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Resolution Title: Strengthening Rural Hospital Identity with and Participation in AZRHA Name of Individual/Group Submitting the Resolution: (Mike Albertson, Jack Beveridge, Dale Decker, Jim Dickson) WHEREAS acute medical care and access to emergency services in rural communities is a vital component of the rural healthcare continuum. WHEREAS hospitals play the leading role in providing healthcare development synergies with other rural providers related to program development, access to medical services, staff training and recruitment, community education and wellness, preventive care. WHEREAS rural hospitals are the leading economic development and political driver for rural communities and a key constituency for rural health policy and advocacy. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Arizona Rural Health Association seeks membership representation and involvement from every rural hospital in Arizona, including small psychiatric facilities. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Arizona Rural Health Association will work in concert and collaboration with the Arizona Hospital Association's Committee on Small Rural Hospitals. 
Resolution Title: Rural Health Clinics Tort Reform/Federal Tort Reform Act Name of Individual/Group Submitting the Resolution: Jim Dickson WHEREAS an important source for primary care in rural Arizona especially in Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are the PL 95-210 Rural Health Clinics. WHEREAS these Rural Health Clinics are sliding fee schedule clinics providing care to the poor and uninsured mandated by the federal government in the exact manner as Federally Qualified Health Centers. WHEREAS the extensive costs of insuring physician and mid level providers due to the lack of tort reform has made recruitment and retention in Arizona extremely difficult and in some cases shut down scarce services. WHEREAS PL 95-210 RHCs are cost reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid/AHCCCS both increasing the cost of these programs and taking aware scarce dollars that could be better used to expand services rather than purchasing malpractice in the adverse Arizona insurance market. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Arizona Rural Health Association supports that the Federal Government move the PL 95-210 Rural Health Clinics Program under the Federal Tort Reform Act (like Federal Qualified Health Clinics-FQHCs) providing tort reform for these invaluable providers of healthcare in rural areas. This will reduce costs and maintain these services. 
Resolution Title: Maintaining Our Public Health Safety Net Name of Individual/Group Submitting the Resolution: Jack Beveridge WHEREAS Arizona's rural communities rely more heavily on public supported programs such as AHCCCS health plans, community health centers, county health department programs and Regional Behavioral Health Authority providers, and WHEREAS the public health infrastructure and federal healthcare funding may be in jeopardy as a result of deficit reduction and pay as you go budgetary provisions, and WHEREAS needed expansion of these programs is not supported by Arizona's legislature or the administration in Washington, i.e. KidsCare/S-Chip, and WHEREAS Arizona continues to have one of the highest rates of uninsured, uncovered families and individuals in the country, which is especially hard on our children, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Arizona Rural Health Association and its member network will work with others involved to advocate for the maintenance, even expansion of publicly supported health programs to better address the needs of Arizona's residents, especially in our rural communities.
Resolution Title: Workforce Development Name of Individual/Group Submitting the Resolution: Jack Beveridge WHEREAS Arizona's healthcare workforce shortages are especially acute in rural communities throughout the state, and WHEREAS healthcare professionals often stay to work in the communities where they receive residency training, and WHEREAS Arizona's medical and health sciences schools are being expanded to train and graduate more healthcare professionals, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Arizona Rural Health Association and its member network will work with others involved, I.e. the Area Health Education Center program, Association of Community Health Centers, Medical and Health Sciences schools, rural hospitals and healthcare clinics, etc, to develop residency programs in rural communities throughout the state.
Resolution Title: Health Literacy Name of Individual/Group Submitting the Resolution: Jack Beveridge WHEREAS Arizona residents need to be able to make knowledgeable decisions about their health and issues such as healthcare reform, and WHEREAS they often do not have access to the necessary information or are unable to obtain health information in an understandable format, especially in rural communities, and WHEREAS a well coordinated and objective public information or social marketing campaign could be conducted to better inform our citizens about health issues, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Arizona Rural Health Association and its member network will join other involved groups to advocate for more and better public information and social marketing programs to inform Arizonans about health issues and improve health literacy throughout the state, but especially in rural communities.
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