Michigan Center for Rural Health

Time is running out. Register for the 2026 Rural Michigan Opioid and Substance Use Summit Today!

The room block has been extended to June 26th. Be sure to reserve your stay.

Speaker Highlight: Join Brandon Hool, MPH, and Katie Abraham, MPH, from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services as they discuss Michigan's Overdose Strategy, statewide priorities, progress to date, and how these efforts are supporting rural communities across the state.

📅 July 16, 2026
📍 Treetops Resort | Ga***rd, MI

Learn more about the conference and register today: https://mcrh.msu.edu/news-and-events/opioid-summit-info

Tomorrow!

Join us for a special Infectious Disease ECHO with Jean Tsao, PhD and Dr. Peter Gulick, DO for an update on ticks.

🩺 Update on Ticks
🎤 Featuring Jean Tsao, PhD and Dr. Peter Gulick, DO
📅 June 17 | ⏰ 12–1 PM EST

Register Now! https://msu.zoom.us/j/92850007065

Tomorrow!

Join us for a diabetes ECHO with Dr. Kim Pfotenhauer, DO.

She will be going over physical activity, nutrition resources & diabetes education

When: June 16th
Time: 12-1 pm EST
Where: Zoom

Register here: https://iecho.org/public/program/PRGM17411127300471AKVVYBUOT

Have you seen the June RHC Bulletin?

In this issue you’ll find updates, tools, and upcoming events relevant to Rural Health Clinics across Michigan!

Access the full newsletter: https://conta.cc/4dZO4us

Subscribe to receive future editions directly in your inbox:
https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4CovwccHJDwvtA

Recovery is all about CONNECTIONS. Don’t miss your opportunity to connect with rural Michigan’s prevention, treatment and recovery stakeholders and sign up now to exhibit or sponsor the 2026 Rural Michigan Opioid and Substance Use Summit!

Attendees are eager to learn about new as well as established resources to help them help others through their recovery journey.

For more information, follow this link: https://mcrh.msu.edu/news-and-events/opioid-summit-info

Michigan Center for Rural Health hosted the 2026 Billing and Coding Bootcamp on June 9 and 10 at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. Utilizing trusted rural partner, Archpro Coding and Consulting, the annual event provides the opportunity for Michigan’s Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Rural District Health Departments to convene and learn from a leading voice in rural health.

The 65 billing and coding professionals who attended received excellent guidance from ArchPro’s John Burns, Vice President of Audit and Compliance Services. Throughout the 11-hours of in person instruction, attendees learned about documentation requirement updates and best practices geared toward revenue optimization and compliance. An added benefit was the opportunity to network with peers from other communities to both share a common bond as well as present their unique solutions to billing situations that others may be able to learn from and adopt.

Participants who completed the live training are now eligible to take the Rural Health Coding and Billing Specialist (RH-CBS) certification exam. If they achieve the passing score or more earns them the RH-CBS credential through the Association for Rural and Community Health Professional Coding.

Special thank you to ERA Group for supporting this event and helping to keep this education accessible for our rural communities.

For more education opportunities and everything rural health in Michigan, sign-up for our newsletters:
https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4CovwccHJDwvtA

Check out this story!

Advancing Community Health Requires Whole-Person Care In my years at the bedside and now as a nurse leader in Northern Michigan, I’ve witnessed healthcare at its most complex and its most human.

Last week, MCRH had the opportunity to present at the 2026 Small Town & Rural Development Conference. Joyce Fetrow and Laura Stoddard shared insights on Medicaid policy changes, opioid settlement investments, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and other statewide initiatives shaping the future of rural Michigan.

As rural communities navigate significant policy and funding changes, collaboration across sectors remains essential to addressing local challenges, strengthening community resources, and supporting long-term community well-being.

Thank you to Rural Partners of Michigan for hosting this important event and to everyone who joined the conversation.

To learn more about MCRH's programs and connect with the team members leading this work, visit our staff directory and explore opportunities for collaboration. https://mcrh.msu.edu/aboutus/staff

In just one week!

Join us on June 17 for an Infectious Disease ECHO with Dr. Peter Gulick, DO for an update on ticks.

🩺 Update on Ticks
🎤 Featuring Dr. Peter Gulick, DO
📅 June 17 | ⏰ 12–1 PM EST

Register Now! https://msu.zoom.us/j/92850007065

The Women in Emergency Services - Michigan Chapter is hosting Stacy Munday, founder and owner of Damsel in Defense, a self-defense basics course, along with a self-defense product website. There is no hands on contact in this course. However, you will learn techniques such as proper use of pepper spray, kubaton and other self-defense techniques. There are 2 CEUs for EMS providers (operations & preparatory). This course is sponsored by MMR EMS and is free to those who have registered and received confirmation of their attendance. Seating is limited to the first 50 confirmed registrations. Light refreshments will be available at the event. Check it out below!

Our next Keep them Safe with Damsel in Defense course is scheduled for June 24, 2026 in Mason, Michigan. The link below will take you to the registration form, or simply use the QR code on the post.

This is a great course for women! Seating is limited.

The course is being sponsored and hosted by Mobile Medical Response and is free to the public. Women in EMS is honored to partner with the Damsel in Defense training as part of our soft networking this year!


https://forms.gle/fVanGsgZowM3R6eEA