September 17, 2020 What's New HHS Announces Awards for Opioid Response In Rural Communities. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced approximately $25 million in funding for two projects within the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), a multi-year initiative to reduce morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) in high-risk rural communities. Of the awards made, approximately $15 million was awarded to 30 organizations to reduce the incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome through the RCORP-NAS Program. An additional $10 million was awarded to 50 recipients to build partnerships and expand capacity for SUD/OUD treatment through the RCORP-Planning Program. The National Health Service Corps is a collaborator on the RCORP initiative to address SUD/OUD provider shortages in rural communities. These investments build upon RCORP awards made in August, reflecting a total fiscal year 2020 investment of nearly $115 million. HHS Strategy to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its strategy to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine after one has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. It focuses on four key tasks necessary to ensure access and the requirements for each. The primary task is to engage with state, tribal, territorial, and local partners, other stakeholders, and the public to communicate public health information, before and after distribution begins. CDC: Delay or Avoidance of Medical Care Because of COVID-19-Related Concerns. In its latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presents findings of a survey conducted in June of this year. Researchers estimate that 41 percent of U.S. adults had delayed or avoided medical care because of concerns about COVID-19. Avoidance of urgent or emergency care was more prevalent among unpaid caregivers for adults, persons with underlying medical conditions, Black adults, Hispanic adults, young adults, and persons with disabilities. The findings indicate missed opportunities for management of chronic conditions, receipt of routine vaccinations, or early detection of new conditions, which might worsen outcomes. Public Health Leaders' Testimony on Vaccinations. Last week, two of the nation's top leaders in public health delivered testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) about the importance of immunizations for children and adults. Written testimony of NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and Surgeon General VADM Jerome Adams is available here on the HELP Committee's website, and you may watch a recording of the full three-hour session. COVID-19 Resources 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 every week: MMWR Weekly COVID-19 Briefing is now a podcast series with the latest scientific information published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CMS Coronavirus Stakeholder Calls. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosts recurring online sessions to share information related to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the health care community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. 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. 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. The online resource now includes Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness, a tool with resources for healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge in their communities. SAMHSA Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) created this list of resources, tools, and trainings. Funding and Opportunities CDC/NACCHO: Addressing Disability Needs in COVID-19 Preparedness – October 13. Up to 10 Local Health Departments will receive funding of up to $83,000 each to address the needs of people with disabilities when planning and responding to outbreaks and other national emergencies, particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is provided by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RWJF Health Policy Fellowship – November 9. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will make up to six awards of up to $165,000 each to mid-career health professionals and behavioral and social scientists with an interest in health and healthcare policy. Fellows will participate in a 12-month residential program in Washington, DC to gain experience in the federal policy process. NIH Research for Tobacco Control Policies – November 12. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide funding for research focused on reducing disparities in tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. Populations of focus include older individuals, black Americans, Hispanics, people with low socioeconomic status, and people living outside metropolitan areas. NBCC Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors – December 15. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation provides fellowships for masters and doctoral degree-level counseling students from minority backgrounds, including racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, rural, and military groups. NBCC will fund 30 master's degree-level fellowships for $10,000, and 20 doctoral degree-level fellowships for $20,000. CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – Letters of Intent January 28, 2022. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make as many as 15 awards of up to $5 million each for a seven-year project. This new model aims to change the way the federal government pays for health care in rural areas through Transformation Plans that coordinate care across communities defined as rural by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Letters of Intent for the Community Transformation Track of the CHART Model are due by January 28, 2022 and applications will be due February 16, 2022 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. Obstetric Emergencies in Rural Hospitals: Challenges and Opportunities. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center describes the challenges rural hospitals face in providing emergency obstetric care and highlights resources that could help rural hospitals more safely respond to obstetric emergencies. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. HHS Request for Information: Laboratory Testing for COVID-19 – September 21. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks information on the ability of certain commercial, academic, medical center, and public health laboratories to expand diagnostic testing for COVID-19. Comments Requested: Part I of the CY 2022 Advance Notice of Medicare Advantage and Part D Payment Policies—November 13. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released earlier than usual their proposal for contract year 2022 to calculate risk scores for Medicare Advantage (MA) payments using only encounter data submitted by MA organizations and the 2020 CMS Hierarchical Conditions Categories (HCC) model. The intent of risk adjustment is to ensure that payments to MA plans reflect the relative risk, or characteristics and health conditions, of the enrollees. Research has found lower average risk scores for beneficiaries served by rural providers than urban, which is contrary to extensive research showing rural populations are less healthy than urban. Advancing Value-Based Care in States. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance to states on pathways they can use to advance value-based care, which seeks to reward providers based on quality of care instead of volume of services. This letter describes several models that can be used across many types of payers, key features of these models, and relevant Medicaid authorities needed for adoption. It includes several models identified in 2019 by Rural Health Value as appropriate for rural clinicians or health care delivery organizations. Final Evaluation of the Medicare ACO Investment Model. This week, the CMS Innovation Center released the final evaluation results of the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Investment Model (AIM), which operated under the Shared Savings Program (SSP) from 2015 to 2018. AIM provided up-front payments to select ACOs to invest in infrastructure and staffing and targeted small ACOs, many of which were in rural areas. Overall, participating ACOs reduced total Medicare spending and utilization without decreasing quality of care. Learning Events and Technical Assistance OMH on COVID-19 Response in Minority Communities – Thursday, September 17 at 12:00 pm ET. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) will spotlight state, Tribal, territorial, and community-based efforts to address COVID-19 among racial and ethnic minority populations. ONDCP: Building Infrastructure for Peer Recovery Support – Monday, September 21 at 2:00 pm ET. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President working to reduce drug use. This 90-minute online event will address peer recovery support services for substance use disorder. Earlier this year, ONDCP helped create a Rural Community Toolbox, an online clearinghouse for federal funding and resources. Rural Health Clinics: Cost Reporting in 2020 – Monday, September 21 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host a one-hour webinar to explain new factors for Rural Health Clinics (RHC) to consider, such as COVID-related Provider Relief Fund allocations, when filing the next cost report. The webinar is free, but attendees must register in advance. Race and Ethnicity in Rural Communities: Why It Matters – Tuesday, September 22 at 2:00 pm ET. The technical assistance arm of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP-TA) will hold a one-hour webinar on strategies, tools, and resources to meet the needs of African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian, and Tribal populations. RWJF Spotlight on Rural: Intersection of Health and Housing – Tuesday, September 22 at 3:00 pm ET. Rural community leaders will share their strategies for providing safe and affordable housing as a social determinant of health. The event is hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF) County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. HHS Telemedicine Hack – Wednesdays at 12:00 pm ET through November 25. 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 for video-based telemedicine. All ambulatory providers (e.g., primary care, surgical, rural/urban, dental, mental health, solo practitioners) are invited to participate. National Maternal Health Innovation Symposium – Wednesday, September 23 at 2:00 pm ET. The Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center was established in November 2019 to advance federal and state-level efforts to reduce maternal mortality. Its inaugural symposium is a two-day, online event from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET on Wednesday and Thursday. VA COVID-19 Training – Wednesday, September 23 at 2:00 pm ET. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will hold a session examining the long-term effects of severe COVID-19 from a rehabilitation physician's perspective. The session is designed for clinicians of all disciplines and open to both VA and non-VA clinicians. Continuing education credit is available for those who preregister in the TRAIN public health training network. Learn more about the VA's COVID-19 Guidance for Community Providers. IHS Suicide Prevention Webinar Series – Thursday, September 24 at 12:00 pm ET. The Indian Health Service (IHS) will provide an overview of the Zero Suicide (ZS) framework along with resources and educational information. Introducing the Rural Community Paramedicine Toolkit – Thursday, September 24 at 1:00 pm ET. The Rural Health Information Hub will provide an overview of community paramedicine, in which paramedics become certified to provide health care outside the scope of first responder services. HRSA: Telehealth for HIV Care – Tuesday, September 29 at 2:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold a one-hour webinar to identify existing resources and opportunities to develop infrastructure. A previous HRSA webinar on HIV and telehealth is available for viewing. BPC: Tracking Funding to Fight the Opioid Epidemic - Wednesday, September 30 at 12:00 pm ET. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a think tank combining ideas and solutions from both parties. In this one-hour session, the BPC will discuss a newly-released report on federal funding distributed to states for the opioid epidemic in fiscal year 2019. Approaching Deadlines HRSA Request for Information: Health Professional Shortage Area Criteria – September 18 HRSA Request for Information: Maternity Health Professional Target Areas – September 18 ACF Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Grants – September 21 HHS Request for Information: Laboratory Testing for COVID-19 – September 21 HUD Rural Capacity Building for Affordable Housing – September 28 Nominations: HRSA Tribal Advisory Council – September 30 Pandemic-Related Payment Deferrals: USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Development – September 30 AAFP Health Equity Fellowship – October 1 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 CDC/NACCHO: Addressing Disability Needs in COVID-19 Preparedness – October 13 RWJF 2021 Culture of Health Prize – October 15 ARC Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems – Letters of Intent October 16 FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 22 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation – October 28 Comments Requested: CMS Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to COVID-19 – November 1 National Health Service Corps Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program – November 5 RWJF Health Policy Fellowship – November 9 NIH Research for Tobacco Control Policies – November 12 Comments Requested: Part I of the CY 2022 Advance Notice of Medicare Advantage and Part D Payment Policies—November 13 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – November 16 NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program – November 20 HUD Indian Housing Block Grant Program – December 10 NBCC Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors – December 15 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 Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – Letters of Intent January 28, 2022 Dept of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program IHS Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) 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 Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans 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 Business Investment Program 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 USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) | 
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