Session Proposals:

This year’s conference theme—Expanding Strategies for Rural Sustainability—will explore the challenges and opportunities in making rural health a vital, viable, ongoing. We welcome presentation proposals that address themes of sustainability across clinical, community-based, research, best practices, educational, and other settings. Share your strategies for crafting sustainable solutions that can improve the health and wellness of New England’s rural communities.

We are actively seeking student presentation proposals. This is the ideal venue to showcase your rural health research, internship, community-based program, or other work. For years, the NERHA conference has been a steppingstone for students who move on to publish and present on the national stage. It can all start here!

Building on last year’s feedback, we will again pair proposals with similar themes into joint sessions. Sessions will feature two related presentations, each about 20-25 minutes long, with time allotted at the end for discussion and questions. We are excited to continue to develop this style of breakout session as a way to streamline the conference agenda, increase connection and learning, and facilitate interactive dialogue among attendees and speakers. We will also accept up to four proposals for standalone, hour-long presentations for topics that need a deeper dive.

The NERHA Conference Committee will review all abstract submissions and invite  selected presenters to a presentation block. A limited number of standalone presentations will be accepted. Every effort will be made to ensure a solid fit between presenters. Please indicate if your proposal is for standalone presentation consideration only.

We encourage novel and innovative proposals of all kinds. Here are some possible topic areas to consider:

• Behavioral/Mental Health 

• Oral Health

• Leadership

• Human Services

• Workforce

• EMS/EMT/First Responder

• Maternal and Child Health 

• Telehealth and Rural Technology Strategies 

• Social Determinants of Health

• Public Health Emergency and/or Disaster Preparedness Response 

• Government

• Philanthropy

• Population Health

• Policy Issues

• Tribal & Native, Aging, Veteran, and other Populations

• Environmental/Climate/Energy Resilience

• Blended and Braided Funding

• Fiscal Sustainability

• Strength- and Asset-Based Strategies

• Billing and Coding Strategies

Previous examples include

Poster Proposals:

Are you working on a program, project or research related to rural health sustainability that you would like to share with conference attendees? If so, we encourage you to submit a poster proposal. Selected posters will be displayed throughout the conference, with a dedicated time slot for attendees to interact directly with you to hear details about your poster. This is an ideal way for students and others to participate who may not have the time to develop a full presentation. We encourage academic posters such as original research, and also welcome less formal posters about special programs or projects. 

We will have materials to hang your poster on display boards and ask that your poster be no more than 48 inches wide x 48 inches high.

Session & Poster Submission Information:

The following information will be required in your submission: (i.) session title, (ii.) short and long description of presentations, (iii.) learning objectives, (iv.) general information regarding the speaker(s) including: name(s), emails, addresses, phone numbers, role/title, and affiliated organization.

Please Note: You will want to have your information ready before starting the application because you will need to complete your entire submission in one sitting. You will not be able to edit your proposal online after you submit. If you need to modify your proposal after submission, please contact our administrative support team at admin@newenglandrha.org.

Please indicate on the submission form if you have a preference for being selected as a poster or session presenter. 

Deadline: Session Proposals are due June 30th, 2024. Poster Proposals are due October 15th, 2024.

The Session Proposals will be reviewed by the NERHA Conference Committee, and their decisions regarding selections will be shared in mid-late July 2024. The conference registration fee will be discounted for up to two registered speakers per presentation, for the day that they are scheduled to present. This does not apply to poster presentations. If your proposal is accepted, the information provided in your proposal may be used in conference promotional materials, including, but not limited to, emails, social media posts, website, and/or mailings. Information will also be included in the conference program and app.

Important Additional Poster Information:

We ask that posters be sent to the event location prior to the conference. If you are unable to send your poster in advance of the conference, we will ask you to take responsibility for hanging your poster with mounting materials that will be provided to you. Poster authors will be responsible for removing their poster at the end of the conference.

A minimum of one author of each poster will be required to register for the full conference. Note: Students who cannot attend may send their poster with a faculty member who is attending the conference.

You will also be asked to send in a final PDF file that will be shared on our website to our virtual attendees.

If you have any questions or concerns at all, please contact our administrative support team at admin@newenglandrha.org.