The Auburn University Rural Health Initiative and the University of West Alabama (UWA) have partnered to improve healthcare access and digital connectivity in rural Alabama. This collaboration emerged when Hollie Cost of Auburn University introduced OnMed® Care Stations, a telehealth solution, in Sumter County, and Rodney Granec of UWA connected the initiative with UWA’s $1.6 million Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) grant. The grant enhances digital accessibility and literacy in underserved communities, helping install OnMed® stations that provide crucial healthcare services. UWA nursing students also benefit from hands-on experience in rural public health. This partnership aims to address health disparities and foster long-term economic and social improvements in these communities, with a focus on policy advancement and inclusivity.

Auburn University Outreach and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) are working together through the Rural Health Initiative to tackle significant healthcare disparities in rural Alabama, focusing on underserved regions like Chambers and Hale counties. The initiative incorporates innovative telehealth technology, such as the OnMed® Care Station, which provides residents—particularly those who are uninsured or underinsured—easier access to critical healthcare services without the need for long-distance travel. Local coordinators like Rachel Snoddy and Jovita Lewis have been instrumental in driving the success of the program by advocating for its implementation and working closely with local hospitals and communities. The success in Chambers County, where the OnMed® station is the most active in the nation, has inspired similar efforts in Hale County, where the technology is expected to address chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. As the initiative continues to expand across the state, the collaboration between Auburn University, ACES, and local healthcare providers highlights a comprehensive, community-centered approach to improving healthcare access and reducing disparities in Alabama’s rural areas.

The newly renovated Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center, featuring a state-of-the-art OnMed® Telehealth Station, has provided over 1,150 patient consultations in its first 16 months. This ambition, a result of the local community and the AU Rural Health Initiative supported by Auburn Outreach and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, is a collaborative effort involving a diverse group of faculty and staff. Telehealth services emphasize substance use disorder treatment, mental health, and primary care, with OnMed healthcare stations at six sites and telehealth carts at ten sites. Additionally, the College of Nursing, College of Liberal Arts, College of Education, College of Human Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, and College of Pharmacy contribute significantly to face-to-face community service, bringing specialized expertise and hands-on support directly to the communities in need. The facility, praised for its convenience and effectiveness, has become a crucial resource, saving time, money, and lives.

Auburn University's dedicated efforts to bolster workforce development in Alabama have reached a milestone as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant program draws to a close after 3 years of the Auburn University Success Plus Youth Program being held in Macon and Bullock County Schools.

Access to health care is no longer a major issue for people in two rural Alabama communities. This is thanks to Auburn University’s expansion of the Rural Health Initiative footprint, which now features the OnMed Care Station and in-person health and wellness services in Wilcox and Greene counties.

The Dr. Royrickers Cook Endowed Engagement Award is presented annually to one faculty or staff member who has shown an ongoing and purposeful commitment to implementing outreach. This award is intended to honor one recipient who understands civic and community engagement, interpersonal relationships, and serving the underserved.