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The Michigan Center for Rural Health has hosted the Michigan Rural Health Conference since 1997. The conference is of interest to a broad range of rural stakeholders and aims to provide engaging education on relevant topics for rural health providers. The conference is targeted towards those working in rural health, including rural health clinics and hospital settings. In addition, the conference also targets individuals and organizations from local public health, community mental health, substance use disorder treatment centers, and those working to positively impact social drivers of health.
Billi Jo Hennika, Chief Operating Officer at McKenzie Health System, was honored as the 2026 Rural Health Professional of the Year during the luncheon ceremony at the 29th Annual Michigan Rural Health Conference. Over the past several years, Billi Jo has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of health care delivery in Sanilac County. She was instrumental in the design, development, and promotion of the new McKenzie Hospital, currently under construction and scheduled to open next year. This transformative investment will help secure long-term access to care in the region, with a facility designed to meet the evolving needs of both patients and clinicians.
The Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium (NMORC), a program of MCRH, hosts its annual summit to unite rural partners across Michigan in addressing substance use. The event features panel discussions, voices of lived experience, and opportunities to share best practices in prevention, treatment, recovery, and workforce development.
The Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium and the Michigan Center for Rural Health are proud to present the 2026 Rural Recovery Hero Award to Nicole Hatch.
Nicole has helped transform correctional education from traditional classroom and lab hours into a comprehensive recovery and reentry support system. She understands that lasting recovery often depends not only on education, but also on access to housing, treatment, employment, community resources, and consistent support.
MCRH hosts the annual Critical Access Hospital Conference to bring together CAH leaders from across the state. This event is invite-only and provides a platform to share best practices, explore innovative strategies, and strengthen Michigan’s CAH community through collaboration and education.
MCRH supports Michigan’s Critical Access Hospitals through the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program (FLEX Program). FLEX helps strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure by focusing on quality reporting and improvement, financial and operational performance, emergency medical service integration, and population health management.
The CAH Conference is specifically designed for hospital leaders, including CEOs, CFOs, CNOs, and Directors of Patient Safety and Quality, to engage in peer-to-peer learning, build connections, and exchange strategies that improve the sustainability and performance of rural hospitals.
Questions? Contact:
Michigan Center for Rural Health
Administrative Assistant
517.355.7979
com.mcrhaa@msu.edu
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