March 11, 2021 What's New HHS to Invest $250 Million for COVID-19 Response in Underserved Communities. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a community-level program for vulnerable populations, including those in rural areas, and racial and ethnic minorities. The new initiative – Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 – is expected to fund approximately 30 projects in urban communities and 43 projects in rural communities (as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer) for two years to encourage COVID-19 safety and vaccination. Applications are due on April 20th. Eligibility is limited to local municipalities, with consideration given for localities with high social vulnerability. Deadline Extended for CMS Rural Transformation Project. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the application due date for its new, rural-focused Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model Community Transformation Track to May 11. Optional Letters of Intent are due April 13. This voluntary payment model, the first of its kind from the CMS Innovation Center, will test whether upfront investments, predictable capitated payments, and operational and regulatory flexibilities will enable rural health care providers to improve access to care while reducing health care costs. Selected participants will have 15 months to collaborate with local partners and develop a Community Transformation Plan. AHRQ Data Request: Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking published and unpublished scientific information to inform their review of this subject. Key questions in the review include those about the effectiveness of provider-to-provider telehealth and about effective implementation strategies. Submit information to AHRQ's Evidence-Based Practice Centers Program on or before April 1. ERS on COVID-19 and Rural America. The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture analyzes county-level data on the prevalence of COVID-19 and local employment rates. A second report takes a closer look at the impact on counties where meatpacking accounts for more than 20 percent of employment. CRS on Broadband Provisions passed by Congress. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides objective policy and legal analysis to committees and members of the U.S. House and Senate. This report provides information on each federal program included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, designed to increase broadband availability for underserved areas of the United States. ONC Reports on Interoperability of Electronic Health Records. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published a data brief examining rates of interoperability by hospital size, type, method of interoperability, and suburban-urban status. Share Your Thoughts and Opinions on Health – Respond by March 15. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking English-speaking people living in rural areas to participate in virtual discussions about health. The purpose of these discussions is to obtain consumer feedback on newly developed health materials. HRSA is open to speaking with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Sessions will be held in March and May via Zoom and will last approximately 90 minutes. All who participate will receive monetary token of appreciation. If you or someone you know may be interested, please have them contact Heidi.Palacios@SchlesingerGroup.com or call (972) 503-3100 x- 407. Feedback from rural populations will help HRSA create easy to understand health materials for everyone. 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. 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). CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions. Includes information on terms and conditions, attestation, reporting and auditing requirements, general and targeted distributions, and how to report capital equipment purchases. 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 Toolkit for Tribal Communities, and a vaccine locator by state. CMS Coronavirus Stakeholder Calls. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosts recurring online sessions to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS. HHS Coronavirus Data Hub. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) website includes estimated and reported hospital capacity by state, with numbers updated daily. COVID-19 Data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The site provides access to demographic and economic data, including state and local data on at-risk populations, poverty, health insurance coverage, and employment. 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. The FORHP-supported Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC) provides reports, guidance, and innovative strategies gleaned from their technical assistance and peer learning sessions with FORHP grantees. New: COVID-19 Rollout in Rural Communities: Challenges, Innovations, and Unmet Needs. 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 March 26, 2020 to the present. Rural Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019. The Rural Health Information Hub has a compendium of rural-specific activities and guidelines, including Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness, a tool with resources for responding to a local surge in cases. 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 for behavioral health and recovery providers. 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. Online Resource for Licensure of Health Professionals. Created by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, the site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state for psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists assistants, and social workers. Funding and Opportunities SAMHSA: MAT for Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction – April 27. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make up to 139 awards with a total investment of more than $71 million to expand or enhance medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services for persons with an opioid use disorder. Eligible applicants are public and private non-profit entities. Delta Region Innovative Readiness Training Medical Missions – Letters of Intent April 30. The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the U.S. Department of Defense will bring medical, dental, and optical care to rural communities in the eight states served by the DRA. Selected host sites will be areas with a population of 50,000 or less, a critical shortage of health care providers, and must meet at least one of the following criteria: 1) an unemployment rate above the national average over the last 24 months, 2) per capital income 80 percent or less than the national average, and 3) a special need cause by natural disaster or other emergency. CDC Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives – May 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will invest $10 million in a five-year project to address social determinants of health and racial inequity affecting adolescents and young adults in areas with high rates of violence. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments, independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations. Priority consideration will be given to projects that focus on rural, American Indian/Alaska Native, and economically disadvantaged communities. John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Scholarship – May 1. The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health will provide financial support for American Indian and Alaska Native scholars, health leaders, health professionals, and paraprofessionals who are interested in attending Summer institute courses that begin in July 2021. HUD Older Adults Home Modification Grants – May 4. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will make 30 awards of up to $1.25 million each for home modifications and repairs that improve safety and accessibility for low-income elderly homeowners aged 62 or older. Eligible applicants include city, county, state, and special district governments and nonprofit organizations. At least 50 percent of the funding will be made available to communities with substantial rural populations. EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving – May 7. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will make 20 awards of up to $160,000 each for projects that use the EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model to address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities. Treasury Department Emergency Capital Investment Program – May 7. The U.S. Department of the Treasury will provide funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) to provide loans, grants, and forbearance for small and/or minority-owned business. A set aside of $2 billion is available for smaller CDFIs and MDIs with less than $500 million in assets. 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. Sources of Insurance Coverage in Nonmetropolitan Areas: The Role of Public and Private Insurance Since 2009. This brief from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis uses the American Community Survey five-estimates to compare types of health insurance coverage for the nonelderly in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. No policy updates this week. Learning Events and Technical Assistance CDC: Role of Telehealth in COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake – Thursday, March 11 at 2:00 pm ET. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold a one-hour webinar with presenters who will share their experiences reaching low access communities. NIH Obesity and Cancer Webinar Series – Thursdays at 3:00 pm ET, March 4-25. The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will hold a series of four webinars to examine the connection between cancer, obesity, and disparities within racially-ethnically diverse populations. NOSORH Rural Definitions and Program Eligibility Webinar – Thursday, March 11 at 3:00 pm ET. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) will hold a webinar to examine the recent changes to the rural definition that FORHP uses to determine eligibility for grants. The webinar also will include discussion of proposed changes by the Census Bureau and by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to their designations (e.g., Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Urbanized Areas) and how those relate to FORHP's definition. AgriSafe: Addressing Military Needs in Agriculture - Wednesday, March 17 at 1:00 pm ET. The AgriSafe Network holds a one-hour webinar for health and safety professionals in agricultural communities to learn about the needs of more than 370,000 agriculture producers who are veterans. SAMHSA National Advisory for Mental Health Services – Thursday, March 18 at 1:00 pm ET. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a 3.5 hour meeting for this National Advisory Council. Members of the public are invited to attend but registration is required. MATRC: Answering Questions About Telehealth and Telemental Health – Friday, March 19 at 12:00 pm ET. The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) holds a live, one-hour event to answer questions about the basics. The MATRC is one of 14 FORHP-Supported Telehealth Resource Centers. Registration is now open for the MATRC Virtual Summit 2021 – March 28-31. HRSA Virtual Job Fair for Primary Care Clinicians and Sites – Wednesday, March 24 at 5:45 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold its next job fair to connect primary care trainees and practicing clinicians to approved health care sites in underserved areas. There is no registration deadline for job seekers, but sites must register by March 17. HRSA Region 1 Federal Panel Event – Thursday, March 25 at 12:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the New England Rural Health Association will host a 90-minute panel discussion with representatives from HRSA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration among other federal partners to discuss new priorities and initiatives for health care in the New England region. HRSA: Addressing the Unique Needs of Black Women with HIV – Thursday, March 25 at 1:00 pm ET. The Office of Women's Health (OWH) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold a one-hour webinar to present data and findings from a HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau Technical Expert Panel focused on improving prevention and treatment services for black women. Write to OWH for more information about this and other events in the Women's Health Leadership Series. Resource of the Week Special Enrollment Period Communication Toolkit. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created outreach and education materials on the Healthcare.gov special enrollment period, which allows individuals and families to sign up for health insurance through May 15. The toolkit includes social media posts, downloadable images, a TV ad, a video, and fillable flyers in multiple languages. Approaching Deadlines DOJ Rural Program for Violence Against Women – March 12 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) -Implementation – March 12 NEA Citizens' Institute on Rural Design – March 12 Comments Requested: HHS Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity – March 14 HRSA P4 Challenge: Primary Care to Improve Child Health – March 15 NIH: Social/Behavioral Research for Cancer Intervention in Rural Populations – March 15 DOL Pathway Home Employment/Training for Incarcerated Individuals – March 16 NIH Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Connectedness/Isolation – March 17 RWJF Leadership Development Programs – March 17 SAMHSA Rural Emergency Medical Services Training – March 18 USDA Higher Education Challenge Grants – March 18 Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to OMB Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Delineations – March 19 CDC Research Grants to Prevent Violence/ACEs – March 22 Department of Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Program – March 22 USDA Rural Community Development Initiative – March 22 DOJ Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction for Tribal Governments – March 26 DOJ Grants for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault – March 29 DOJ Services for Victims of Human Trafficking – Extended to March 30 (from March 2) AACOM Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship for Professionals – March 31 AMA Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship Program – March 31 PCORI Advisory Panel Nominations – March 31 AHRQ Data Request: Improving Rural Health Through Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication – April 1 PCORI Capacity Building for Patient-Centered Research – Letters of Intent April 1 PCORI Stakeholder Convening Support – Letters of Intent April 1 USAC Rural Healthcare Connect Fund – April 1 CMS Geographic Direct Contracting Model – April 2 HRSA Evidence-Based Telehealth Grant Program – April 2 CDC Rigorous Evaluation of Policies that Prevent Violence – April 5 DOJ Violence Against Women Grants to Indian Tribal Governments – April 7 DOJ Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence – Extended to April 5 (from March 8) HRSA Behavioral Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals – April 12 HRSA Grants for RCORP - Psychostimulant Support – April 12 CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – Letters of Intent (Optional) April 13 DOJ Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women – Extended to April 13 (from March 16) SAMHSA SBIRT Program for Substance Use Disorder – April 19 Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 – April 20 CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Surveillance – April 25 ACL Alzheimer's Disease Program Grants to States and Communities – April 26 DOJ Tribal-Researcher Capacity Building Grants – April 26 SAMHSA: MAT for Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction – April 27 USDA Rural Health and Safety Education Grants – April 29 Delta Region Innovative Readiness Training Medical Missions – Letters of Intent April 30 CDC Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives – May 1 John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Scholarship – May 1 HUD Older Adults Home Modification Grants – May 4 NIH Research for End-of-Life and Palliative Care Health Literacy – May 7 EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving – May 7 Treasury Department Emergency Capital Investment Program – May 7 CMS Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model (CHART) – Extended to May 11 (from March 16) Special Enrollment Period for Health Coverage – May 15 Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to the Census Bureau Definition of Urban – May 20 Ongoing Opportunities Extended Public Comment Period for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – December 2022 American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs Department of Labor Dislocated Worker Grants Department of Labor Stand Down Grants for Veterans Services – through December 2021 DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program – Public Comments Requested GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment 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 Practice-Based Research for Mental Health Interventions in Pediatric Primary Care Settings – July 1, 2021 (Letters of Intent June 1) NIH Research to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes Through HIT – July 17, 2021 NIH Research for AI/AN End-of-Life Care – January 8, 2022 NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health – May 2022 NIH Research – Alcohol and Other Substance Use – Various 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 Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health – Various Dates Until September 2023 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 Tribal Grant Writing Training USDA Community Facilities Program USDA Community Food Projects Technical Assistance USDA Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Economic Impact Initiative Grants 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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