July 9, 2020 What's New HRSA Makes Awards for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $2 million for this one-year, community-driven program designed to assist in the planning and development of an integrated health care network at the local level. By emphasizing the role of networks, the program creates a platform for medical care providers, social service providers, and community organizations to coalesce key elements of a rural health care delivery system to improve local capacity and coordination of care. Administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) at HRSA, the Network Planning program is an opportunity for rural health care and social service providers to implement new and innovative approaches to care that may in turn serve as a model for other rural communities. Visit the Rural Health Information Hub online to learn more about successful program models and evidence-based toolkits that have come from the work of FORHP-funded projects. Request for Information: Seeking Stakeholder Input on Scientific Gaps and Research Needs Related to Delivery of Cancer-related Care via Telehealth – July 30. The National Cancer Institute is seeking information on scientific gaps and research needs related to the delivery of cancer-related care via telehealth. This request for information is part of a planning effort designed to identify promising opportunities and set priorities for research in this area. NIH Request for Information: Clinical Experience in Suicide Prevention in Primary Care Settings – August 7. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks information from the public to better understand the opportunities and barriers in the primary care community regarding efforts to care for individuals with suicide risk. Relevant topics include how suicide screening is deployed, cultural/linguistic needs of patients, reaching disparity populations, and telehealth adaptations. How One Hospital Transitioned a HRSA-Funded Program to Address COVID-19. A new feature article in The Rural Monitor profiles a Pennsylvania hospital that credits its previous award of the HRSA Outreach Program grant for 2015-2018 for their quick transition from in-person visits to telehealth under quarantine. Butler Memorial Hospital received the grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy for a three-year program to help patients access resources for managing chronic disease. USDA Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America. The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has updated its atlas to include county population estimates and annual unemployment/employment data for 2019. Researchers at the ERS use data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, an ongoing function of the Census that keeps track of changes in demographics, employment trends, household incomes, veterans' status, and other factors that help determine how federal and state funds are distributed. ONC: Health Information Management at Substance Abuse Treatment Centers. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) leads the federal effort to support health information technology systems nationwide. For this report, ONC reviewed a survey conducted in 2017 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in which 13,585 U.S. substance abuse treatment centers were queried about their use of computers or electronic resources to store and exchange treatment records. Telehealth Availability in US Hospitals in the Face of the COVID‐19 Pandemic. The Journal of Rural Health grants free access to this research policy brief that examines telehealth availability and readiness in U.S. hospitals. The variables examined include organizational factors, county population, geography, and census divisions. GAO: FCC Needs Comprehensive Strategic Planning for 5G Deployment. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that plans by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy the next generation of wireless communication technology, called 5G, do not have specific and measurable performance goals and may widen the digital divide for rural areas. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders, updated regularly. COVID-19 FAQs and Funding for HRSA Programs. Find all funding and frequently asked questions for programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). CDC COVID-19 Updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance, and ongoing 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 Grants for Recovery Support Services During COVID-19 – July 31. The national nonprofit Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts will award grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 for recovery support services in the context of social distancing and infection control. Eligible applicants are state, local, and Tribal government units and agencies, nonprofit tax-exempt universities, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute – July 19. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) offers a series of nine online learning sessions covering grant writing with a rural health focus. Eligible participants are rural health professionals who are seeking to gain proposal writing skills. Class size is limited to the first 50 registrants. There is a $500 registration fee, with a group discount of $500 when five students are registered together. Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) – September 1. The Corporation for National and Community Service will make 236 awards ranging from $50,000 to $518,000 to fund community projects that support volunteers 55 years and older serving in a diverse range of activities. Eligible applicants are state, local, and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher organization. HRSA Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children – October 6. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make ten awards of up to $50,000 each to support innovative, community-based initiatives to improve the health status of infants, children, adolescents, and families in rural and other underserved communities. Eligibility is extended to any public or private entity, including an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Comments Requested: ESRD CY 2021 Proposed Rule –September 4. On July 6, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed updates to payment policies and rates under the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for CY 2021. The proposal includes an expansion of the transitional add-on payment adjustment for new and innovative equipment and supplies (TPNIES) to qualifying home dialysis machines to support greater access and innovation for dialysis in the home setting. Proposed changes also include an ESRD base rate increase, updates to the outlier policy and adoption of new OMB delineations. CMS projects that rural ESRD facilities will experience a 0.6 percent increase in their CY 2021 estimated payments. The proposed rule is currently on display and will be published in the federal register on July 13, 2020. Quality Measure Workspace Series of Webinars—Beginning July 15. CMS is hosting a series of webinars in July and August for hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and clinicians reporting electronic clinical quality measures (eCQM). The first webinar will describe the resources available for the 2021 reporting period. Subsequent webinars will cover clinical flow (July 29) and the data element repository (August 12). CMS Updates Guidance for RHCs and FQHCs during the Public Health Emergency. On July 6, CMS released its latest round of updates to the article, New and Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS updated the article to provide additional guidance on telehealth services that have cost-sharing waived and additional claim examples along with an additional section on the RHC Productivity Standard. Learning Events and Technical Assistance IHS: Social Determinants of Health and COVID-19 – Thursday, July 9 at 12:00 pm ET. The Indian Health Service (IHS) will hold a one-hour webinar to discuss challenges to housing, food, employment, etc., and the importance of community resources for high-risk populations. NACHC: Ensuring Access to Coverage During a Pandemic and Beyond – Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 pm ET. In this one-hour webinar, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) will focus on how centers are responding to disruptions in health insurance status and health care access caused by unemployment and COVID-related factors. Of the 28 million people served by HRSA's Community Health Centers, one in five are rural residents. MHTTC: Mental Health Telehealth for Farming/Rural Communities – Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 pm ET. The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will discuss telehealth specifically for these communities and provide resources. This is the third in a three-part series about farm stress and mental health. NAMI Suicide Prevention for Agricultural Communities – Thursday, July 9 at 4:00 pm ET. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center are partnering to provide a 90-minute suicide prevention class tailored to farming communities. For those who cannot attend, a second class will be held on Thursday, July 23rd. NIHB: COVID-19 Contact Tracing in Indian Country – Friday, July 10 at 3:00 pm ET. Contact tracing is used to identify and alert people of potential contact with a person infected with the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. This webinar hosted by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will explore how contact tracing is being carried out in Indian Country. Touchless Naloxone Delivery in Rural Communities – Monday, July 13 at 11:00 am ET. In an hour-long webinar, experts will discuss touchless distribution of the medication that counteracts the effects of opioid overdose. Host University of Rochester Recovery Center of Excellence is supported by the HRSA-funded Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. ASTHO: Sustainable Financing for Rural Hospitals – Tuesday, July 14 at 3:00 pm ET. The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss how COVID-19 has shifted long-term sustainability for rural hospitals. National Indian Health Board Infection Prevention & Control – Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 pm ET. The National Indian Health Board is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an infection prevention and control training initiative for health care personnel in Tribal facilities. During this two-hour call, they will gather feedback from frontline workers to inform the initiative. "Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America" Stakeholder Webinar – Thursday, July 16 at 2:00 pm ET. The HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy will host a stakeholder webinar on efforts to implement the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) initiative. Announced in 2019, the EHE initiative currently focuses on 48 counties where more than 50 percent of new HIV diagnoses have occurred, and seven states that have a substantial rural burden. CMS COVID-19 Lessons from the Front Lines – Friday, July 17 at 12:30 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) holds this 90-minute call twice a month. Find a schedule for all stakeholder calls, including those for home health and hospice facilities, nursing homes, and others – online at the CMS Coronavirus Partner Toolkit. RWJF: Exploring Data in the US COVID Atlas – Tuesday, July 21 at 3:00 pm ET. As part of its County Health Rankings & Roadmaps' special topic series, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will explore features of the US COVID Atlas, a tool with county-level data and indicators related to COVID-19. USAC: Best Practices for Requests for Rural Broadband - Wednesday, July 22 at 2:00 pm ET. The Universal Service Rural Health Care Program funds telecommunications or broadband services for eligible entities, including rural public or nonprofit health care providers. The program is managed by the non-profit Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) for the Federal Communications Commission. Application to the program for FY2021 ended on April 30 (extended from original deadline of April 1). For those who have completed the application and are preparing to submit Request for Service forms, this one-hour webcast will review best practices. Resources of the Week How Telehealth Policy is Structured in the United States. In this 20-minute video, the nonprofit Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) provides an overview of the complicated structure of telehealth policy in the United States. The CCHP forms the National Telehealth Resource Centers to provide assistance and information to rural and under-served populations. The National Rural HIT Coalition is an informal network of rural and Health Information Technology (HIT) leaders from organizations at every level, working to advance implementation of HIT in rural areas. The group meets by conference call several times a year and meeting notes with presentations on issues for rural HIT are archived by the National Rural Health Resource Center. New Podcast Series - Leadership Development for Mid-level Management. Produced by The National Rural Health Resource Center, this six-part podcast series was developed by the Small Rural Hospital Transition Project for rural hospital mid-level management (MLMs). Guests feature MLMs from rural hospitals and subject-matter experts. Tune in to learn best practices for leading through the transition to value and population health. New episodes released every Tuesday through the end of July. Approaching Deadlines Payment Deferrals: USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Development – Until September 30 Comments Requested: Proposed Updates for FY2021 Medicare Inpatient and Long-term Care Hospital Payments - July 10 HRSA Rural HIV/AIDS Planning Program – July 10 CDC Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences – July 13 Dept. of Education School-Based Mental Health Services – July 13 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Planning – July 13 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants – July 13 Request for Information: NIH Seeking Input on Health Disparities in Neurological Disease and Care – July 15 NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute – July 19 COVID-Related Relief Funds for Medicaid and CHIP Providers – July 20 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome – July 20 Rural Health Equity Postdoctoral Program – July 20 New Sites for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) – July 21 IHS/NIH Native American Research Centers for Health – July 24 DOL Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities – July 29 Request for Information: Seeking Stakeholder Input on Scientific Gaps and Research Needs Related to Delivery of Cancer-related Care via Telehealth – July 30 ACL Transit Planning for All Mobility on Demand Projects – July 31 Grants for Recovery Support Services During COVID-19 – July 31 Request for Information: Clinical Experience in Suicide Prevention in Primary Care Settings – August 7 DRA Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy – August 18 DOT Funding Public Transportation on Indian Reservations – August 24 IHS Tribal Management Grant Program – August 24 NIH Community Interventions to Address COVID-19 Pandemic – August 28 USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program – August 28 AHA Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award – August 31 Comments Requested: CMS Proposed Rule for Home Health Providers – August 31 Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) – September 1 NRHA Rural Health Fellows Program – September 3 Comments Requested: ESRD CY 2021 Proposed Rule –September 4 NIH Researching Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Systems Serving Disparity Populations – September 7 ACL Innovation Challenge: Technology for Social Isolation – September 8 NIH Research on Minority Health/Health Disparities – September 8 USDA Capacity Building for 1890 Land-Grant Institutions – September 10 AHRQ Innovation Challenge for Rural Postpartum Mental Health – September 15 BIA Native American Business Development Institute Grant – September 15 Request for Information (RFI): Health Professional Shortage Area Scoring Criteria – September 18 Request for Information (RFI): Maternity Care Health Professional Target Area Criteria – September 18 IHS Tribal Injury Prevention Program – October 1 HRSA Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children – October 6 FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 22 NIH Digital Interventions to COVID-19 Secondary Effects – December 30 Ongoing Opportunities AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – December 2022 ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs CMS Hardship Exception for Hospital Interoperability – September 1, 2020; November 30 for CAHs Dept of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development – Ongoing EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program IHS Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course NIH Pilot and Feasibility Studies for Drug/Alcohol Prevention Trials – January 7, 2021 NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health – May 2022 NIH Research – Alcohol and Other Substance Use – Dates Through August 2022 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 Opportunity Zones for Economic Development Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development 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 Rural Business Development Grants USDA Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Summer Food Program USDA Technical Assistance for Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects | 
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