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Choice Health Network’s Jered Croom earns Rural Health Association of Tennessee award

November 18, 2022

Jered Croom
Choice Health Network

Jered Croom, regional client services manager for the Upper Cumberland region for Positively Living & Choice Health Network, has earned a statewide Award of Merit for contributions of major significance to the rural health movement.

The Rural Health Awards are presented by the Rural Health Association of Tennessee. Croom was recognized at a luncheon during the association’s annual conference in Pigeon Forge on Nov. 17.

“Jered continues to make an impact and stands to greatly expand his contribution to rural healthcare at the helm of Positively Living & Choice Health Network’s office in Cookeville,” said Steve Jenkins, chief executive officer of Positively Living & Choice Health Network. “His work aligns with the mission of Rural Health Association of Tennessee, and I congratulate Jered on this great accomplishment.”

Positively Living & Choice Health Network serves Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations: more than 6,000 individuals and families struggling to survive the challenges created by HIV, homelessness, mental illness, substance use and LGBTQ+ discrimination. The organization has offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis in addition to Upper Cumberland.

The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is a nonprofit comprising individuals and organizations committed to improving the health of rural Tennesseans by identifying rural health concerns and working to resolve those issues through service, education and advocacy.

Cultivating partner relationships so that Positively Living & Choice Health Network can have a bigger impact in the region is among the reasons Croom earned recognition.

“When you plant a seed, the root system needs to be strong, so we’re nourishing a strong foundation in order to grow and serve even more people from vulnerable populations with compassion and care,” Croom said.

Jenkins added, “Jered and his team are experts on the issues that rural Tennesseans living with HIV face, and he orchestrates a spectrum of skills to improve lives. In rural places where people who have HIV can feel stigmatized in conventional medical situations, Jered and his team remove barriers and connect patients to the resources and treatment they need. This award indicates that they’re successfully accomplishing that goal.”

For more information, visit choicehealthnetwork.org.

About Positively Living & Choice Health Network

Positively Living & Choice Health Network is a 501(c)(3) public health nonprofit serving Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations: more than 6,000 individuals and families struggling to survive the challenges created by HIV, homelessness, mental illness, substance use and LGBTQ+ discrimination. The organization has offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis and Upper Cumberland. For more information, visit choicehealthnetwork.org.