Second in our Rural Policy Roundtable series, on October 16th, 2023, a group of rural health experts met to discuss rural health and the policies we need to address the health disparities that exist between rural communities and more urban counterparts.
Featured Quotes and Key Takeaways
- “The single determinant of health is poverty.”
- “[To move toward health equity], we need to look at the political landscape.”
- “Healthcare is an economic development issue.”
- “The lack of rural capacity to access federal resources is holding back rural health infrastructure.”
What Do You Think?
Please share what resonated or what is missing from the conversation here!
Expert Bios
Dr. Sandra C. Melvin
Dr. Sandra C. Melvin is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Advancement of Minority Health. She has published research and book chapters that examine social factors that contribute to health disparities, including diabetes in Black men, HIV/AIDS in Kenya, and health disparities in Mississippi. Most recently, Dr. Melvin and colleagues published a manuscript discussing the role of public health in COVID-19 emergency response.
In May 2019, after 20 years of public health practice as an epidemiologist, Dr. Melvin founded and currently serves as the chief executive officer of the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health. She has received numerous awards for her work in the community, including an acknowledgment in the Congressional Record by the Honorable Bennie Thompson.
Rosa Saavedra
Rosa Saavedra is Founder and Director at Compañeras Campesinas, a peer support network for rural Latina women in North Carolina and Puerto Rico. Compañeras Campesinas builds collective knowledge and power among farmworker women.
Dr. Carrie Cochran-McClain
Dr. Carrie Cochran-McClain is the Chief Policy Officer at the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). Carrie joined NRHA staff in 2020 where she is the head lobbyist for the association and is responsible driving the policy agenda for rural health for the 21,000 member organization. Carrie has more than 20 years of experience working in federal health policy development, including leadership roles at Health Management Associates, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. In her previous positions she has focused on improving health care outcomes, promoting health equity for vulnerable populations, and advising on health care policy issues.
