UNC’s Division of OS/OT partnered with Novant Health & UNC Health’s Ingram Institute’s Novant SERVE initiative to form our program’s first-ever Occupational Therapy Rural Health Committee (OTRHC). There are unique strengths and opportunities, as well as barriers and challenges that are imperative to consider when supporting rural healthcare providers and communities. At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to learn about a concentrated effort to broaden OT services and increase workforce development via the OTRHC program in a 5-county Southeast North Carolina region. Participants will be able to reflect on rural community outreach efforts, and the assets and challenges associated.

Presenters:

• Sara Kelleher Peña, Lead, Occupational Therapy Rural Health Committee
• Darius Ingram, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Novant/UNC partnership
• Edye Barbour, Novant Health SERVE Program Coordinator, UNC Health Ingram Institute
• Dr. Jennifer Renshaw, Director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Cape Fear Community College
• Miranda Bravo, Occupational Therapy student class of 2026