If anyone is sure to know rural, it is Barbara Brendel, the new Rural Health Coordinator for Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services.  Barb was raised on a farm, her parents still farm, 2 of her 7 brothers farm, and her only sister is also married to a farmer.  Not to mention that her husband's parents and 2 of his 3 brothers are farmers.  Although she doesn't currently live on a farm, she does live in rural Missouri and provides farming assistance to her family members as necessary!

Barb was hired as the Rural Health Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Office of Primary Care and Rural Health in January 2008. Barb brings a wealth of experience to this position as she has been with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for 21 years! Most recently, she was the Department Situation Room Coordinator within the Center for Emergency Response and Terrorism, working at the state level on disaster and emergency preparedness issues.  She has also served as the Boards and Commissions Liaison in the Office of the Director.  Ms. Brendel previously held positions within the Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Bureau of WIC and Nutritional Services, Bureau of Special Health Care Needs, State Health Laboratory and the Bureau of AIDS Prevention.

Currently, Barb is working on expanding the Balanced Scorecard Project to Missouri CAHs, bringing the Minnesota Comprehensive Advanced Life Support training to rural Missouri, updating Missouri's Rural Health Plan and liaison activities with partners.

Barb also maintains and administers the Medicare Hospital Flexibility Grant, which includes: monitoring and assuring grant dollars designated to Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and possible conversion hospitals as related to outcome based plans pertaining to CAH and Emergency Medical Services integration; assuring all guidelines of the Flex grant are implemented; coordinating all CAH proposals for review and assuring all contracts and invoices are sent to contractors and returned for processing.