As the California State Rural Health Association is in its eleventh year as a formal 501(c) 3 not for profit organization, we seek to move forward in a direction that not only builds upon our past work, but also allows us to address the needs of individuals and communities in rural California. Accordingly, I would like to share with you the vision and future for CSRHA, which was developed by our Board of Directors this year.

As the executive director, I have been concerned with the major trends affecting CSRHA and the rural health sector over the past year. Having visited many locations throughout California's diverse rural areas, I have learned about the challenges faced to providing healthcare in areas that have less resources than more populated cities. My goal has been to bring these issues to the forefront of pubic discussion and to our Board so we can more effectively respond to the needs of our membership.

Based on this approach, the Board of Directors identified four broad areas for CSRHA to focus its energy over the next two years: 1) revenue sources; 2) workforce shortages; 3) technology usage, and 4) leadership. In addition, the need for stronger advocacy in the legislative and governing bodies was emphasized to support these efforts. To ensure our success, we will also seek to gain more involvement throughout the Central and Southern California regions, maintain geographic and cultural diversity on the board and develop collaborative partnerships with other organizations that support our collective mission throughout the state.

We have made some progress over the years, which we feel builds upon our strengths and captures our opportunities to pursue our mission and supports our values. These include:

• Becoming a recognized voice for rural health
• Developing collaborative networking and partnerships
• Advocating for rural health - a non-urban driven voice
• Leadership through convening groups around important issues
• Funding for rural health
• Providing educational programs and training opportunities
• Connecting to organization that are nontraditional health providers
• Viewing the whole system of the community of a rural area

It has been an extraordinary year of learning for me, and I continue to learn every day from the people I talk to in our rural communities. Thank you for your time and for your candid feedback about how CSRHA can improve the health of rural California. I look forward to building upon this foundation, and to working with you in a proactive manner throughout the year.

Sincerely,
Desirée Rose
Executive Director