The Center for Rural and Community Health
The Center for Rural and Community Health ( CRCH ) was founded in 2010 as a special resource center of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine ( WVSOM ).
Under the mission of driving engagement in rural health , the CRCH aims to guide and connect rural and isolated communities to opportunities and resources to address health priorities . It works with dozens of regional , state and community-based organizations on research-related projects to improve the health and well-being of West Virginians .
Included in the CRCH ’ s outreach efforts is the Community Health Education Research Person ( CHERP ) online training for community health workers . Under CHERP , people committed to helping improve the health of rural West Virginians train at three levels : wellness , health promotion and disease prevention and management .
The CRCH has also developed county-specific opioid awareness and prevention toolkits to educate communities to reduce the stigma of substance abuse and provide resources for treatment and recovery . Toolkits have been developed for the 10 hardest-hit counties , with six regional toolkits produced to cover all counties in the state of West Virginia . The CRCH focuses a lot of effort on substance use disorder through prevention programs , community education , treatment and recovery . The CRCH offers services for youth , adults and seniors relative to general wellness , nutrition , exercise and chronic disease and pain management .
In 2019 , the CRCH opened the Clingman Center for Community Engagement in historic downtown Lewisburg , WV . The Clingman Center offers an opportunity for community members and local nonprofits to come together to develop community programs and projects . Its purpose is to promote and implement community engagement at the grassroots level . It connects the community to WVSOM and WVSOM students to the community .
Since 2016 , the CRCH has been awarded more than $ 7.5 million in federal , state and local funding .
several boards of directors and is actively involved in community projects through her church . For Hill , the most important work she does is with Health Integrated Multisectoral Services ( HIMS ) in Tanzania , a group she was introduced to in 2018 .
“ HIMS rescues young girls from female genital mutilation , which is still in practice there ,” she says . “ I believe what impacts another human across the globe , impacts us all . We can ’ t have a hole in one side of the boat and think our side won ’ t sink as well .”
Hill is dedicated to making a difference in all the work she does .
“ I am a change agent ,” she says . “ Innovation usually occurs when people disagree . I never see disagreement as the end of an issue , I see it as the beginning from which you can build . I strive to always practice kindness , even when dealing with challenges and people who are not always kind .”
After spending part of her career working in Tennessee , Hill returned to West Virginia in 2010 to further public health initiatives here .
“ I was born and grew up in rural Boone County . We did not have any money , but my six siblings and I had an engaged , godly and loving mother — priceless ,” she says . “ For me , the mountains are my home . West Virginia is where I learned to be resourceful and think for myself . I am connected to the Mountain State because it is in my blood . The people of the Mountain State are resilient and strong , and I am proud to be among them .” •
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