National Rural Health Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate the “power of rural” and to build awareness of health equity principles, policies, and approaches that can better support health in rural communities.

The Health Resources & Services Administration has chosen “Advancing Behavioral Health Equity in Rural Communities” as the theme for its Rural Health Day events this year. According to HRSA, behavioral health care remains a challenge in many rural communities due to stigma, lack of transportation, reimbursement issues, and a limited health care workforce.

HRSA’s program highlights ways rural communities are addressing these challenges and includes presentations on stress mitigation in the workplace, the impact of intimate partner violence and human trafficking in rural communities. See the full agenda

National Rural Health Day dates back to 2010, when the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) set aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate the importance of health in rural areas. The occasion is intended to highlight the unique health care challenges faced by people living in rural areas, as well as to showcase the programs, policies, and efforts that are helping address and reduce health care disparities in rural communities. Learn more

NOSORH’s 2022 online event, “Carpool Collaboration: Conversations with Mission-Minded Rural Stakeholders,” will feature USDA’s rural health liaison Kellie Kubena and other national, regional, and state leaders and influencers. See NOSORH’s full agenda

The Illinois AHEC program office is located at the National Center for Rural Health Professions, a longtime promoter of rural health centers and the National Rural Health Day. Check in with your own regional center to see what they have planned.

You can use the hashtags #PowerofRural and #NationalRuralHealthDay if you are posting about your own NRHD activities to social media.