50: The Minnesota Rural Health Conference

The 2017 Minnesota Rural Health Conference, Shaping Sustainable Solutions, was held June 19 and 20, at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in Duluth, MN.  The annual event was hosted by the National Rural Health Resource Center, the Minnesota Rural Health Association and the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Rural Health and Primary Care.  The conference objectives was to share and discuss innovative local and state solutions to challenges while encouraging informed and visionary collaborations for the future.  

The conference provided the opportunity to:

• Discover approaches to improve and integrate mental health access in rural communities
• Provide timely information on making value real for rural
• Learn about supporting rural populations with best practices from around the state
• Share community-based solutions to address health disparities and inequities
• Develop and access a network of colleagues, students and partners to support the rural workforce

Keynote speakers included:

Arne Vainio, MD
Family Physician, Min No Aya Win Human Services Center

Edward Ehlinger, MD, MSPH
Minnesota Commissioner of Health

Alana d. Knudson, PhD, EdM
Program Area Director and Co-Director of the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis

Brock Slabach
Senior Vice-President for Member Services, National Rural Health Association