November 12, 2020 What's New HRSA Celebrates National Rural Health Day. All next week, HRSA will recognize the celebration started 10 years ago by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. A series of events, all available to the public online, is meant to bring your attention to the great things happening in rural communities to improve quality and access to health care. The full schedule of events held by federal and local partners can be found in the headline link. Look for more detail in links marked NRHD in the Events section below, and please make note of the sessions on Thursday, November 19, including a kick-off from HRSA administrator Tom Engels at 10:00 am and a talk from three FORHP grantees about COVID-19 efforts. HHS Launches KidneyX COVID-19 Kidney Care Challenge. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a new project to address the higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 for people with kidney disease. With encouragement to communities that face health disparities, the Challenge invites new solutions from entities or individuals that can reduce the impact of pandemic without requiring significant time, expertise, money, or other resources from the patient. 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, including Updated FAQ for Rural Health Clinics (RHC)Testing Program, with a link to the RHC COVID-19 Reporting Portal, where tests and spending categories must be reported monthly. 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. New: the second edition of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations. And Notes from the Field: Development of an Enhanced Community-Focused COVID-19 Surveillance Program — Hopi Tribe, June‒July 2020. 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. It also links to the weekly list of hospitals completing their daily COVID-19 data reporting. 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 on rural and urban confirmed cases throughout the United States. An animated map shows the progression of cases beginning January 21 to the present. 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. Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities. Funding and Opportunities NACCHO Building Rural Workforce Capacity for COVID-19 – November 30. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) will fund approximately 35 rural and/or frontier health departments with awards of up to $35,000 each to support testing, contact tracing, and vaccine administration. National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program – Extended to December 3. The program awards up to $120,000 in loan repayment to medical, dental, and nursing students in their final year of health professional school. Clinicians interested in working at least two years in an underserved community should check their eligibility and apply. See the Events section below for a Virtual Job Fair with employers recruiting at approved sites in rural areas. NACCHO Model Practices Award – December 31. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) will recognize outstanding local health practices that can be replicated in other communities. Models and promising practices can come from all areas of local public health, including, but not limited to, community health, environmental health, emergency preparedness, infrastructure, governmental public health, and chronic disease. Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans – Ongoing. The Primary Care Development Corporation provides affordable loans for construction or renovation of health care sites; enhancing existing services for medical, dental, and/or behavioral health; and expanding community services such as gyms, walking tracks, and meeting rooms. 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. Making it Work: Models of Success in Rural Maternity Care. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center identify common factors and best practices for rural-based obstetrics with a look at what leaders have done at the community level in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Arkansas. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Final Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care Rule. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized revisions to the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care regulations that were proposed in 2018. The 2018 proposed rule and this final rule modifies several provisions from the 2016 managed care rule based on stakeholder feedback, including pass-through payments, network adequacy standards, and the Quality Rating System. It also adds a provision allowing states to determine the most appropriate method to coordinate Medicare and Medicaid benefits for those that qualify for both. Medicare Advanced Payment Model (APM) Changes for 2021. Under the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP), clinicians can participate in two tracks for payment purposes based on their practice size, specialty, location, or patient population: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or an Alternative Payment Model (APM). The criteria for clinicians to qualify as a participant in an APM are changing as of January 1, 2021, so the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed a Quick Start Guide and an Eligibility Decision Tree to help clinicians determine if they qualify for an APM or if they will need to participate in MIPS in 2021. CMS Finalizes CY2021 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Rule. This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized Medicare payment policy updates for renal dialysis services provided to Medicare beneficiaries beginning January 1, 2021. The final rule includes an overall payment increase of 2.0 percent or $250 million for all ESRD facilities, while rural ESRD facilities are estimated to experience a 1.0 percent increase as a result of the proposed changes. Other policy changes include adoption of the 2018 OMB delineations, expansion of the list of new equipment and supplies, TPNIES, to include home dialysis machines, and updates to the low-volume payment adjustment due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Comments Requested: CMS Proposed Rule on Durable Medical Equipment – January 4. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed policy changes for the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) fee schedule effective April 1, 2021, or the date immediately following the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Under the rule, CMS is proposing continuation of higher payment rates for items and services furnished in rural and non-contiguous areas, classifying all continuous glucose monitors as DME, and revisions to the application process for common procedure codes. Learning Events and Technical Assistance SEARCH 2020: National Telehealth Research Symposium – November 11-13. The Society for Education and the Advancement of Research in Connected Health (SEARCH) is holding a virtual conference to showcase connected health efforts and partnerships, specifically those that focus on the research of telemedicine, telehealth, eHealth, mHealth, and other healthcare technologies. The three-day agenda includes networking, discussions, and presentations on topics including mental health, pediatric care, and perspectives on the pandemic. NAM Opioid Collaborative Fall 2020 Virtual Symposium – Thursday, November 12 at 9:00 am ET. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) holds a five-hour event to present tools and resources created by its Action Collaborative on opioid use disorder. BPC: Expanding Telehealth After COVID-19 – Friday, November 13 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 what will be needed to expand the use of telehealth beyond the pandemic, with a look at what's been done in the mostly-rural state of Maine. Training for MAT Waiver Eligibility – Saturday, November 14 at 8:00 am 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. NRHD: Mortality in Rural Areas – Monday, November 16 at 3:00 pm ET. The Rural Health Information Hub will host experts for a one-hour webinar on data from the National Center for Health Statistics. MHTTC: A Trauma-Informed Approach in Behavioral Health – Tuesdays at 2:00 pm ET, until December 15. The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) will hold a 90-minute session each Tuesday to help behavioral health professionals recognize trauma in individuals. NRHD: #RuralHealthChat on SDOH – Wednesday, November 18 at 1:00 pm ET. The Rural Health Information Hub will hold a one-hour conversation on Twitter, using the hash tag #RuralHealthChat. The topic will be social determinants of health (SDOH). Learn About CHART for Lead Organizations – Wednesday, November 18 at 1:30 pm ET. The Rural Health Value team will host a virtual discussion to discuss what it takes to be a lead organization in the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Community Transformation Track from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. FORHP funds the Rural Health Value initiative to help rural organizations understand and facilitate rural health transformation. NCTRC Telehealth Hack Webinar Series – Wednesday, November 18 at 2:00 pm ET . In this hour-long learning session hosted by the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) experts will address privacy and liability issues related to delivering health care through telehealth modalities. NRHD: CDC on Antibiotic Stewardship – Wednesday, November 18 at 3:00 pm ET. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will discuss the core elements for Critical Access Hospitals. NRHD: HRSA Introducing Telehealth to Rural and Indigenous Communities – November 18-19. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Regional Operations will hold a two-day training event, including information about successful programs. For more information, contact Alisha Acker at AAcker@hrsa.gov NRHD: HRSA Virtual Job Fair for Rural Communities – Wednesday, November 18 at 6:45 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold its next job fair to connect primary care clinicians to approved health care sites in rural areas. While there is no registration deadline for medical, nursing, dental, and mental/behavioral health clinicians, job-seekers may want to build a searchable professional profile on the Health Workforce Connector ahead of the Job Fair. NRHD: NIH Rural Health Seminar – Thursday, November 19 at 1:00 pm ET. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host a four-hour event online with a focus on challenges during COVID-19. DOJ Expert Q&A: Supporting Indigenous Victims of Violence – Friday, November 20 at 3:30 pm ET. The Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will present data and resources on violent crime in these communities. Resource of the Week CDC: How to Select, Wear, and Clean Your Mask. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added this easy-to-understand guide to their COVID-19 resources. According to National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, face coverings could save 130,000 American lives by March. Approaching Deadlines 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 CDC Foundation: Strengthen Vaccine Confidence Pilot Project – November 16 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 Comments Requested: Medicare Advantage Advance Notice Part II – November 30 Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Meaningful Use Hardship Exception – November 30 Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program – November 30 NACCHO Building Rural Workforce Capacity for COVID-19 – November 30 CDC Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Prevention – December 1 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program – December 1 National Health Service Corps Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program – Extended to December 3 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 Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace – December 15 Request for Information: Maternal and Child Health Bureau Strategic Plan – December 18 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 NACCHO Model Practices Award – December 31 USDA Solid Waste Treatment Grants – December 31 Comments Requested: CMS Fourth COVID-19 Interim Final Rule – January 4 AmeriCorps State and National Grants for Community Service – January 6 NIH Pilot and Feasibility Studies for Drug/Alcohol Prevention Trials – January 7 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 HRSA National Telehealth Resource Center Program – January 21 HRSA Regional Telehealth Resource Center Program – January 21 National Environmental Public Health Internship – January 22 Host Site Application for National Environmental Public Health Internship – January 22 AAP Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Grants – January 27 FEMA Grants for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities – January 29 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 Housing Assistance Council: Housing Loans for Low-Income Rural Communities 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 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 Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans 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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