HISTORY OF SERA
PRESENTED BY
GERALD A. DOEKSEN
HISTORY OF SERA
 FORMED BY SRDC IN JUNE 1990
 STARTED AS RURAL HEALTH TASK
FORCE
 MET IN STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
 HELD SPRING AND FALL MEETING
ORGINIAL MEMBERS
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Jeff Alwand, VPI
Gerald Doeksen, OSU
Frank Farmer, U of AR
Doris Denkens, Auburn
Barbara Garland, NC
State
 Belinda Howard, Alcorn
State
 Gladys Lyles, Tuskegee
U
 William McIntosh, TA&M
 Michael Miller, U of FL
 Richard Reinheimer, U of
GA
 Doss Brodna, SRDC
 Bonnie Teater, SRDC
 Jacqueline Tisdale, SRDC
Products of Task Force
1990 - 1993
 Wrote and Published Guidebook
– Creating Partnerships in Health Care: A Local Initiative.
SRDC Publication No. 156. March 1992
 Published document of State Health Initiatives
– Rural Health Care State Programs: Long-term Care,
Physician Recruitment and Retention, Rural Emergency
Medical Services, Migrant Farm Workers. SRDC
Publication No. 159, June 1992
Products of Task Force
1990 – 1993 (Continued)
 Sponsored a Symposium at 1992 Southern
Rural Sociology and Southern Agricultural
Economics Annual Meetings.
 Organized a Region-wide Conference
“Developing Partnerships for Rural Health”
Conference in November 1993. (100
participants which formed state teams.)
Products of Task Force
1990 – 1993 (Continued)
 Proposed to convert to SERA (Southern
Regional Extension and Research Activity)
Became a SERA-TF5 in 1993
Continued to meet in Spring and Fall
SERA-TF5 Members
 Sara Bagby – SC
 Mark Purschwize Clemson
 Kim Alexander - Clemson
 Joyce Richardson –
Clemson
 Brenda Thames – Clemson
 Frank Framer – U of AR
Glen Hetzel – VPI&SU
Ann Peisher – U of GA
Bobby Tyson – U of GA
Linda Patterson – MS State
Gerald Doeksen, OSU
Barbara Garland – NC
State
 Michael Schulman – NC
State
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Main Projects
 Resource Directory
– Sara Bagby – South Carolina
 Position Paper for Administrators
– Martha Johnson
 Curriculum Committee
– Linda Patterson
– Barbara Garland
1994-1998
 Continued to have Spring and Fall Meetings
 Continued to Work on Above Projects
 Became a SERA-IEG (Information Exchange
Group)
 Brought in top notch rural health
professionals
– Example: Barbara Garland hosted a
meeting in NC and had Bruce Behringer
speak at conference.
– Always shared programs.
1994-1998 (Continued)
 Rural Health resource Directory got up
and Running
 Position Paper – led to creation of a
National Extension Health Task Force
named “Healthy Communities – Healthy
People.”
 Curriculum Committee – Evolved to the
Creation of the Southern Extension
Health Institute
1994-1998 (Continued)
 Conducted a Conference in Biloxi, MS
November 1997. the Conference Title
“Building rural Health Partnerships” was well
attended.
 Obtained a $25,000 grant from Kellogg to
Award Small State Specific Grants to
Partners for Conducting Project in Their
States.
1999 Activities Included Finalizing
Institute Curriculum and
Planning First Institute
Southern Extension Health Institute
October 2000 in Canton, MS.
2000 -- 2004
Conducted Four Health Institutes