April 30, 2020 What's New New Funding Opportunity: HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – June 30. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) RRPD Program is a multi-year initiative aimed at expanding the physician workforce and increasing opportunities for residents to train in rural communities across America. HRSA will make 11 awards of up to $750,000 each to support the development of new, sustainable rural residency programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). To read the full application guidance, click on the "Package" tab in the link, then click "Preview" and "Download Instructions". For questions regarding the RRPD program, email RuralResidency@hrsa.gov. HHS Launches COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), launched a new COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal, allowing health care providers who have conducted COVID-19 testing or provided treatment for uninsured COVID-19 individuals on or after February 4, 2020 to submit claims for reimbursement. Providers can access the portal at COVIDUninsuredClaim.HRSA.gov. HHS Launches New COVID-19 Workforce Toolkit. On April 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released a new toolkit to help state and local healthcare decision makers maximize workforce flexibilities when confronting COVID-19 in their communities. The toolkit contains a number of "Resource Collections" on topics that have been of particular interest to rural providers including scope of practice expansions, licensure, EMS resources, and volunteer workforce needs, among other workforce and training resources. CDC: Reports to National Poison Data Center Related to COVID-19. In its most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an increase in chemical exposures related to cleaners and disinfectants for the period January-March 2020. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced $5 million to support Poison Control Centers. Information Requested: Crisis Staffing for Indian Health Service – May 6. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Health Service seeks information on the availability and capability of qualified respondents for temporary staffing services for specialized medical support. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. Earlier this month, the Congressional Research Service provided an issues brief on COVID-19 and the Indian Health Service. Comments Requested: CDC Data Collection for COVID-19 Response – June 16. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeks comments from the public on two modules being added to the National Healthcare Safety Network, which is used to track healthcare-associated infections. The new modules will be used to capture the daily, aggregate impact of COVID-19 facilities and to monitor medical capacity to respond at local, state, and national levels. Comments Requested: Perspectives on Pain and Pain Management – June 16. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asks the public to provide feedback on pain and pain management, including but not limited to: the benefits and harms of opioid use, from patients with acute or chronic pain, patients' family members and/or caregivers, and health care providers who care for patients with pain or conditions that can complicate pain management (e.g., opioid use disorder or overdose). CDC will use these comments to inform its understanding of stakeholders' values and preferences related to pain and pain management options. CRS Report on Health Care Provisions in Coronavirus Response Act. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report focuses on coverage of COVID-19 testing and related items for individuals covered by Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, Veterans healthcare, the IHS, and most private plans. The report also includes a discussion of changes to Medicare coverage of telehealth services. COVID-19 Child Welfare and Related Health Resources. The Children's Bureau at the Administration for Children and Families provides resources for foster care providers and the child welfare workforce in response to the COVID-19 emergency. The page includes a list of state and national resources. COVID-19 Data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Updated regularly, the site provides access to demographic and economic data that may be useful in decision-making, including state and local data on at-risk populations, poverty, health insurance coverage, and employment. USDA Food Program Resources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is granting program flexibilities across 15 nutrition programs. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders, updated regularly. CDC COVID-19 Updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance. New this week is a set of guidelines for meat and poultry processing workers and employers. CDC also does regular clinical calls for public health emergency response, called Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA). Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties. The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis provides up-to-date data and maps on rural and urban confirmed cases throughout the United States. An animated map shows the progression of cases beginning January 21. Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019. The Rural Health Information Hub has created a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19. Funding and Opportunities Please note that many deadlines for Federal funding opportunities have been extended. See Approaching Deadlines section below. HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention/Simulation Training – June 1. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will invest $2 million to expand experiential learning in rural and underserved areas through simulation-based technology. Eligible applicants include accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, or a partnership of such a school and facility. Native American Agriculture Fund Grants – June 1. The Native American Agriculture Fund will pull from a pool of $11 million in funding to invest in projects that help Native farmers and ranchers succeed and improve food systems in Indian Country. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, educational organizations, Community Development Financial Institutions, and state- and federally-recognized Tribes. HRSA Demonstration Sites Focusing on Black Women with HIV – June 15. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make seven cooperative agreement awards of up to $310,000 each to design, implement, and evaluate the use of bundled interventions for Black women with HIV. USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network – June 23. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest more than $7 million to create regional frameworks for stress assistance programs, training, and services that connect individuals in agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs. Eligible applicants are collaborative state, local, tribal, and regionally-based networks of qualified public and/or private entities. NIH Researching Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Systems Serving Disparity Populations – September 7. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will support investigative and collaborative research focused on understanding the long-term effects of natural and/or human-made disasters on health care systems serving health disparity populations in communities in the U.S., including the U.S. territories. NIH-designated health disparity populations include racial and ethnic minorities (Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders), sexual and gender minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and underserved rural populations. FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 22. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designed the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to bring high speed fixed broadband service to rural homes and small businesses that lack access. The first phase of the FCC reverse auction will target over six million homes and businesses in census blocks that are entirely unserved by voice and broadband with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps. RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals – Ongoing. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will provide grants for projects lasting one to three years that pursue innovative approaches to solving problems in health and healthcare. The majority of funding is available to nonprofit organizations and public agencies; less than one percent will be awarded to for-profit organizations. Rural Health Research Research in this section is provided by the HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Gateway. Sign up to receive alerts when new publications become available. Rates of Living Alone by Rurality and Age. Living alone is associated with higher risk of social isolation and poor health for populations without access to appropriate support and resources. Little is known about how rates of living alone vary by rurality, however. In this infographic, the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center identifies rates of living alone for all adults and within specific age groups using two classifications of rurality. Rural and Urban Differences in Primary Care Pain Treatment by Clinician Type. To learn more about the opioid prescribing patterns of nurse practitioners compared to primary care physicians – and how prescribing patterns differ for rural versus urban practices – researchers at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center compare 2017 opioid prescribing rates among physicians and nurse practitioners within rural and urban primary care practices using a novel database of all-payer healthcare claims and e-prescribing data. Patterns of Hospital Bypass and Inpatient Care-Seeking by Rural Residents. Hospital bypass, the tendency of local rural residents to not seek care at their closest hospital, is thought to be a contributing factor for rural hospital closure. The purpose of this brief from the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center is to update the knowledge base of determinants of bypass behavior by analyzing state inpatient data from 2014-2016 across 16 diverse states. Policy Updates for Rural Health Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Comments Requested: SBA Interim Final Rule on the Paycheck Protection Program – May 28. On April 28, the Small Business Administration (SBA) published this interim final rule, which supplements the previously posted interim final rules with additional guidance on implementing the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) added by the CARES Act to the SBA's 7(a) Loan Program. Of interest to rural providers, the rule clarifies whether hospitals owned by governmental entities could be eligible for a PPP loan. The RHIhub has a page dedicated to information on SBA Coronavirus Relief Programs. HHS Agencies Join to Announce Flexibility for Interoperability Rules. On April 21, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), with the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), announced flexibilities for compliance with the interoperability final rules announced on March 9. This action is in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS is extending the implementation timeline for the admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) notification Conditions of Participation (CoPs) by an additional 6 months. ONC will extend enforcement discretion by 3 months after each initial compliance date or timeline. CMS Issues New Guidance on Independent Freestanding ED Participation in Medicare and Medicaid. On April 21, CMS issued guidance allowing licensed, independent freestanding emergency departments (IFEDs) to temporarily provide care to Medicare and Medicaid patients to address any surge. Current law does not recognize IFEDs as certified Medicare providers, meaning they cannot bill Medicare and Medicaid for services. However, during this public health emergency, these entities can be temporarily certified as a hospital to increase healthcare system capacity. MedPAC included a chapter on stand-alone EDs as part of its June 2017 report, providing data on the location of rural and urban facilities. Updates on HHS, CMS CARES Act Funds. On April 26, CMS announced that it is reevaluating the amounts that will be paid under its Accelerated Payment Program and suspending its Advance Payment Program to Part B suppliers effective immediately. CMS had expanded these temporary loan programs to ensure providers and suppliers had the resources needed to combat the beginning stages of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Funds will continue to be available to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus response, primarily from the Provider Relief Fund. On April 22, HHS announced details on the allocation of CARES Act Provider Relief Funds, including $10 billion for a targeted allocation for rural providers. Learning Events and Technical Assistance AgriSafe: COVID-19 Weekly Think Tank – Thursday, April 30 at 12:00 pm ET. The AgriSafe Network holds a weekly discussion with rural health and safety professionals to identify risks that farmers, farm workers and ranchers face as it relates to COVID-19. COVID-19 and Domestic Violence – Thursday, April 30 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council will hold an hour-long online event to discuss the increase in domestic violence during COVID-19 quarantine. Telehealth 101: Intro and Q&A – Fridays at 4:00 pm ET. The HRSA/FORHP-supported South Central Telehealth Resource Center (TRC) will provide the basics of telehealth and telemedicine each Friday through May 8. Get more resources and find your regional TRC online. PTTC: Connecting Prevention Specialists to Native Communities – Friday, May 1 at 12:00 pm ET. The National American Indian & Alaska Native Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network (PTTC) will hold a listening session to learn about current needs and challenges for substance abuse prevention in these communities. NOSORH Rural Health Data Institute – Register by May 1. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) will hold a series of 90-minute webinars each week from May 12 to June 30. Designed for those with limited knowledge of how to use data, the learning sessions will move through the process of collecting data, cleaning it up, and analyzing it in a way that everyone can understand. The Institute is open to rural health professionals, including clinical, administrative, and academic personnel. IHS All Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders Call – Thursday, May 7 at 3:30 pm ET. The Indian Health Service (IHS) will provide updates in this hour-long call. Applying for the Vulnerable Rural Hospital Assistance Program - Monday, May 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm ET. The Center for Optimizing Rural Health, provides targeted in-depth technical assistance to rural hospitals and their communities through the FORHP-funded Vulnerable Rural Hospital Assistance Program. During this webinar, the Center will explain the program and its application process that begins on May 11. AgriSafe: Behavioral Health Planning for Farming in the Era of COVID-19 – Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00 pm ET. The AgriSafe Network presents this hour-long webinar to help farm families learn how to recognize signs of physical and emotional distress and incorporate daily coping tactics. Rural Graduate Medical Education Faculty Recruiting and Development: Building the Core of Your Program – Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00pm ET. The Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance (RRPD-TA) center is hosting a 1-hour webinar about graduate medical education program faculty needs. You can also get more free resources for developing rural residency programs and rural training tracks by registering to access the toolbox. Resources of the Week Rural Insight Into COVID-19 Critical Care and Pulmonary Management. An hour-long YouTube video brings frontline information for rural providers and hospitals addressing COVID-19, hosted in partnership between Kansas Patients and Providers Engaged in Prevention Research (KPPEPR) and High Plains Research Network (HPRN) of Colorado. AHA: One Rural Hospital's Four-Stage Plan to Prepare. The American Hospital Association (AHA) highlights a rural California's plan to prepare for a potential surge related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including steps taken to provide care through community outreach and maintain financial support. Approaching Deadlines DOL National Emergency Grants for Dislocated Workers – Ongoing FEMA Public Assistance Program: COVID-19 Response – Ongoing Small Business Administration Coronavirus Relief Programs – Ongoing Payment Deferrals: USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Development – Until September 30 CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention – April 30 Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – April 30 USDA Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grants – April 30 USDA Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program – April 30 CDC Programs to Support Ending the HIV Epidemic – Extended to May 1 Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Scholarship – May 1 Innovations in Accessible Mobility – Extended to May 1 DOJ Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program – May 4 DOJ Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program – May 4 DOJ Support for Children of Addiction-Related Crime – May 4 HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS – Dental Reimbursement Program – Extended to May 4 SAMHSA Tribal Opioid Response Grants – May 4 PCORI Grants for Research Addressing Disparities – May 5 AmeriCorps Grants for Indian Tribes – May 6 HRSA Rural Tribal COVID-19 Response Program – May 6 Information Requested: Crisis Staffing for Indian Health Service – May 6 NIH: Research for Disparities Among Minority/Underserved Children – May 7 Nominations: HRSA Tribal Advisory Council – May 7 USDA Rural Housing Preservation Grants – May 7 Bureau of Indian Affairs National Tribal Broadband Grant – May 8 USDA Local Food Promotion Program – May 11 CDC Research to Prevent Firearm-Related Violence and Injuries – Extended to May 12 ACL Grants for Alzheimer's Disease Programs – Extended to May 13 USDA Rural Community Development Initiative – May 13 DOJ Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Program – May 14 DOL National Farmworker Services for Career Training and Housing – May 14 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – Extended to May 15 NIH Cancer Research in Geographically Underserved Areas – May 15 CDC Integrated Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention – May 18 DOJ Direct Services for Victims of Human Trafficking – May 18 DOJ Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program – May 18 DOT Accelerating Innovative Mobility Challenge Grants – Extended to May 18 SAMSHA State Opioid Response Grants – May 19 DOJ Comprehensive Substance Abuse Site-Based Program – May 21 DOL Building State Capacity for Apprenticeship – May 21 National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Programs – Extended to May 21 AHRQ Patient-Centered Evidence for Preventing Heart Disease/Stroke – May 22 ACL Alzheimer's Disease Programs/Dementia Capability in Indian Country – May 26 CDC Public Health Programs to Address Alzheimer's Disease – May 26 DOJ Future Victim Specialists to Serve AI/AN Victims of Crime – May 26 DOJ Preventing Trafficking of Girls – May 26 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation – Extended to May 26 Rural PREP Microresearch Grants – May 26 Comments Requested: SBA Interim Final Rule on the Paycheck Protection Program – May 28 NIH Addressing Racial Disparities in Maternal Mortality/Morbidity – May 29 CDC Supporting Tribal Public Health Capacity/Coronavirus Response – May 31 Request for Information: Maternal/Infant Health Care in Rural – Extended to May 31 Delta Regional Authority Economic Development Assistance – May 31 USDA Grants for Household Water Well Systems – May 31 Comments Requested: Medicare Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency – June 1 HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention/Simulation Training – June 1 Native American Agriculture Fund Grants – June 1 SAMHSA Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support Grants – June 1 CMS Minority Research Grant Program – June 2 USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program – June 3 DOT Helping Obtain Prosperity for Everyone Program – Extended to June 3 HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity-Eldercare Enhancement Program – June 4 USDA Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program – June 4 NIH Utilizing Cohort Studies to Address Outcomes in Cancer Survivors – June 7 CDC Drug Free Communities – Extended to June 8 HRSA Nurse Practitioner Residency Integration Program – June 8 Comments Requested: Proposed Rule for Hospice Providers – June 9 Comments Requested: Proposed Updates for FY 2021 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities – June 9 Comments Requested: Proposed Rule for Skilled Nursing Facilities – June 9 HRSA Supporting Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Screening and Intervention Program – June 9 DOJ Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction – June 11 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants – July 13 Comments Requested: CMS Proposed Rule for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities – June 15 HRSA Demonstration Sites Focusing on Black Women with HIV – June 15 HRSA Telehealth Network Grant Program – Extended to June 15 Comments Requested: CDC Data Collection for COVID-19 Response – June 16 Comments Requested: Perspectives on Pain and Pain Management – June 16 HRSA Rural Telementoring Training Center – June 16 USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network – June 23 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – June 30 HRSA Telehealth-Focused Rural Health Research Center Program – Extended to July 1 NIH Researching Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Systems Serving Disparity Populations – September 7 NIH Research on Minority Health/Health Disparities – September 8 USDA Capacity Building for 1890 Land-Grant Institutions – September 10 FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 22 Ongoing Opportunities AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – Ongoing through December 2022 EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course NIH Research to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes Through HIT NIH Strategies for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in HIT Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Nominations for National Advisory Committee on Migrant Health RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business USDA Community Facilities Program USDA Community Food Projects Technical Assistance USDA Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Rental Housing – through 2021 USDA Summer Food Service Program USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans USDA Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects | 
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