Raymond T. Coward, MSW, PhD, is the Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Professor and Dean of the College of Health and Human Development at The Pennsylvania State University and is a professor of health policy and administration. Dr. Coward was the founding editor of "The Journal of Rural Health "(1985-1990), now in its 20th year of publication, and is the author or editor of eight books, including several focused on rural populations.