August 6, 2020 What's New HRSA Announces Awards for Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation (RCORP-Implementation) Today. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $89 million to 89 organizations across 38 states to enhance and expand service delivery for substance use disorder and opioid use disorder in rural communities. Each grant recipient will work to implement a set of core prevention, treatment and recovery activities grounded in evidence-based or promising practice models that can be tailored to each community's unique needs. RCORP-Implementation grant recipients will work closely with an RCORP-funded technical assistance provider and evaluator throughout the duration of the grant. HRSA's National Health Service Corps is also a collaborator on the RCORP initiative to address provider shortages for substance use disorder treatment in rural communities. Awards for the Rural Health Care Coordination Program – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) also awarded over $7.4 million to 10 award recipients for the FY 2020 Rural Health Care Coordination Program. This three-year program will support rural health consortiums in improving access, delivery and quality of care in rural communities. Award recipients are expected to enhance data sharing and collaboration, strengthen care coordination workforce to meet the healthcare needs within the rural communities, and increase program financial sustainability. Historically, award recipients have been successful in leveraging resources by using HRSA grants to sustain their efforts; they have been able to combine federal funds with local and foundation dollars to support the continuation and development of health care services in rural areas. Award recipients are encouraged to continue working with philanthropic organizations and strengthening public-private partnerships in order to improve health outcomes for their rural communities. New Reports from Rural Health Advisory Committee. The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services convenes twice each year for close examination of issues by a panel of more than 20 experts. The most recent recommendations to the Secretary of HHS come from its March 2020 meeting in Atlanta. They are: HIV Prevention and Treatment Challenges in Rural America, and Maternal and Obstetric Care Challenges in Rural America. NIH Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Investigational Vaccine for COVID-19 Begins. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking volunteers for a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a vaccine developed to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The trial, which will be conducted at U.S. clinical research sites, is expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers who do not have COVID-19. Get more information from a Q&A about the phase 3 trial. You can also watch a 30-minute interview with a volunteer from the phase 1 clinical trial, who is joined by NIH Director Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci. (Note: the video has some tech difficulties in the beginning). HHS Coronavirus Data Hub. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) launched a website in July with data on the COVID-19 response at federal, state, and local levels. The hub includes estimated and reported hospital capacity by state, with numbers updated daily. 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, including a section specific to rural health care, and a Toolkit for Tribal Communities. New this week: a strategy for reducing COVID-19 disparities and increasing health equity. GHPC's Collection of Rural Health Strategies for COVID-19. With support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), the Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) provides reports, guidance, and innovative strategies gleaned from their technical assistance and peer learning sessions with FORHP grantees. 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 posted a guide to help you learn about activities underway to address COVID-19. Now including Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness a tool with resources for healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge in patients. Funding and Opportunities HUD Healthy Homes Production Grant Program for Tribal Housing – August 24. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will make 12 awards of up to $1 million each for grants that identify and remediate environmental health and safety hazards in privately-owned, low-income rental, and/or owner-occupied housing. Eligible applicants are Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. DOJ: COVID-19 Violence Against Women Assistance to Tribes – September 16. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will make 50 awards of up to $100,000 each for specific activities that address violence against women in tribal communities that has arisen as a result of the pandemic. Eligible applicants include Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal designees. NIH Research on Palliative Care in Home/Community Settings – September 8, 2022. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will support research aimed at determining needs and best practices for integrating palliative care into home and community settings. Applications should consider approaches that may be implemented in rural/remote areas, as well as urban areas, and that are sensitive to ethnicities and cultures. 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. Providing Maternity Care in a Rural Northern Iowa Community. This case study from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center highlights how one rural hospital in northern Iowa has successfully sustained a maternity care practice. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Medicare Finalizes FY2021 Payment Rules for IPFs, SNFs, and Hospices. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized payment policy updates for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and hospices. These updates are focused on essential payment policies recognizing the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the limited capacity of providers to review extensive policy changes. One such change is adopting the September 14, 2018 OMB Bulletin for delineations for Care-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs), which results in several urban counties becoming rural, rural counties becoming urban, and existing CBSAs getting split apart. These changes may impact providers' wage index values when calculating payments, so CMS has finalized transition periods for each provider type to mitigate any decreases in payments. Expanded List of Telehealth Codes to Care for SNF Residents. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently added three new telehealth codes that will be covered during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These codes designate different time increments of telephone evaluation and management services provided by a physician (99441, 99442, and 99443) when furnished to a Skilled Nursing Facility's Part A resident. Medicare Administrative Contractors will reprocess claims for these codes with dates of service on or after March 1, 2020 that were previously denied due to SNF residence. Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System – October 5. On August 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released proposed changes to the outpatient prospective payment system and the ambulatory payment system for the 2021 calendar year. Proposals that may be of interest to rural providers include changes to how drugs acquired under the 340B program are reimbursed and updates to how the Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings can be calculated to include Critical Access Hospitals. Comments Requested: Proposed Updates to the CY2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule – October 5. This week, CMS released proposed updates to how physician and other service providers are reimbursed by Medicare. In addition to several technical updates to how payment rates are set, CMS is proposing to add several telehealth services to their current list as well as to the list under the COVID-19 public health emergency; to allow direct supervision to be provided using real-time, interactive audio and video technology; and to make permanent the public health emergency waiver allowing nurse practitioners (NPs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), physician assistants (PAs), and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) to supervise the performance of diagnostic tests. CMS is also proposing revisions to simplify coding and billing requirements for Evaluation and Management (E/M) visits including office/outpatient visits. Executive Order on Improving Rural Health and Telehealth Access. On August 3, the President issued an Executive Order that seeks to improve health care in rural areas by expanding access to telehealth. Within 30 days of the order, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) will launch a new payment model and develop strategies for improving the physical and communications health care infrastructure available in rural areas. HHS will submit a report with existing and upcoming initiatives to reduce regulatory burden on providers, improve maternity morbidity and mortality, and improve mental health care. Within 60 days of the order, HHS will review specified temporary measures put in place during the public health emergency (PHE) and propose a regulation to extend these measures, as appropriate, beyond the duration of the PHE. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Information on RWJF Culture of Health Prize – Thursday, August 6 at 3:00 pm ET. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will provide information for applicants of the 2021 Culture of Health Prize honoring communities advancing health in marginalized populations. CMS COVID-19 Lessons from the Front Lines – Friday, August 7 at 12:30 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & 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. Spanish-Language Webinar on Family Violence During COVID-19 – Tuesday, August 11 at 1:00 pm ET. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is one of three sponsors of this one-hour overview, in Spanish, on the factors contributing to family violence during the pandemic. HIMSS: Health IT Supporting Social Determinants of Health – Wednesday, August 12 at 3:30 pm ET. The Health Information and Management Information Systems Society (HIMSS) will hold a 90-minute online event to discuss how health information technology (IT) can improve population health. National CMS/CDC Nursing Home COVID-19 Training – Thursdays at 4:00 pm ET. Through the Quality Improvement Organization Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) host a weekly webinar series (every Thursday, 4-5 pm ET) to provide training for infection control processes in nursing homes. Trainings are scheduled every week until January 7. HHS Telemedicine Hack – Wednesdays at 12:00 pm ET through September 23. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is partnering with the ECHO Institute at the University of Mexico, and the Public Health Foundation's TRAIN Learning Network to deliver a 10-week peer-to-peer learning community called Telemedicine Hack to provide knowledge and skills needed to implement video-based telemedicine. All ambulatory providers (e.g., primary care, surgical, rural/urban, dental, mental health, solo practitioners) are invited to participate. MHTTC: Mental Health Treatment Through IPV – Wednesday, August 12 at 1:00 pm ET. The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will hold a one-hour webinar on trauma treatment in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). HRSA Information Webinar for 340B Program Recertification – Wednesday, August 12 at 1:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold a one-hour event to share information on the process for recertifying for this federal program that allows certain health care providers to get discounts on certain prescription drugs. To join the webinar click on the link above, and dial: 800-369-1725; Participant Code: 3210153 AAIP: American Indians Accessing Health Professions – Friday, August 14 at 4:00 pm ET. The Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) and the UC Davis School of Medicine hold this conference through Saturday the 15th to give indigenous students from undergraduate, community, and tribal colleges exposure to different careers in the health professions. Save the Date: OMH on COVID-19 Response in Minority Communities – Thursday, September 17. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) will host a virtual symposium to highlight state, Tribal, territorial, and community-based efforts to address COVID-19 among racial and ethnic minority populations. Resources of the Week National Rural Health Resource Center COVID-19 Collection. With support from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, the National Rural Health Resource Center serves as a national rural health knowledge center, providing technical assistance, information, tools and resources. This collection will be updated regularly with information from national and federal sources. The Center also provides a guide for COVID-19 Funding Sources Impacting Rural Providers. NCSL on the Role of Pharmacists in Rural Areas. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) explains how pharmacists can increase access to care, especially expanding access to care, especially in areas facing primary care provider shortages. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization provides a state-by-state breakdown of policies allowing pharmacists to participate in the care of patients. The NCSL is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration through a cooperative agreement with the National Organization of State and Local Health Officials. APA on Treating Mental Health in Diverse Patient Populations. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) provides background information for treating patients from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to: African-American, Appalachian, Native American, and refugee/forced displacement. Approaching Deadlines Request for Information: Clinical Experience in Suicide Prevention in Primary Care – August 7 SBA COVID-19 Payment Protection Program – August 8 CDC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System – Extended to August 11 American College of Epidemiology Lilienfeld Award – August 15 HHS Strengthening Economic Supports for Working Families – August 17 DRA Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy – August 18 HUD Rehabilitation and Modification of Veteran's Homes – August 18 CDC Stakeholder Engagement on Chronic Pain Management – August 21 CARES Act Funds for Adult Education and Workforce Preparation – August 24 DOT Funding Public Transportation on Indian Reservations – August 24 IHS Tribal Management Grant Program – August 24 HUD Healthy Homes Production Grant Program for Tribal Housing – August 24 USDA Assistance for Persistent Poverty Agriculture Producers and Communities – August 24 USDA Delta Health Care Services Grant Program – August 24 OMH Reducing Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations – August 26 USDA Assistance for Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers – August 26 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: CDC on ACEs and Opioid Misuse in Tribal Communities – 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: End Stage Renal Disease Proposed Rule –September 4 NIH Researching Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Disparity Populations – September 7 ACL Innovation Challenge: Technology for Social Isolation – 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 DOJ: COVID-19 Violence Against Women Assistance to Tribes – September 16 Request for Information: Health Professional Shortage Area Scoring Criteria – September 18 Request for Information: Maternity Health Professional Target Area Criteria – September 18 HUD Rural Capacity Building for Affordable Housing – September 28 IHS Tribal Injury Prevention Program – October 1 Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System – October 5 Comments Requested: Proposed Updates to the CY2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule – October 5 NIH Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities – October 5 HRSA Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children – October 6 RWJF 2021 Culture of Health Prize – October 15 FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 22 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation – October 28 NIH Digital Interventions to COVID-19 Secondary Effects – December 30 Ongoing Opportunities Pandemic-Related Payment Deferrals: USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Development – Until September 30 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 on Minority Health/Health Disparities – September 8, 2022 NIH Research on Palliative Care in Home/Community Settings – September 8, 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 Intermediary Relending Program 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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