National Advisory Committee Tackles Delivery System Reform, Child Poverty

From September 9-11, 2015, rural experts gathered in rural Minnesota for the 78^th Meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS). This group serves as a voice for rural health and human services and is tasked with gathering input at the local, grassroots level and taking what they learn to make recommendations to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

Presiding over the committee is former governor of Mississippi, Ronnie Musgrove. Twenty other rural health and human services experts, from a wide variety of backgrounds, serve as committee members.

Each meeting covers set issues and includes invited speakers and rural site visits that allow the committee to see the issues firsthand.

Following the meetings, the committee creates policy briefs for Secretary Burwell based on what they have seen and heard and include recommendations to help HHS address rural issues.

Learn about the key issues that were the focus of this gathering:

The Realities of Child Poverty: Insights from a National Advisory Committee Meeting
When the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS) was looking for a location to learn about the realities of child poverty, it had to look no further than the home of committee member Barb Fabre. Mahnomen, Minnesota is at the heart of the White Earth Indian Reservation.

Rural Delivery System Reform Takes Center Stage for National Advisory Committee
In rural communities, the manner in which healthcare is delivered is often dependent on the financial position of the local healthcare facilities. With limited resources and staff, rural hospitals and clinics are examining the various forms of Delivery System Reform (DSR) they can implement to remain viable in a changing industry.