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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Kentucky to Host 2011 Appalachian Regional Commission Conference
Governor Beshear welcomes Appalachian leaders to Prestonsburg on Sept.7-9
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear will welcome leaders from multiple Appalachian states to Prestonsburg next week to consider the best ways to improve health for the families and children of Appalachia.
The annual Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Conference will be held at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park Sept. 7-9. This year’s conference theme, “Healthy Families: Healthy Futures,” will focus on the unique health challenges of this region. Health experts and community leaders from across Appalachia will examine key health issues and highlight successful health-care programs throughout the multi-state area.
“As the 2011 ARC States’ Co-Chair, I am honored to host this broad spectrum of regional community, business, health and education leaders from across Appalachia in Kentucky for this annual ARC event,” Gov. Beshear said. “As members of this unique region, we understand the complex issues that plague some its areas and know the struggles our citizens face. This conference is an exceptional opportunity to come together and share ideas and practices that are improving the quality of life in Appalachia; knowledge that we can, in turn, take back and implement in our own communities.”
Some of the many topics to be discussed at this year’s conference include expanding health-care access for children, preventing substance abuse among adolescents, improving children’s oral health and using information technology to improve the quality of health care. Representatives from 13 Appalachia states are scheduled to attend the conference.
Gov. Beshear announced last week that approximately 25,000 Kentucky children in Appalachia will receive preventive oral health services through a new pilot program called Smiling Schools. The program is funded mainly through a $1 million grant from the ARC.
The Department for Local Government, led by Commissioner and ARC Alternate Tony Wilder, will administer this year’s conference on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
For more information on the 2011 ARC conference and how to register, please visit http://www.cvent.com/events/healthy-families-healthy-future-conference/event-summary-71ad491197cb454f914742a2b9811819.aspx.
Established by Congress in 1965, ARC partners with federal, state and local governments to support sustainable community growth in Appalachia through projects ranging from education and job training to business and infrastructure development to health-care and housing assistance. Kentucky’s 54 most eastern and south-central counties currently qualify for ARC funding.
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