Category WV Statewide Stakeholder Coalition

LOST RIVER, W.Va. February 1, 2021 – The Community Education Group (CEG) will be convening a statewide roundtable on the topic of harm reduction in West Virginia on Monday, February 8th, 2021 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.
 This open panel discussion will be moderated by CEG’s Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, and will feature local and state elected officials, private business representatives, public health experts, and harm reduction providers from across the state. 
“There are a lot of misconceptions about what ‘harm reduction’ actual is, whom it serves, and the impacts it has on our communities,” said Ms. Young. “After two decades of dealing with the opioid crisis in West Virginia, emotions are fraught and tempers are high. This roundtable is meant to bring all of the stakeholders to the table to come up with some answers and recommendations.”
 This roundtable discussion will occur during the regular monthly meeting of the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholders Coalition (WVSSC), a coalition of over 100 individuals, Community-Based Organizations, government agencies and departments, healthcare providers, insurers, and pharmaceutical partners that meets on the second Monday of each month (excluding federal holidays). Each meeting averages between 40-60 attendees, making this one of the best-attended coalitions in West Virginia.
 Registration is open to the public, and the WVSSC invites community members, community organizations and businesses, and healthcare providers, alike, to participate in this important roundtable. Those interested in attending my register using the following link: 
https://cutt.ly/JoinWVSSC
 All questions for the panelist should be submitted in advance to:
 info@communityeducationgroup.org 
The Community Education Group (CEG) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with offices in Lost River, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., working to eliminate disparities in health outcomes and improve public health in disadvantaged populations and under-served communities

Harm Reduction: A Community Conversation

LOST RIVER, W.Va. February 1, 2021 – The Community Education Group (CEG) will be convening a statewide roundtable on the topic of harm reduction in West Virginia on Monday, February 8th, 2021 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.
  This open panel discussion will be moderated by CEG’s Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, and will feature local and state elected officials, private business representatives, public health experts, and harm reduction providers from across the state.  
“There are a lot of misconceptions about what ‘harm reduction’ actual is, whom it serves, and the impacts it has on our communities,” said Ms. Young. “After two decades of dealing with the opioid crisis in West Virginia, emotions are fraught and tempers are high. This roundtable is meant to bring all of the stakeholders to the table to come up with some answers and recommendations.”
  This roundtable discussion will occur during the regular monthly meeting of the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholders Coalition (WVSSC), a coalition of over 100 individuals, Community-Based Organizations, government agencies and departments, healthcare providers, insurers, and pharmaceutical partners that meets on the second Monday of each month (excluding federal holidays). Each meeting averages between 40-60 attendees, making this one of the best-attended coalitions in West Virginia.
  Registration is open to the public, and the WVSSC invites community members, community organizations and businesses, and healthcare providers, alike, to participate in this important roundtable. Those interested in attending my register using the following link:  
https://cutt.ly/JoinWVSSC
  All questions for the panelist should be submitted in advance to:
  info@communityeducationgroup.org  
The Community Education Group (CEG) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with offices in Lost River, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., working to eliminate disparities in health outcomes and improve public health in disadvantaged populations and under-served communities

LOST RIVER, W.Va. February 1, 2021 – The Community Education Group (CEG) will be convening a statewide roundtable on the topic of harm reduction in West Virginia on Monday, February 8th, 2021 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.

This open panel discussion will be moderated by CEG’s Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, and will feature local and state elected officials, private business representatives, public health experts, and harm reduction providers from across the state.


“There are a lot of misconceptions about what ‘harm reduction’ actual is, whom it serves, and the impacts it has on our communities,” said Ms. Young. “After two decades of dealing with the opioid crisis in West Virginia, emotions are fraught and tempers are high. This roundtable is meant to bring all of the stakeholders to the table to come up with some answers and recommendations.”


This roundtable discussion will occur during the regular monthly meeting of the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholders Coalition (WVSSC), a coalition of over 100 individuals, Community-Based Organizations, government agencies and departments, healthcare providers, insurers, and pharmaceutical partners that meets on the second Monday of each month (excluding federal holidays). Each meeting averages between 40-60 attendees, making this one of the best-attended coalitions in West Virginia.


Registration is open to the public, and the WVSSC invites community members, community organizations and businesses, and healthcare providers, alike, to participate in this important roundtable.

Those interested in attending my register using the following link:

https://cutt.ly/JoinWVSSC


All questions for the panelist should be submitted in advance to:


info@communityeducationgroup.org


The Community Education Group (CEG) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with offices in Lost River, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., working to eliminate disparities in health outcomes and improve public health in disadvantaged populations and under-served communities

HIV Basics. Training Level: Community & Organizational. Thursday, February 4th, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern. Presenter: Trina Scott, Community Liaison, Gilead Sciences. HIV Basics Learning Objectives: • Understand what HIV-1 is, how it
relates to the immune system, and
how it is transmitted • Review the key terms related to HIV,
such as viral load and CD4 count, as
well as the difference between HIV
and AIDS • Recognize the urgency to start HIV
treatment as soon as possible after
diagnosis  • Initiate open, ongoing conversations
between patients and healthcare
providers. Register today: https://cutt.ly/HIV-Feb2021

HIV Training – HIV Basics

HIV Basics. Training Level: Community & Organizational. Thursday, February 4th, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern. Presenter: Trina Scott, Community Liaison, Gilead Sciences. HIV Basics Learning Objectives:  • Understand what HIV-1 is, how it
relates to the immune system, and
how it is transmitted  • Review the key terms related to HIV,
such as viral load and CD4 count, as
well as the difference between HIV
and AIDS  • Recognize the urgency to start HIV
treatment as soon as possible after
diagnosis  • Initiate open, ongoing conversations
between patients and healthcare
providers. Register today: https://cutt.ly/HIV-Feb2021

Training Level: Community & Organizational

Thursday, February 4th, 2021 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern

HIV Basics Learning Objectives:

• Understand what HIV-1 is, how it relates to the immune system, and how it is transmitted

• Review the key terms related to HIV, such as viral load and CD4 count, as well as the difference between HIV and AIDS

• Recognize the urgency to start HIV treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis

• Initiate open, ongoing conversations between patients and healthcare providers.


Presenter:

Photo of Trina Scott

Trina Scott
Community Liaison
Gilead Sciences

Register today: https://cutt.ly/HIV-Feb2021

Addressing Uncertainties with Confidence Educational Track: Hepatitis C Thursday, January 21st, 2021 2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Presenter: Monica Lattimore, BS PA-C Medical Scientist Liver Diseases Medical Affairs Gilead Sciences The WHO has identified HCV as a public health threat and has outlined steps needed to eliminate HCV by 2030. Currently, only 11 countries are on track for HCV elimination. Sadly, the United States is not one of them. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in HCV programs slowing or stopping altogether. Join us in a series of discussions on how we can successfully eliminate Hepatitis C and close the gap in screening and linking patients to care. Register today: https://cutt.ly/Hep-C-0121

Viral Hepatitis Training: Addressing Uncertainties with Confidence

Addressing Uncertainties with Confidence

Educational Track: Hepatitis C
Thursday, January 21st, 2021
2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern

Presenter:

Monica Lattimore, BS
PA-C Medical Scientist
Liver Diseases
Medical Affairs
Gilead Sciences

The WHO has identified HCV as a public health threat and has outlined steps needed to eliminate HCV by 2030.

Currently, only 11 countries are on track for HCV elimination. Sadly, the United States is not one of them. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in HCV programs slowing or stopping altogether.

Join us in a series of discussions on how we can successfully eliminate Hepatitis C and close the gap in screening and linking patients to care.

Register today:

https://cutt.ly/Hep-C-0121

Addressing Uncertainties with Confidence

Educational Track: Hepatitis C
Thursday, January 21st, 2021
2:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern

Presenter:

Monica Lattimore, BS
PA-C Medical Scientist
Liver Diseases
Medical Affairs
Gilead Sciences

The WHO has identified HCV as a public health threat and has outlined steps needed to eliminate HCV by 2030.

Currently, only 11 countries are on track for HCV elimination. Sadly, the United States is not one of them. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in HCV programs slowing or stopping altogether.

Join us in a series of discussions on how we can successfully eliminate Hepatitis C and close the gap in screening and linking patients to care.

Register today:

Take our health survey for a chance to win up to $500 Giving Away: -One $500 gift card -Two $250 gift cards -Five $100 gift cards 5-15 minutes long Survey Link in Post Description

Take the Rural Health Needs Survey, Win Up to $500

Take our health survey for a chance to win up to $500

Giving Away:
-One $500 gift card
-Two $250 gift cards
-Five $100 gift cards

5-15 minutes long
Survey Link in Post Description

Community Education Group & Rural Health Service Providers Network Launch Rural Health Needs Survey

Focuses on Rural COVID-19 Preparedness and Vaccination

LOST RIVER, W.Va. and RIVERSIDE, Calif. January 11, 2021 – The Community Education Group (CEG), TruEvolution, Inc., and the Rural Health Service Providers Network (RHSPN) have partnered to launch the nationwide Rural Public Health Needs survey.

The Your Rural Health Needs Survey is designed to seek input from community members, organizations, and healthcare providers on what the greatest public health needs are in their rural communities, what educational, training, and technical assistance resources are needed to address these issues, what issues they have accessing essential services, and how communities are working to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.

“No matter who I speak to – individuals, health departments, organizations, or physicians – they’re all worried about how we’re going to get rural Americans vaccinated against COVID-19,” says A. Toni Young, Founder & Executive Director of CEG and Co-Founder of the RHSPN.

As America prepares to roll out the various COVID-19 vaccines, Rural Health Service Providers (RHSPs), Local/County Health Departments, and other clinical and non-clinical healthcare organizations face numerous issues, including the fact that few rural providers have existing storage containers that reach the -70º C (-94º F) required to store the vaccine made by Pfizer. In addition, suppliers of dry ice, which can be successfully used to store the vaccine, are concerned that they will be unable to keep up with the increased demand, which may lead to shortages.

The findings of this survey will be used to craft CEG and the RHSPN’s educational, training, and technical assistance offerings through 2021.
Survey participants can enter to win one of eight Amazon Digital Gift Cards (One $500 gift card, two $250 gift cards, and five $100 gifts cards).

Individuals, organizations, and providers can take the survey by visiting the following link:

https://cutt.ly/ruralhealthsurvey

The Community Education Group (CEG) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with offices in Lost River, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., working to eliminate disparities in health outcomes and improve public health in disadvantaged populations and under-served communities.

LOST RIVER, W.Va. and RIVERSIDE, Calif. January 12, 2020 – The Rural Health Service Providers Network (RHSPN) and Community Education Group (CEG) will be hosting Dr. Deborah Birx on Tuesday, January 19th, 2020 for a robust conversation about COVID-19 preparedness, vaccination, and prevention in Rural America. RHSPN Co-Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, moderates a panel including Dr. Deborah Birx, WVU Medicine's Dr. Clay Marsh, TAN Healthcare's Dena Hughes, and Case Western Reserve University's Dr. Blanton S. Tolbert.

Meeting – COVID-19 Preparedness in Rural America with Dr. Deborah Birx

Rural Health Service Providers Network & Community Education Group to Host Dr. Deborah Birx in Conversation About COVID-19 Preparedness in Rural America

LOST RIVER, W.Va. and RIVERSIDE, Calif. January 12, 2020 – The Rural Health Service Providers Network (RHSPN) and Community Education Group (CEG) will be hosting Dr. Deborah Birx on Tuesday, January 19th, 2020 for a robust conversation about COVID-19 preparedness, vaccination, and prevention in Rural America.  RHSPN Co-Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, moderates a panel including Dr. Deborah Birx, WVU Medicine's Dr. Clay Marsh, TAN Healthcare's Dena Hughes, and Case Western Reserve University's Dr. Blanton S. Tolbert.

LOST RIVER, W.Va. and RIVERSIDE, Calif. January 12, 2020 – The Rural Health Service Providers Network (RHSPN) and Community Education Group (CEG) will be hosting Dr. Deborah Birx on Tuesday, January 19th, 2020 for a robust conversation about COVID-19 preparedness, vaccination, and prevention in Rural America.


RHSPN Co-Founder & Executive Director, A. Toni Young, moderates a panel including Dr. Deborah Birx, WVU Medicine’s Dr. Clay Marsh, TAN Healthcare’s Dena Hughes, and Case Western Reserve University’s Dr. Blanton S. Tolbert.


Dr. Deborah Birx

Dr. Deborah Birx
Response Coordinator
Coronavirus Task Force


Dr. Clay B. Marsh
Vice-President &
Executive Dean
Health Sciences
West Virginia University


TAN Healthcare CEO, Dena Hughes

Dena Hughes
CEO
TAN Healthcare


Dr. Blanton S. Tolbert
Professor
Center for RNA Science & Therapeutics
Case Western Reserve University

Event poster for the December 2020 national meeting of the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition and Rural Health Service Providers Network entitled "Deconstructing Silos - Increase Access in Rural Health" and featuring speakers Tom Morris (Health Resources Services Administration), Sean Bland (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law), Michelle Perdue (Cabell Huntington Health Department Harm Reduction Program), and Daphne Kackloudis (Equitas Health). The event will be held on Monday, December 14th, 2020, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern

Community Education Group to Co-Convene National Meeting with Rural Health Service Providers Network

Event poster for the December 2020 national meeting of the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition and Rural Health Service Providers Network entitled "Deconstructing Silos - Increase Access in Rural Health" and featuring speakers Tom Morris (Health Resources Services Administration), Sean Bland (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law), Michelle Perdue (Cabell Huntington Health Department Harm Reduction Program), and Daphne Kackloudis (Equitas Health). The event will be held on Monday, December 14th, 2020, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. & RIVERSIDE, Calif. November 13, 2020 – The Community Education Group and the Rural Health Service Providers Network (RHSPN) will be co-convening a National Day of Advocacy on Monday, December 14th, 2020 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM Eastern.

Deconstructing Silos – Increasing Access in Rural Health will be convened in collaboration with the West Virginia Statewide Stakeholders Coalition (WVSSC), a project of the Community Education Group (CEG) based in Shepherdstown, WV. The WVSSC’s mission is Deconstructing Silos Between HIV, Substance Use Disorder, and Viral Hepatitis testing, treatment, services, and care.

This will be the first national meeting of the Rural Health Service Providers Meeting, which will begin convening regular monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month (excepting federal holidays), beginning in January 2021. These meetings will bring together speakers from federal, state, and local agencies to discuss issues relevant to RHSPs. More information will be released in the coming months, as the RHSPN plan for the first meeting of 2021.

Registration for the December meeting is separate from the regular RHSPN meetings, and interested parties may do so using the following links.



Speakers for the December National Day of Advocacy include:



Tom Morris
Associate Administrator
Office of Rural Health Policy
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)


Photo of Sean Bland

Sean Bland
Senior Associate
O’Neill Institute for National
and Global Health Law
Georgetown University


Photo of Michelle Perdue


Michelle Perdue
Harm Reduction Program Coordinator
Cabell-Huntington Health Department


Photo of Daphne L. Kackloudis


Daphne L. Kackloudis
Chief Public Policy
& Administrative Officer
Equitas Health


Logo for the Rural Health Service Providers Network

The Rural Health Service Providers Network is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for and meeting the technical assistance needs of essential service providers serving rural Americans.

You can learn more about the Rural Health Service Providers Network by visiting their website and following them on social media using the following links

West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition November 2020 Meeting Flyer

WVSSC Meeting – November 9th, 2020

An image of the New River Gorge Bridge with the words "WV Statewide Stakeholder Coalition" above it

The November 2020 meeting of the WVSSC will take place on Monday, November 9th, 2020 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM


This month’s meeting features the following guests:


Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Photo of Dr. Neeraj "Jim" Gandotra

Dr. Neeraj “Jim” Gandotra
Chief Medical Officer
(SAMHSA)

Photo of Dr. Jean Bennett

Dr. Jean Bennett
SAMHSA Regional Administrator
Region III


Substance Use Disorder

Photo of Stephanie Lancaster

Stephanie Lancaster
Director of Community Health Solutions
Indiana, Ohio, & West Virginia
Emergent BioSolutions


HIV

Photo of Shawn Balleydier

Shawn Balleydier
Assistant Director
Director of HIV Prevention and Care
Division of STD, HIV and TB
Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services
Bureau for Public Health/WVDHHR


Viral Hepatitis

Tiffany West
Gilead Sciences


Members of the WVSSC

Community Education Group Resource Guide Image of the New River Gorge Bridge at night with the words "Connecting You to West Virginia - The Resources West Virginians Need for SUD, Hepatitis, and HIV

Community Education Group Launches New Health Resource Guide

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV (October 19, 2020) – The Community Education Group has launched a new West Virginia Statewide Resource Guide that helps people in the state access resources for HIV, Substance Use Disorder (SUD), and Viral Hepatitis services.

This new digital Resource Guide lets users select their county of residence using an interactive map, which takes them to a dedicated page detailing the providers and organizations available in their area.

“One of the biggest challenges facing West Virginians is not knowing where to go when they’re seeking testing, treatment, or services for HIV, SUD, and Hepatitis,” said A. Toni Young, CEG’s Founder and Executive Director. “With this new guide, CEG is seeking to help West Virginians find the resources they need where they live, as well as to identify gaps in services which will allow us to develop better partnerships and strategies that will expand access to services to fill those gaps.”

The West Virginia Statewide Resource Guide continues to expand and seek input from CEG’s three primary stakeholder groups: Communities, Organizations, and Providers. Users may submit new or overlooked HIV, SUD, Hepatitis, and other resources for inclusion and listing under the appropriate county by filling out a simple form.

Community Education Group (CEG) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization working to eliminate disparities in health outcomes and improve public health in disadvantaged populations and under-served communities.

New River Bridge Bridge Day Celebration

Community Education Group Forms West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Public Health and Community Organizations Join Forces to Combat Triple Threat of Substance Use, HIV, Hepatitis Outbreaks in West Virginia

New Coalition Will Take on Rising Infection Rates and Drug Overdose Deaths in the State

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 – The West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition (WVSSC) convened for the first time on September 1, 2020, to address West Virginia’s growing “syndemic” of HIV/Hepatitis C (HCV) outbreaks and drug overdose deaths. The group’s primary mission is to break down technical, regulatory, and administrative barriers that limit testing, treatment, and support across HIV, viral hepatitis, and substance use disorder [SUD] programs. Such barriers create “treatment silos” that fail to reflect the medical and social realities behind the interrelated health crises—and thereby impede effective intervention.

The meeting was convened by the health advocacy organization Shepherdstown-based Community Education Group (CEG). CEG formed the new statewide coalition aimed at stemming the rising tide of fatalities and HIV and viral hepatitis infections driven by West Virginia’s ongoing opioid crisis. 

“We are facing an unprecedented Substance Use Disorder epidemic in West Virginia,” said A. Toni Young, Founder and Executive Director of CEG. “An epidemic that is directly linked to our state’s highest-in-the-nation rates of Viral Hepatitis, to three HIV outbreaks in the past four years, and to the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the nation. It constitutes an immediate and ongoing threat to public health, requiring a proportional response. The West Virginia Statewide Stakeholder Coalition assembles the expertise and collaborative strategy to spearhead that response.”

The WVSSC will focus on expanding awareness, education, rapid testing for HIV and Viral Hepatitis, treatment for SUD, and linkage-to-care networks which refer those recently diagnosed with HIV or Viral Hepatitis to treatment resources. 

The first WVSSC meeting brought together 65 individuals and organizations including state government and public health officials, healthcare providers, national organizations, school board officials, community-based organizations, and others from across West Virginia. 

Representatives attendees for WVSSC include: West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources; the Bureau for Public Health; the Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services; the Office of Laboratory Services; the Office of Drug Control Policy; the Doddridge, Marion, Marshall, Mid-Ohio Valley, and Monongalia County Health Departments; Berkeley County Schools; the Hancock County Commission; the Jefferson Berkeley Alliance on Substance Abuse Prevention; the United Ways of Central WV, Marion, and Taylor Counties; Community Connections; David Medical Center; the Eastern Panhandle Regional Planning and Development Council; Eastridge Health Systems; EnAct, Inc.; the Family Resource Networks in Fayette, Gilmer, and Jackson Counties; the Morgan County Homeless Coalition; the Regional Intergovernmental Council; the West Virginia Institute of Community and Rural Health; West Virginia University; and many other private and public community members from across the state.

WVSSC’s primary goals include: 

1.)   Working to deconstruct disease state silos between Substance Use Disorder, HIV, and Viral Hepatitis by increasing awareness, education, and building linkages to care and treatment networks;

2.)   Working to expand HIV screening, rapid testing, surveillance, treatment, and linkage to care throughout West Virginia, reaching into hard-to-reach and hard-to-treat parts of the states;

3.)   Helping to develop statewide elimination plans for HIV and Viral Hepatitis;

4.)   Developing statewide working groups focused on SUD, HIV, and Viral Hepatitis;

5.)   Offering educational opportunities to Providers, Organizations, and Consumers centered around HIV, Substance Use Disorders, and Viral Hepatitis

NEXT MEETING: The next open meeting of WVSSC will be held on October 13, 2020, at 2:00 PM ET.  All are invited. Sign up by filling out the form at this address