History

The Allegany/Western Steuben Rural Health Network was founded in 1994, and is an established, highly-visible rural health network comprised of service providers and community leaders in Allegany and Steuben counties. In 2006, AWSRHN applied and obtained its 501C3 Charitable Organization status.

Organizational Structure

The organization of the Network consists of the membership, the Board of Directors, Board Officers, committees, personnel and volunteers. The membership of the Network is open to organizations and agencies that serve Allegany and Steuben County on a local, regional and state level, and which have formally expressed an interest in and support the mission, objectives and processes of the Network.

Organizational Objectives

• Access to Care - to improve awareness and accessibility to quality health care by providing leadership and networking support to identify needs and gaps in services through coordination and program development/expansion
   
• Cross-System Collaborations - to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery by facilitating communication, planning, problem solving, and leveraging mutual resources
   
• Organizational Capacity Building – to promote the development of strategies that improve the ability of agencies to deliver services, reduce duplication and improve operational performance
   
• Network Governance - to promote Board responsibility to the demands that the Network faces and understands the changes that may have a positive or negative influence on the organization and anticipate and respond to internal and external influences in a proactive manner

Processes

The Network’s processes and methods involved with health systems improvement include health status detection, planning, and identifying and utilizing resources including:

• convening community leaders and members
• developing and supporting ongoing community committees / partnerships
• working with members to develop a vision, priorities for action and work plans
• consensus development for indicators to measure progress
• intervention implementation and evaluation
• resource development

Funding

• Financial support provided by the New York State Office of Rural Health
• Allegany County United Way
• Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York
• and many other important contributors and supporters