our relationship has allowed Lourdes to truly provide whole person care with special attention to the social determinants of health that so greatly impact a person’s health and wellbeing.”

2020 Rural Health Champion

Exemplary philanthropic vision and practice is a deserving description of the Community Foundation for South Central New York. While the foundation is located in Binghamton, the largest urban center in their five-county service area, even the smallest rural organizations and communities receive equal attention and support. 

The foundation staff includes Diane Brown, executive director; Tina Barber, program officer; Darlene M. Cempa, finance director; and Stacy Mastrogiacomo, administrative assistant. 

Rural Health Network of SCNY Executive Director Jack Salo stated, “In recognizing the Community Foundation of SCNY as our 2020 Rural Health Champion we extend our appreciation for the sensitivity that foundation policies and practices have for the limited capacity of small and rural organizations to prepare and complete grant funding applications. The consistent engagement of foundation staff in even the most remote and smallest communities in their service area demonstrates a deep commitment to rural needs.”

In addition to exemplary grant making practices, in 2018 the Community Foundation for SCNY was selected to participate in the Aspen Institute Rural Economic Development Philanthropy Innovators Network, a year-long training to help community foundations from across the U.S. explore ways to support rural economic development. Constantly working to understand the unique needs of both rural and urban communities in their service area and to respond with relevant and appropriate philanthropic support is a trademark of the Community Foundation for SCNY. 

An estimated 57 million people, nearly one in five Americans, lives in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together. These communities also face unique healthcare needs. 

“Today, more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and under-insured citizens,” says Teryl Eisinger, NOSORH CEO. 

State Offices of Rural Health play a key role in addressing those needs. All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission – to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens.

Rural Health Network has had a long relationship with the New York State Office of Rural Health and appreciates the support of its programs that address the unique health challenges of rural people and communities.