Kentucky Homeplace Honored
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The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has presented Kentucky Homeplace, University of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Rural Health, with its 2008 Outstanding Program Award.
The initiative has linked more than 74,000 rural Kentucky residents with medical, social and environmental services, provided more than 1.5 million services and accessed nearly $106 million worth of medications and supplies.
The UK Center for Excellence in Rural Health initially developed the program in 1994 in 14 counties where cancer, diabetes and heart disease rates are unusually high. Because of its success, Kentucky Homeplace has expanded to serve 58 counties across the state.
“Kentucky Homeplace is a unique program that provides access to health and social services for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky,†said Fran Feltner, program director. “The program’s success comes out of the team effort of the lay health workers and the network of county and state partnerships.â€
Kentucky Homeplace lay health workers are selected from within affected communities to help their neighbors access appropriate health services with an emphasis on preventive care, health education and disease management.
“Kentucky Homeplace’s beneficiaries are the neediest of the needy,†said NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. “But this approach of neighbors helping neighbors really has made an impact in rural Kentucky and in spin-off programs throughout rural America.â€
The award was presented during the NRHA annual conference in New Orleans, La., which attracted 900 rural health professionals and students and featured keynote speaker U.S. Surgeon General Steve K. Galson.
The NRHA is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of rural Americans and providing leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education and research. The NRHA membership is made up of 18,000 diverse individuals and organizations, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health.
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