Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health to be held virtually June 2-4

Grand Forks, N.D. – The 36th Annual Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, taking place June 2-4, 2021, will be presented virtually. Registration is now open with reduced fees. The conference includes four keynote addresses, 18 sessions, eight intensive sessions, and a legislative policy panel. Continuing education credits will be available. For participants registered for the full conference, there will be a limited number of enduring credits available for one year after the conference, and all presentation recordings will be available.

The Dakota Conference provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals, educators, and students to share strategies for building and sustaining healthy communities in North Dakota. It includes two and one half days of pre- and post-conference meetings, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, poster presentations, and an awards banquet.

For more information about the Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, to review the schedule, or to register, visit www.ruralhealth.und.edu/dakota-conference. The Rural and Public Health Awards Program will be held June 3 at 5:30 p.m. There is no charge to watch the program, and it is open to the general public; registration is required to receive the link.

Keynotes include:

North Dakota's COVID-19 Response and Lessons Learned, presented by Joshua Wynne, M.D., chief health strategist for the state of North Dakota, vice president for Health Affairs at the University of North Dakota (UND), and dean of the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS).
Pediatric Mental Health, presented by Kathy Anderson, M.D., FAAP, CLC, CEIM, president of the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Blind Spots: Riding the Waves of Diversity, Unconscious Bias and Change, presented by Kostas Voutsas, M.B.A., M.S., HR/OD, professor of human resources at Dickinson State University, and corporate trainer.
Racism as a Public Health Problem, presented by Olihe Okoro, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor with the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

The Dakota Conference would like to thank Diamond Level exhibitors: Altru Health System; American Heart Association; Horizon Virtual; and the North Dakota Rural Health Association. Gold Level exhibitors include Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota; Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas; Eide Bailly LLP; HSIsolutions; The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; North Central State Regional Council of Carpenters; Sanford Health Plan; Tango340B; Tobacco Free North Dakota; the UND Public Health Program; and the UND SMHS.

The Dakota Conference is coordinated and facilitated by the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the UND SMHS. The planning committee is a partnership among the Altru Health System, CRH, North Dakota Public Health Association, North Dakota Rural Health Association, and the UND College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines.

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Jena Pierce
Communications Manager
Center for Rural Health
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
1301 North Columbia Road, Stop 9037 | Room E248 | Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037
(701) 777-4205 direct | (701) 777-3848 main | (701) 777-6779 FAX
jena.pierce@und.edu
www.ruralhealth.und.edu | www.facebook.com/CRuralHealth | www.twitter.com/CRuralHealth