Berens to share vision for community health

Dennis Berens, director of the State Office of Rural Health of Nebraska, will speak at Concordia University, Nebraska, on Thursday, March 3. His presentation, “Community Matters: A Rural Health and Health Care Perspective,” will begin at 10 a.m. in the Weller Hall auditorium.

In his lecture, Berens will share his vision on the role of communities in helping people to address health and health care issues. With the recent national focus on health care reform, the topic is especially timely. “For those of us who live and work in rural Nebraska, we are wondering if things will actually change for the better because of work in D.C. and in our state,” said Berens.  

With more than 20 years working in the rural health field in Nebraska and currently serving as president of the National Rural Health Association, Berens’ career is focused on health care. He earned both a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree from Concordia. In 1990 he accepted an appointment from then Governor Kay Orr to run the new state Office of Rural Health.

Berens was named a 1997 Community Health Leader by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The national award annually honors 10 resourceful people who have improved access to healthcare for underserved populations. In 2010 Concordia honored Berens with the Distinguished Service Award, which is given to those who have demonstrated the use of God’s gifts in outstanding public service.

This event is part of Concordia’s “Looking Beyond” speaker series and is free and open to the public.