October 22, 2020 What's New HHS Awards Nearly $500 Million to Workforce Programs. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a new round of funding to recruit and support primary care professionals and students for the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, and other programs building the health workforce. Through these efforts, more than 16,000 clinicians provide care to 17 million patients in underserved areas nationwide. Medicare Open Enrollment Has Begun. Medicare beneficiaries can review health and drug plans for 2021 and make changes between now and December 7. The online system helps beneficiaries compare pricing and benefits between Original Medicare (Parts A and B), Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), and individually-purchased Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies. Free, personalized counseling on Medicare options is available through the nonprofit State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Free materials are also available to support rural providers, among others, with outreach activities. New Data on Local Use of Rural Hospitals. This new data brief from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services explores the extent to which rural Medicare beneficiaries bypass their nearest rural hospital and which hospital services rural Medicare beneficiaries most often seek locally and at distant hospitals. Traveling to a distant hospital for services rather than using the local rural hospital, aka 'rural bypass', can increase financial pressure on rural providers, especially Tribal hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. Report on U.S. Coal Industry. The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released the Annual Coal Report, which includes information on the number of mines, their productive capacity, prices, employment, and consumption. Highlights for 2019 include a decrease in the production, productive capacity, and average number of employees at U.S. coal mines, as well as a decrease in U.S. coal consumption. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy manages the Black Lung Clinics Program that provides predominantly rural miners with access to educational, screening, medical, and benefits counseling services with the goal to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with occupationally-related coal mine dust lung diseases. 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, a daily tracker of new cases by urban/rural county classification, and a Toolkit for Tribal Communities. 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. ATTC Network COVID-19 Resources for Addictions Treatment. The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network was established in 1993 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The online catalog of COVID-related resources includes regularly-updated guidance and trainings for professionals in the field. 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 California Tribal Fund: COVID-19 Recovery Grants – November 20. The First Nations Institute and The California Endowment provide general operating support for tribes and tribal organizations working toward recovery from the pandemic. The focus is on tribes and tribal nonprofits with programs that protect Indigenous food systems, water, languages, traditional ecological knowledge, and land. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, California-based tribal governments, Native 7871 organizations, and Native-controlled community organizations. HRSA Rural Policy Analysis Program – December 14. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make one award of $225,000 to support research and analysis of key policy issues affecting health and human services in rural communities on a national scope. Eligible applicants include domestic public, private, and nonprofit organizations, including tribes and tribal organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, state and local governments, and hospitals. Indian Health Service (IHS) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project – December 15. The IHS at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services will make 33 awards with total funding of $16.5 million. The program funds three-year projects increasing public awareness of culturally-appropriate activities for prevention, treatment, and recovery at the community level. Eligible applicants include federally-recognized tribes, tribal organizations, and Alaska Native villages. USDA Farm to School Grant Program – January 8. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects to make 150 awards of up to $100,000 each to improve access to local foods in schools. Grants will be made under three tracks: 1) implementation grants to help schools develop existing efforts; 2) turnkey grants for schools or districts just getting started; and 3) state agency grants to develop farm-to-school efforts in their states. USDA Tribal Colleges Research Grants – January 13. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest total funding of $3.8 million for research projects that focus on health, environment, and agricultural production in tribal and reservation communities. Eligible applicants are tribal colleges and universities designated under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Medicare Changes Payments for COVID-19 Lab Results. Beginning January 1, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will lower its base payment from $100 to $75 for COVID-19 diagnostic tests using certain highly sophisticated equipment called "high throughput technology." The change is explained in an amended Administrative Ruling, CMS 2020-1-R2. Labs that complete the test within two calendar days will receive a $25 add-on payment. Updated Telehealth Resources for Medicare and Medicaid. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated the "State Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit: Policy Considerations for States Expanding Use of Telehealth, COVID-19 Version," originally released in April 2020. It has new examples and insights into lessons learned from states that have implemented telehealth changes. The Medicaid and CHIP data snapshot illustrates the rate of telehealth use across the states during the public health emergency. CMS also updated the list of Medicare services that can be provided via telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Applying for Delta Regional Health Systems Program – Thursday, October 22 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Rural Health Resource Center is a FORHP partner providing technical assistance to small and rural hospitals, rural health clinics, and other health care organizations for the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program. The next cohort will begin work in February; applicants can learn more during this hour-long webinar ahead of the November 30 deadline. Helping Rural Communities Recover from the Opioid Crisis – Fridays, October 2 – 23 at 12:00 pm ET. Recovery Center of Excellence at the University of Rochester will host two virtual sessions each Friday from October 2 – 23 on this year's symposium theme: Treatment on Demand and the Ecosystem of Recovery. FORHP funds the University of Rochester in the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program as a Rural Center of Excellence on substance use disorder (RCORP-RCOE). Training for MAT Waiver Eligibility – Monday, October 26 at 8:00 pm ET. The American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine offers a free online training series for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants that satisfies some of the requirements to obtain a waiver for prescribing buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. CMS Office Hours on the Rural CHART Model – Tuesday, October 27 at 2:00 pm ET. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) is hosting an office hour on the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model's (CHART) Community Transformation Track. The Model team will provide an overview of CHART and answer questions on key topics such as eligibility, payment, benefit enhancements, program overlap, and Medicaid participation. Submit questions in advance through the webinar registration or by sending an email to CHARTModel@cms.hhs.gov. NRHA Webinar on the Rural CHART Model – Tuesday, October 27 at 3:00 pm ET. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is also hosting a webinar on the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model's (CHART) Community Transformation Track. It will feature two experts from the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model to review the commonalities between their model and CHART, as well as to consider how these can be applied to those considering applying to CHART. CDC: COVID-19 Vaccination Planning for Rural Stakeholders – Tuesday, October 27 at 4:00 pm ET. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will host a rural partner call about COVID-19 vaccination. CDC subject matter expert, Dr. Amanda Cohn will share updates. Register in advance and send questions to ruralhealth@cdc.gov with"10/27 partner call" in the subject line. HIV Prevention via Telehealth During COVID-19 – Wednesday, October 28 at 3:00 pm ET. The FOHRP-supported Southwest Telehealth Resource Center and the Arizona Telemedicine Program host an hour-long webinar on effective HIV treatment and prevention in a telemedicine clinic. Learn About CHART with Rural Health Value – Wednesday, October 28 at 4:00 pm ET. The Rural Health Value team is hosting a virtual discussion to identify opportunities, questions, and potential next steps for organizations interested in applying for the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model's (CHART) Community Transformation Track funding opportunity recently released by the CMS Innovation Center. FCC Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee Meeting – Thursday, October 29 at 11:00 am ET. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold a two-day, online meeting that is open to the public. The Committee will consider and vote on reports and recommendations for expanding broadband availability in low-income communities. HRSA Introduction to Grant Writing – Thursday, October 29 at 4:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold a 90-minute webinar with tips and techniques for completing most private and public grant applications. For more information, contact Valerie Gallo at vgallo@hrsa.gov. NIH: Telehealth for Rural Cancer Care During COVID-19 – Friday, October 30 at 12:00 pm ET. The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will hold an hour-long discussion on sustained cancer control for rural populations during the pandemic. The session is part of the Healthcare Teams (HTC) Cyber Discussions Series. NACo: Rural Peer Learning Network for Early Childhood Services During COVID-19 – Friday, October 30 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Association of Counties (NACo) will hold an hour-long discussion with rural county leaders on ways to connect families to services during the pandemic. Resource of the Week Learn More About Federal Funding and Resources for Rural Health. This is a recording of an 80-minute presentation (via Adobe Connect) by the Health Resources and Services Administration on rural-focused federal programs and resources. Presenters represent USDA's Rural Development and Rural Utilities Service, telecommunications programming at the Universal Service Administrative Company, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and two FORHP-funded rural hospital programs. Approaching Deadlines Access to Telehealth for Rural Pediatric Care – October 22 Comments Requested: Modifications to the Definition of Rural for FORHP Grants – October 23 Nominations: NQF Rural Telehealth Committee – October 26 CDC Monitoring/Evaluating Harm Reduction Syringe Services – October 28 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation – October 28 FCC High Speed Broadband/Rural Opportunity Fund – October 29 Comments Requested: CMS Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to COVID-19 – November 2 USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) – November 2 USDA Training for Regional Wastewater Treatment Solutions – November 4 National Health Service Corps Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program – November 5 HHS: Phase 3 of Provider Relief Funds – November 6 HRSA National Research Service Award Grants – November 9 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 DOL H-1B Rural Healthcare Grant Program – November 13 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – November 16 Sites for Rural Home Hospital Randomized Controlled Trial – November 16 Treasury: New Markets Tax Credit Program – November 16 California Tribal Fund: COVID-19 Recovery Grants – November 20 CDC Community-Based HIV Prevention Programs – November 20 NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program – November 20 NIH Research to Improve Health Disparities – November 27 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Meaningful Use Hardship Exception Applications – November 30 Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program – November 30 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program – December 1 Comments Requested: Proposed DATA 2000 Training Payment Application – December 7 HUD Indian Housing Block Grant Program – December 10 HRSA Rural Policy Analysis Program – December 14 EPA Research to Reduce Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures – December 15 Indian Health Service (IHS) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project – December 15 NBCC Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors – December 15 USDA Community Connect Grants – December 23 NIH Digital Interventions to COVID-19 Secondary Effects – December 30 FCC Extends Purchasing Deadline for COVID-19 Telehealth Program – December 31 USDA Solid Waste Treatment Grants – December 31 AmeriCorps State and National Grants for Community Service – January 6 USDA Farm to School Grant Program – January 8 USDA Tribal Colleges Research Grants – January 13 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program (BHWET) – January 21 Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program – February 15 NIH Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Connectedness/Isolation – March 17 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 Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program 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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