Information about the scheduled workshops are available.(Click Here)

Training Workshops

Two regional workshops are provided each contract year based on demand and location. Typically, one will be provided in an eastern state and one in a western state. See Scheduled Workshops for the currently scheduled regional workshops. Each year, only up to two regional workshops will be planned. Workshops can be hosted by any state. The host state will provide a meeting room and have the workshop available locally to their participants with only a small registration fee per participant. Any state interested in hosting a regional workshop should contact Dr. Doeksen or Ms. St. Clair at the information below. There is no cost associated with hosting a regional workshop.

Basic funding for the two regional workshops is from a grant with the Office of Rural Health Policy. The cost to each participant will be their time, travel, hotel, per diem, and a registration fee to cover the cost of lunch, breaks, and other miscellaneous expenses. Workshops can be requested just for a particular state; however, the state will incur some costs for the workshop.

RHW invites any interested party to register and attend these regional workshops. Enrollment in the workshop is limited to 20 participants and registrations will be accepted on a “first come, first serve” basis.

These workshops are “Train the Trainer” sessions and are designed for professionals from agencies that plan to be involved in providing technical assistance to local communities in any one of the three areas of emphasis:

Participants will receive community health engagement (strategic health planning) materials and instruction, including:

Participants will receive an overview of how to conduct specific health budgeting studies such as:

Each participant will receive a packet of selected materials and a CD with all materials presented. Additional hands-on computer training can be provided for one hour after the workshop, by individual arrangement.

Dr. Gerald A. Doeksen and Ms. Cheryl F. St. Clair will provider the RHW training. At times, additional trainers may be involved. Dr. Doeksen is Regents Professor/Health Economist for the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University, from which he holds an MS and PhD in Agricultural Economics. Dr. Doeksen was awarded the American Rural Health Association Research Award in 1984 for developing medical practice feasibility guidebooks and was honored in 1985 by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services for his guide for planning rural EMS systems. Dr. Doeksen has worked with Oklahoma communities and health providers for over 30 years. He co-founded Rural Health Works and contributes to this campus-community partnership by sharing his special expertise in measuring the economic benefits of the health sector and in development budget studies for health services.

Ms. St. Clair has over 30 years of experience in rural community development and 5 years of experience in hospital administration. Ms. St. Clair has a BS in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. She has been involved in RHW from its inception and develops RHW partnerships and RHW tools. In addition to providing the RHW training, she develops RHW tools and provides ongoing technical assistance to other states.

Dr. Doeksen and Ms. St. Clair have expanded RHW to over 40 states by training teams to use the RHW tools to partner with their local communities. Ultimately, the objective of RHW is to train state teams in the RHW tools and these state teams can then assist local communities in providing and sustaining rural health services.

Technical Assistance

Additional RHW assistance is available on an ongoing basis. After the workshop, both Dr. Doeksen and Ms. St. Clair are available by phone or email to assist with any questions or additional needs. They are available to review any products that workshop participants develop after attendance and to walk the workshop participants through the technical areas when and if needed. Additional training can be provided in Oklahoma by appointment; the only cost would be the participant’s time and travel to Oklahoma. If on-site training is needed at the participant’s location, there would be a cost depending on funding availability.

Training materials are available. (Click Here)

To arrange a Rural Health Works training workshop, interested states should contact: