UNMC’s Rural Health Education Network has announced the funding of 39 grants to small communities around the state. The grants, which total nearly $47,000, range between $750 and $3,000 and are used to fund projects aimed at improving community health and to introduce Nebraska youth to health care careers.
The grants are awarded through the RHEN office in conjunction with the five Nebraska Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in Grand Island, Norfolk, Scottsbluff, Beatrice and Omaha.
The community grant program began in 1998 by RHEN Director Roxanna Jokela, who saw a need to fund local programs in small Nebraska communities that could use funds to improve community health, promote health care career awareness or provide continuing education opportunities to local professionals.
Today, the grants are awarded on a competitive basis and to be considered, the applicant agency must partner with other local organizations/institutions. For more information, contact your local AHEC office — Central Nebraska AHEC, Grand Island, (308) 385-5074; Northern Nebraska AHEC, Norfolk, (402) 644-7256; Nebraska Panhandle AHEC, Scottsbluff, (308) 635-6713; Southeast Nebraska AHEC, Beatrice, (402) 228-9094; and the Omaha Urban AHEC, (402) 502-1207.
Central Nebraska — RHEN/CN-AHEC funded
- Chase County: Wauneta-Palisade Public High School received funding to continue “Opportunities in Health Care Professions,” a program which gives junior and senior high school students an opportunity to explore various health careers. Partnering organizations are the Chase County Clinic and Chase County Community Hospital.
- Buffalo County: Good Samaritan Hospital, “Career Opportunities for High School Students”; Pleasanton High School, “Video Journal of Health Career Professions” program for high school students.
- Merrick County: Central City Public Schools, “Introduction to Healthcare Careers” for students.
- Franklin County: Good Beginnings in Franklin County, “High School Health Fair.”
- Adams County: Central Community College, Hastings, “CSI: Health Occupations Academy.”
- Red Willow County: Southwest Public Schools, “Healthcare Partnership for the Future” program.
- Hall County: St. Francis Medical Center, “CAN Classroom Assistance Project”; Grand Island Public Schools, “Medical Careers for Islanders” program; Central District Health Department, “Dental Day/Give Kids a Smile”; Grand Island Northwest Highschool, “Healthcare Career Exploration” program.
Northern Nebraska — RHEN/NNAHEC funded
- Hooker County: Mullen Public Schools, CPR/AED training
- Wayne/Dixon County: Wakefield Community Schools, health fair.
- Holt County: O’Neill High School, field trip to UNMC
Ewing Public Schools, “Kick Tobacco and Alcohol” seminar.
- Antelope County: Elgin Public Schools, Health Careers/Shadowing/Graduate Symposium; Tilden Community Hospital, “CPR Training.”
- Madison County: Faith Regional Foundation, summer internship program; Norfolk Catholic Jr./Sr. High School, “CPR Training.”
- Washington County: Arlington Public Schools, “CPR Instructor and School Training.”
- Blains County: Sandhills Public Schools, School and Community CPT Training.
- Thurston County: UNL Extension, “Targeting Youth for a Healthier Tomorrow.”
- Knox County: Creighton Area Health Services, “Knox County Kids Career Fair.”
- Cedar County: Hartington Public Schools, “Operation Clean Hands.”
- Rock County: Rock County Hospital, “Rock County Fair/Health Fair.”
- Cuming County: Franciscan Care Services, “Women’s Health Fair Activity.”
Nebraska Panhandle — RHEN/NP-AHEC funded
- Scottsbluff: UNMC, Summer Institute at Guadalupe Center to work with approximately 120 minority students, ages 5-14 years old; Western Nebraska Community College, Summer Youth Academy to expose minority youth to careers in health, music, arts, language, and crafts.
- Garden County: Garden County Health Service, Student CPR/AED training — teaching students in grades 6-12 in Garden County.
- Scottsbluff: Safe Kids Scotts Bluff, Safe Kids Child Passenger Safety Training — teaching instructors about car seat safety for children.
- Ft. Robinson: Panhandle Resource Conversation and Development, Inc., Intertribal Gathering at Ft. Robinson State Park to provide health care career exposure to Native American children from five states (South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Colorado and New Mexico).
- Dawes County: Western Community Health Resources, health professions awareness among Chadron youth to provide a health fair for middle school students, high school job shadowing and mentoring.
Southeast Nebraska Communities — RHEN/SE-AHEC funded
- York County: Four Corners Public Health Department, continuing education program for local and regional health care providers on antimicrobial resistance; Epworth Village, Inc., “Rural Health Career Day” for York area students and students from Concordia University. The program will include general sessions and breakout sessions to allow students to further explore career options.
- Nemaha County: Nemaha County Wellness Center, community health fair for Nemaha County residents in July/early August.
- Wahoo County: Wahoo Public Schools and Saunders County Sherriff’s office, CPR/First Aid Training for 43 students in high school anatomy class.
- Saline County: Warren Memorial Hospital and Friend Public Schools, formation of “health clubs” to help develop a summer shadowing program and to support participation in the science meet.
- Johnnson County: St. Elizabeth Foundation on behalf of Tecumseh Family Health, Johnson County Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Regional Medical Center, second annual Community Health Fair with services provided by local and regional health providers.