Call for Proposals

The National Association for Rural Mental Health invites you to submit a proposal for the 2018 NARMH Annual Conference!

About the 2018 Conference Theme:

Founded in May of 1718, the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana has embodied the concept of resilience for over 300 years. With its robust history influenced by territorial rights: first, occupied by various Indigenous populations, then 44 years of French ownership, then 40 years of Spanish ownership, and now over 200 years of American ownership, New Orleans represents centuries of cultural resilience that have gone largely undeterred by the tribulations of the Civil War in the 1800s, expanding of racial inequalities during the 1900s, and the impact of natural disasters and socio-economic disparities of the 20th and 21st centuries. In this way, the history of endurance of the city of New Orleans epitomizes the common qualities of resilience we know to be true of rural and remote populations. The National Association for Rural Mental Health Conference brings together the entire spectrum of the rural mental health community, including consumers, family members, practitioners, administrators, educators, researchers, and policy makers. For the 44th Annual National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH) Conference, we want to bring to light the remarkable stories of Rural Resilience through our conference programming. Conference programming proposals focused on the exploration of cutting edge research, evidence-based best practices, and/or national trends in public policy are encouraged to help NARMH facilitate across the 3-day conference an in-depth storytelling of all that demonstrate the unique resilience of rural people and the industry of rural mental health.

NARMH Conference 2018 programming proposals can include, but are not limited to, any of the following suggested interdisciplinary themes related to the conference theme, Rural Resilience:

Suggested interdisciplinary Themes (but not limited to)

• Stress, coping, and self-care for rural mental health providers.
  Mental health care delivery to rural and remote populations present a unique set of care challenges for the provider. What are common issues confronting the rural provider? Are there effective tools/skills for strengthening resiliency to reduce burnout and increase retention rates of the rural mental healthcare workforce?
• The rural opioid epidemic and mental health services.
  As one of our nation’s hottest political topics and significant public health concern, what are rural health centers and other rural base providers doing to address the needs and service demand of opioid addiction in rural and remote regions?
• Stories of awareness of mental health services in rural and remote regions.
  How have rural communities continued the work towards recovery in the months and years after a major event, such as a large scale natural disaster (i.e. flooding, fire, etc.) or a traumatic event (i.e. mass shooting)? What are examples of mental health emergency response in the immediate aftermath of catastrophic or traumatic events? How have rural mental health providers widened access to mental health care or mental health education to rural or remote towns and communities during times of great need?
• Balancing pop-culture and a global dialogue with traditional conservative values: Stories of breaking down stigma and championing resilience on issues considered taboo in rural cultures.
  As a national dialogue increasingly asserts values of inclusivity and the celebration of individual differences, how have youth and young adults residing in rural and remote regions balanced what they observe in pop culture or in a progressive global dialogue with the viewpoints and expectations of a rural, and perhaps, more conservative environment?
• Stories of the resilience of Native populations.
  What are best practices and/or modern approaches to coping with and addressing historical trauma? What individuals/groups have been “changemakers” or a positive influence in today’s in Native populations?
• Stories of rural mental health that embody the psychological concept of grit.
  Studies describe this concept as: “…Grit entails working strenuously towards challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress.”

  (Duckworth, A., & Peterson, C. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087.)

• Return to Rural: Stories of our nation’s service men and women returning to rural homes as veterans to adapt to life after combat or active service and how rural mental health providers are helping in the transition.
• Other topics.

Deadline to submit is February 1, 2018 or until the agenda is filled.