Mary Jane Clark
Mary Jane Clark, RN, MS, CHES
Manager of Health Resources
511 Stipes Hall
(309) 298-2253
MJ-Clark@wiu.edu
Mary Jane Clark is the program manager of health resource management at the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing in 1996 from Culver-Stockton College (Canton, Missouri) and Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing (Quincy, Illinois) and a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Education and Promotion with an emphasis in Community Health in 2001 from Western Illinois University. She has extensive experience in the health care field, in a variety of health care settings. She has a background in community research, giving her an in-depth understanding of the health service needs in rural communities.
Clark is responsible for health research activities, the MAPPING the Future of Your Community’s Health program, and technical assistance on rural health issues. By developing public and private partnerships, Clark continues to identify the health care needs of rural areas and conducts research to improve the health of rural residents. Areas of research include planning initiatives for a growing elderly population, effective health communications for rural residents, innovative health delivery strategies, and the impact medical liability issues have on rural areas.
The MAPPING the Future of Your Community’s Health is a strategic visioning and planning program to improve community health in rural areas. Communities work with IIRA staff to conduct a needs assessment and examine data to make informed choices about their future. Clark's responsibilities include designing, coordinating, and facilitating each Community Health MAPPING process, as well as identifying research endeavors that impact these communities. Clark is also able to work with rural communities on technical assistance projects as funding and time allows. Technical assistance can be facilitation on various projects, developing a survey instrument or conducting a survey with a partnering agency, conducting focus groups, or researching a specific health need.
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