The Team Who We Are See our Board of Directors Donna Kahm, SPHR President & CEO Lacey Arnold Program Support Specialist Sarah Burt Program Assistant Toni Cottone Program Assistant Lindsey Green Program Support Specialist Mark Leckband Program Assistant Kathleen Monroe Administrative Assistant Rob Pritchard Director of Program Development Colleen Ross Bookkeeper Bethany Schoonover-Kruse Program Assistant Ellie Strade Program Assistant Micheyla Williams Program Assistant Jordan Yaros Director of Grant Operations

IMPROVING THE HEALTH & WELLNESS OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES Our Key Services At Southern Tier Health Care System, we are dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare challenges faced by our rural communities. Our programs are designed to improve access, provide education, and deliver life-saving resources to underserved populations. Here’s how we make a difference: Community Support EMS Education & Training Step Into Healthcare Telehealth Safe Kids Pathways to Care About us For 30 years, Southern Tier Health Care System (STHCS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Olean, NY, has served 250,000 residents in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties—rural areas facing severe healthcare shortages and high poverty rates. STHCS partners with healthcare providers, educators, law enforcement, and other leaders to deliver holistic care, leveraging technology to improve access. Programs include EMS training, Narcan education, suicide prevention, and initiatives to eliminate barriers to healthcare. Collaborating with 12 partners, STHCS aligns with health department priorities to enhance healthcare capacity and support underserved communities. See Programs Our Mission Our Mission Our Mission It is the mission of Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. to improve the health and wellness of the rural communities we serve. Belief Statement Agencies and organizations affiliated with STHCS believe that our collective knowledge and experience is an effective resource to address health care issues in our region. We further believe that STHCS is an appropriate mechanism to facilitate the project and programs which may be needed to accomplish this. Vision Statement The vision of STHCS is that comprehensive health needs of all people will be met through its facilitation of an accessible, seamless, quality system of providers and services. This will be accomplished by maximizing resources and cost-effective approaches to improve the quality of life. SEE UPDATES VIEW DONNA'S WEEKLY PROGRAM UPDATES! Donna Kahm has served as President and CEO at Southern Tier Health Care System since January 2007. To view her weekly updates, click below! View Updates Our Programs

Obstetrician/ Gynecologist (OBGYN) OB/GYN is inherently dedicated to women's reproductive health and well-being. These healthcare professionals navigate the diverse realms of obstetrics and gynecology, addressing the unique medical needs of women across different life stages. In the realm of obstetrics, they guide expectant mothers through the transformative journey of pregnancy, ensuring safe deliveries and postpartum care. In gynecology, their focus extends to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions affecting the female reproductive system. The nature of this profession involves a delicate balance of clinical expertise, surgical skills, and compassionate care. OB/GYNs conduct routine screenings, provide family planning services, and offer support in navigating various reproductive health issues. The profession is characterized by a commitment to empowering women, fostering healthy pregnancies, and promoting overall reproductive wellness Career Fact Sheet Download Career Fact Sheet: ObstetricianGynecologist (OBGYN) .pdf Download PDF • 719KB

Pathways to Care – Community Partnership One of our Pathways to Care members needed some help making her home safer and more accessible. Rob and Lindsey worked to connect her with BC Love Thy Neighbor, and their crew was able to help. The crew repaired her front steps and added a handrail, made adjustments to her interior stairs, installed a bedroom door, replaced damaged kitchen flooring that was a trip hazard, and completed several other repairs to improve safety and accessibility in her home. This is a great example of our Pathways to Care team identifying a need and working with a community partner to find a solution. Thank you to Rob and Lindsey for helping coordinate this and to BC Love Thy Neighbor for stepping in to help this member and her family. Understanding the Gaps, Planning for the Future This week, we have continued gathering data for the Cattaraugus County Rural Community Health Initiative (RCHI) Planning Grant. We have been reaching out to hospitals, primary care providers, behavioral health organizations, and other community partners to better understand where gaps in services exist and what challenges people are facing when trying to access care. Our next step is the RCHI Steering Committee kickoff meeting on October 29, where we will bring our partners together to discuss the planning process and next steps. I want to thank Jordan for all the work she has been doing to coordinate this effort. There is a lot to get done in a short amount of time, and I appreciate everything she is doing to keep us moving forward.

Connecting the Work As I look at everything we have going on right now, one thing that continues to stand out is how much of our work involves connecting organizations and resources across our region. We are seeing this with the RCHI planning grant, Pathways to Care, EMS, the homeless outreach work, and even some of the newer opportunities we are exploring. I think this is an important role for STHCS. We don't need to create or run every program. Sometimes our role is simply recognizing a need, getting the right people around the table, and figuring out how we can use what is already available before creating something new. This is also why I think the Rural Health Transformation work fits so well with a lot of what we are already doing. Access to care, transitions of care, EMS, behavioral health, social needs, and better coordination between organizations are not new issues for us. We have been working in these areas for a long time. As these opportunities continue to develop, I want to make sure we are looking at where STHCS can make the biggest difference, where we can help connect the pieces, and where it makes sense for us to take a larger role. I think there is a lot of opportunity ahead of us, but I also want to make sure we are thoughtful about what we take on and that it fits with who we are and what our communities need. Lower-Level Renovation Work continues on the lower-level renovation, and the space is really starting to take shape. The project includes the large training/meeting room, breakout rooms, and several additional office spaces. We are continuing to work through the elevator portion of the project and the related work needed to make the lower level fully accessible. Once completed, the lower level will give us much-needed additional office, meeting, and training space. It will also give us more flexibility to hold larger trainings and meetings at STHCS while still having breakout space available when needed.

Dr. Kevin Watkins Elected NYSAC President Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Watkins, Cattaraugus County Public Health Director and member of the Southern Tier Health Care System Board of Directors, who was elected President of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC). Dr. Watkins was sworn in as President this week. NYSAC represents county governments across New York State and provides a statewide voice on issues affecting counties and their communities. Dr. Watkins has been a strong leader in Cattaraugus County for many years, particularly in advancing public health and strengthening partnerships across health care and community organizations. His election to this statewide leadership role is a great recognition of the work and leadership he has provided here in Cattaraugus County. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Watkins’ leadership and expertise represented on the STHCS Board. Building a regional Response to Hepatitis C Last week, I met with Park Bogan from the Albany Damien Center, who shared information about their work to develop regional coalitions across New York State focused on the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C. This is especially important for our area. Western New York continues to see higher rates of hepatitis C, with Chautauqua County having the highest rate in the Western New York region and Cattaraugus and Allegany counties also experiencing rates above the New York State average. The goal of the coalition is to bring together healthcare providers, community organizations, and local leaders to identify needs, improve access to testing and treatment, and support New York State’s efforts to eliminate hepatitis C. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, you can contact Park at pbogan@albanydamiencenter.org or (716) 389-8825.