August 29, 2019 What's New Improving the Reach and Quality of Cancer Care in Rural Populations. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health recently announced a new study aimed at improving the quality of cancer care in rural areas among low-income and underserved populations. The request for applications that will go out at the end of September encourages two areas of study: 1) observational research that includes pilot testing of interventions to understand and address predictors of cancer; and 2) intervention research to address known predictors. Specifically, the focus for observational studies (with pilot testing) is understanding and addressing the predictive and/or mediating role of social determinants of health, barriers to care, and treatment; and the focus for interventional research is on addressing quality of care related to cancer diagnosis, treatment and/or survivorship. Most existing cancer control interventions are not ready for direct implementation and dissemination in low-income rural areas, so proposals should seek to develop, adapt, and/or implement, and test interventions. Earlier this year, NCI launched The Cancer Information Service, an online resource for answers to difficult questions, treatment center locations, and help finding clinical trials among other topics. Funding Opportunities EPA Assistance for Local Foods, Local Places – September 30. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites local governments, Indian tribes, and nonprofit institutions to apply for a new round of planning assistance from Local Foods, Local Places, a program that helps communities revitalize neighborhoods through development of local food systems. Selected communities will get assistance centered around a two-day workshop where a team of experts will help develop an action plan for improving access to healthy food and boosting economic opportunity for local farmers and main street businesses. Communities of any size are eligible to apply, and past projects include success in rural areas. Become a Sponsoring Agency for AmeriCorps VISTA Program – October 1. AmeriCorps VISTA is a federal anti-poverty program that provides resources to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to increase their capacity at the community level. Since 1965, the program has been placing full-time VISTA members and Summer Associates in some of our nation's poorest areas where they receive a modest living allowance to assist with an organization's specific anti-poverty program. In 2020, AmeriCorps VISTA plans to support approximately 8,100 members and Summer Associates who will serve with approximately 850 sponsors serving priority populations that include rural communities, Indian Country, and areas of concentrated poverty. Nonprofit organizations, Native American Tribes, and state, and local government agencies are eligible to submit proposals for projects in any of four focus areas: 1) economic opportunity, 2) healthy futures, 3) education, 4) veterans and military families. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records – October 25. The Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulations (42 CFR Part 2), aka "Part 2," protect patient privacy when receiving substance use disorder treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has proposed changes to these rules based on stakeholder feedback and to facilitate coordination of care. The proposals include allowing non-opioid treatment program providers to become eligible to get information from prescription drug monitoring programs and changing the requirements for patient consent. See this HHS Fact Sheet for a summary of the proposals and RHIhub for more information on substance use disorder treatment in rural areas. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Unintentional Injury Death Rates in the United States – Thursday, August 29 at 1:00 pm ET. The Rural Health Information Hub will host this hour-long webinar featuring experts from the National Center for Health Statistics discussing two recently released reports: Unintentional Injury Death Rates in Rural and Urban Areas: United States, 1999–2017 and Urban–Rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, by Sex, Age, and Type of Drugs Involved, 2017. The presentation will cover historical trends and patterns by urbanization for unintentional injury deaths overall, with a more detailed look at motor vehicle traffic injuries, drug overdose, and falls. MIPS Value Pathways RFI Webinar – Wednesday, September 4 at 1:30 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, September 4 from 1:30-2:30pm ET to provide information about the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (also referred to as MVPs) proposed framework and Request for Information (RFI), which was outlined in the 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. This RFI specifically requests feedback on small and rural practices and their participation in MVPs. Mental Health in Rural Populations: A Federal Perspective – Thursday, September 5 at 1:00 pm ET. AgriSafe will host this one-hour featuring Paul Moore, a Senior Advisor in the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. He and other experts will discuss federal investments, options for addressing mental health challenges, and ways to increase awareness and minimize stigma. USDA's Rural Health Opportunities – Tuesday, September 10 at 2:00 pm ET. This webinar will inform participants about several programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that are either dedicated to, or can be used for, private and not-for-profit rural health care projects. Working with banks, credit unions and community managed lending pools, USDA offers loans and grants to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing, health care, first responder services and equipment, and water, electric, and communications infrastructure. HRSA's Best Practices to Prevent Eating Disorders – Wednesday, September 11 at 1:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the sponsor of this 90-minute webinar focused on preventive medicine for eating disorders. Primary care providers will learn about evidence-based practices for managing patients with eating disorders, as well as guidelines for collaborating within an eating disorder specialty team. The course is a joint effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Office of Women's Health. Continuing education credits are available. Rural Health and the Law: Public Health Approaches/Potential Legal Solutions – Thursday, September 12 at 2:00 pm ET. This three-part series brought by the American Health Lawyers Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will examine the growing disparity between rural and urban health outcomes. Participants in all three programs will come away with an understanding of the drivers of this disparity, and learn about innovations in public health and healthcare to address them. Legal and policy solutions will be discussed including the use of telemedicine, medical-legal partnerships, rural accountable care organizations, and county-based care integration models. The monthly series will begin in September and end in November. CMS National Training Program Workshops – Through September 12. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold five workshops around the country, each lasting 2-3 days, to increase knowledge about updates to the Medicare program. Attendees of the workshops will learn about new changes and innovations for this program that provides significant support for rural health care delivery, including information on opioids and other current topics. Click for more information on the agendas in each of the five cities - Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Arlington, and Providence. Save the Date: 3RNet 2019 Annual Conference – September 24-26 in Wichita, KS. The National Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNet) is a nonprofit organization that matches health care professionals to employers in rural and underserved areas. Attendees of this annual two-day conference will network with other 3RNet members, learn strategies for rural recruitment and retention, and gain insight from experienced leaders in health professions staffing. Last year, 3RNet made more than 2,500 clinician placements in rural, frontier, and underserved urban communities. Resource of the Week Rural Guide to Improving Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Care (COPD). A policy brief issued last year by the University of Minnesota reported that while the COPD prevalence rate is higher for individuals living in rural areas, Critical Access Hospitals are less likely to employ any respiratory therapists. With support from HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, the National Rural Health Resource Center created this guide to help rural hospitals and clinics identify areas for improvement with diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care of COPD patients. The guide is developed as part of the COPD National Action Plan, with the goal of developing resources for improving the lives of patients living with COPD in rural communities. Approaching Deadlines Comments Request: Current Use of Telemental Health for Suicide Prevention in Emergency Department Settings – August 29 Comments Requested: FCC Proposes $100 Million Connected Care Pilot Program – August 29 AHA Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award – August 30 Bloomberg Public Health Fellows – Intent to Apply August 30 HRSA Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program – August 30 Pew/RWJF Community Opioid Response and Evaluation (CORE) Project – August 30 Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program – Ongoing through August 2019 Comments Requested: Bipartisan Policy Center Rural Health Task Force – September 7 Comments Requested: CY 2020 Home Health Proposed Rule – September 9 NIH Research for Tobacco Control Policies – Letters of Intent September 11 Comments Requested: Methods for Assuring Access to Covered Medicaid Services-Rescission – September 13 Small Rural Hospital Transition Project – Letters of Intent September 15 Comments Requested: Specialty Care Models to Improve Quality of Care and Reduce Expenditures – September 16 Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) – September 25 Comments Requested: Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Policy, Payment, and Quality Provisions for CY 2020 – September 27 Comments Requested: Proposed Updates to Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System – September 27 Comments Requested: ESRD and DMEPOS CY 2020 Proposed Rule – September 27 EPA Assistance for Local Foods, Local Places – September 30 USDA Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program – September 30 Become a Sponsoring Agency for AmeriCorps VISTA Program – October 1 Comments Requested: Rural Access to Health Care Services – October 9 Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records – October 25 Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program – October 28 USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) – October 31 Rural Health Network Development Program – November 25 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – November 29 Bloomberg Public Health Fellows – December 1 Delta States Rural Development Grant Program - December 6 NIH: Research for Disparities Among Minority/Underserved Children – Cycles thru May 2020 Guaranteed Loans for Rural Rental Housing – Ongoing through 2021 SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business – Ongoing Drinking Water State Revolving Fund – Ongoing Seeking Nominations: National Advisory Committee on Migrant Health – Ongoing HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program – Ongoing RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health – Ongoing Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans – Ongoing Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects – Ongoing Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages – Ongoing HIT Strategies for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures – Ongoing HIT to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes – Ongoing Community Facilities Program – Ongoing Summer Food Service Program – Ongoing | 
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