Spots are still available for Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Indiana Regional Medical Center’s third annual Pennsylvania Mountains Rural Health Conference on November 21.
Almost 300 participants are registered for the conference, which will feature Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh as the keynote speaker.
The day-long conference will be held at IUP’s Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex; registration begins at 8:00 a.m., and presentations conclude at 4:45 p.m. Breakfast and lunch are included as part of the conference registration.
The theme for the 2024 conference is “Cultivating Wellness—Advancing Rural Mental Health Awareness, Research, Services, and Careers.” A celebration of National Rural Health Day, the conference is open to the community.
Pre-registration is required. Additional details can be found on the conference website.
Secretary Arkoosh’s presentation is from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services works every day as an agency and among other state, federal, and local partners to pursue strategies and initiatives that can improve care, foster innovation, and help make comprehensive, person-centered supports available for all communities of our Commonwealth so people can live healthy lives,” Arkoosh said.
“I look forward to joining this year’s Pennsylvania Mountains Rural Health Conference so we may all learn together and grow new relationships and collaboration to strengthen health care for Pennsylvanians in our rural communities,” she said.
Senator John Fetterman will provide recorded welcoming remarks. Senator Joe Pittman, Representative Jim Struzzi, and Lindsey Mauldin, deputy chief of staff for the Office of the Governor, will join IUP President Michael Driscoll and IRMC CEO Steve Wolfe for additional opening remarks.
“The Shapiro Administration has made rural health a priority over the past year—working with a broad group of stakeholders to ensure that access to care and workforce protections remain intact,” Mauldin said. “The Administration looks forward to being a part of this year’s Rural Health Conference at IUP and the opportunity it presents for continued collaboration and dialogue across the Commonwealth. “
“IUP is very proud and appreciative of our many longstanding relationships with IRMC, including our collaboration to present the annual Pennsylvania Mountains Rural Health Conference,” President Driscoll said.
“In addition to our mission of educating students, IUP takes its responsibility as a community partner and agent for change very seriously. This conference addresses an issue faced by millions of people, and we are very pleased to welcome Secretary Arkoosh and all of the distinguished leaders in health care and mental health services for this important event.”
“Collaboration is the cornerstone of advancing healthcare in our rural communities,” IRMC CEO Steve Wolfe said. “By working together—hospitals, educational institutions, and local leaders—we can cultivate wellness and significantly improve access to mental health services for everyone. The Rural Health Conference is a vital opportunity to share insights, develop strategies, and strengthen our commitment to fostering a healthier future for our rural populations.”
Arkoosh, a physician and public health professional, was appointed to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Governor Josh Shapiro in January 2023. She officially became Secretary on June 29, 2023. In her keynote session, she will highlight successful strategies implemented during her tenure in Montgomery County and share insights on fostering partnerships that enhance service accessibility and quality.
All presentations are designed for all levels of knowledge.
In addition to Arkoosh’s keynote address at 9:30 a.m., additional morning conference presentations are:
- Silent Suffering: Treatment-Resistant Depression, presented by Mark Fuller, managed care medical director, Carelon Health of Pennsylvania, 10:30 a.m.
- Opioid Settlement Funds: Diverse Approaches and County Insights, presented by Kami Anderson, executive director of Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission; Rich Fitzgerald, executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission; and Fred Oliveros, administrator, Cambria County Drug and Alcohol Commission, 11:15 a.m.
Concurrent afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. are:
- First Responders: Mental Health Training and Crisis Intervention, presented by Scott Pino and Bobby Tanyer, adult behavioral health program specialists, Westmoreland County, and officers in the Crisis Intervention Association of Pennsylvania, 1:00 p.m.
- Addiction and Effective County Response—Best Practices, presented by Anderson and Amanda Cochran, case manager supervisor, Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission; Michael Krafick, Recovery HUB director, Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission; and Kathy Stitt, certified recovery specialist supervisor, Armstrong-Indiana Drug and Alcohol Commission
- The Intersection of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Healthcare Providers, presented by Joann Migyanka, IUP special education professor emeritus. Migyanka developed a groundbreaking program that assists emergency first responders to have successful encounters with people with autism spectrum disorder to a new community.
Concurrent afternoon sessions at 3:15 p.m. are:
- Leveraging Emerging Military Medical Technology to Address Rural Emergency Medical Care, presented by Ronald Poropatich, director, Center for Military Medicine Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- K-12 Experiences Weighing in on Rural Mental Health Careers Panel, with superintendents Rob Heinrich, Indiana Area School District; Richard Lucas, United School District; Phil Martell, River Valley School District; and Clint Weimer, Marion Center Area School District
- Innovating Mental Health Care: Custom Solutions for Rural Communities, presented by Larry Nulton, president, Nulton Diagnostic and Treatment Center
Concurrent sessions at 4:00 p.m. are:
- Rural Community and Mental Health Rotations, presented by Amanda Vaglia, program director, IRMC Rural Family Medicine program, with representatives from the IRMC Residency Program
- Integrating Pediatric Mental Health Screenings in Primary Care, presented by IUP Department of Psychology faculty Donald Robertson and Laura Knight
- Understanding the Community You Serve: Data, Communication, and Collaboration, presented by Tammy Calderone, administrator for the Armstrong-Indiana Behavioral and Developmental Health Program, and Richard Neff, IRMC chief medical officer
In addition to the presentations, there will be a special event celebrating new affiliations between IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine with four community health centers at 2:00 p.m.
The conference concludes with closing remarks at 4:45 p.m. by IRMC Chief Human Resources Officer Jim Kinneer and IUP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lara Luetkehans.
IUP’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at IUP in December 2022. Following a national search, Miko Rose was selected as founding dean in November 2023; her hiring was highlighted during the 2023 rural health conference. IUP has clinical training agreements in place with Punxsutawney Area Hospital and Indiana Regional Medical Center.
This year’s conference builds on the IRMC-IUP Day tradition of celebrating its many partnerships while marking National Rural Health Day.
The first celebration of National Rural Health Day included the launch of the IUP-IRMC podcast Rural Health Pulse in November 2022; the podcast will launch season three in November. Highlights from the 2023 Rural Health Day conference are featured in season two’s episodes nine, 10, and 11.
IRMC and IUP cosponsored the first IUP-IRMC Day on April 22 during the university’s Research Appreciation Week, presenting keynote speaker Randall Longenecker and highlighting IUP-IRMC partnerships.
The conference is coordinated by Kinneer and Christina Koren, IUP director of Strategic Partnerships.
About the Keynote Speaker
The mission of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is to assist Pennsylvanians in leading safe, healthy, and productive lives through equitable, trauma-informed, and outcome-focused services while being an accountable steward of commonwealth resources. Its offices include the Office of Child Development and Early Learning; Office of Children, Youth and Families; Office of Developmental Programs; Office of Income Maintenance; Office of Long Term Living; Office of Medical Assistance Programs; Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; and Office of Administration.
Prior to her current position, Secretary Arkoosh served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. As commission chair, Secretary Arkoosh was committed to strengthening services for children, veterans, and seniors. She led the efforts to eliminate street homelessness of veterans and streamline delivery of human services. Recognizing the need for a strong, supported workforce in executing these goals, she instituted a $15 minimum wage and gender-neutral paid parental leave for Montgomery County employees. Drawing on her background as a physician, she oversaw a multipronged, integrated response to the opioid overdose epidemic, including issuing a standing order in 2015 to enable participating pharmacies in Montgomery County to dispense the overdose antidote naloxone at the request of any member of the public.
As a physician and public health professional, Secretary Arkoosh was at the center of Montgomery County’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, leading a data- and science-driven approach to the unprecedented challenge. Arkoosh’s leadership was praised during the county’s response, especially her transparency and public communication throughout the pandemic. Secretary Arkoosh is also a staunch advocate for maternal health and reproductive rights, and she serves on the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
Upon obtaining her master of public health in 2007, Arkoosh became deeply engaged in the national effort to achieve comprehensive healthcare reform. She led the National Physicians Alliance, a national nonprofit organization of physicians, who, putting their patients before profits, joined a broad-based nationwide coalition for reform. During this time, she developed policy and legislative strategy, and promoted public engagement in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, and throughout the country. Arkoosh maintains comprehensive knowledge of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its impact on individuals and the healthcare system.
Prior to stepping into public service, Secretary Arkoosh was professor of clinical anesthesiology and clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Arkoosh is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and received a master of public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in anesthesiology with a special focus in obstetrics. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University.
Secretary Arkoosh lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, with her husband and their three children.