June 17, 2021 What's New Customizable COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Rural Communities. This toolkit from the FORHP-supported National Rural Health Resource Center helps rural community- and faith-based organizations, businesses, public health, schools, and health care organizations with internal and external COVID-19 vaccine communication materials. Organizations have easy access to customizable communication templates that include print ads, poster, brochure, social media posts, and an online resource guide. HHS Awards $125 Million in Workforce Grants for Vaccination Efforts. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) awarded the first of two rounds of funding to bring health and social service workers to underserved communities. The funding will help community-based organizations hire and mobilize outreach workers, community health workers, social support specialists and others to help increase public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. New Study: Gap in Rural-Urban Death Rates Tripled Over Last 20 Years. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital used publicly available data for the years 1999 to 2019 and found an overall increase of more than 12 percent in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for rural residents aged 25 to 64 years. While death rates fell among Black individuals, this group had greater AAMRs than all other racial/ethnic groups across both rural and urban environments. The study, published last week in JAMA, was conducted before the outbreak of COVID-19; authors note the pandemic may have since exacerbated the rural-urban divide they observed. SAMHSA Guide to Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sought input from federal, state, and non-governmental experts for this guide to best practices. New Reporting Requirements and Timeline for Provider Relief Fund (PRF). Last week, the Health Resources and Services Administration released revised reporting requirements for recipients of PRF funding. These revisions mean more flexibility for providers, and include expanding the amount of time providers will have to report information, reducing burdens for smaller providers, and extending key deadlines for spending PRF payments for those providers who received payments after June 30, 2020. The revised reporting requirements are applicable to providers who received one or more payments exceeding, in the aggregate, $10,000 during a single Payment Received Period. Providers are encouraged to register in the Reporting Portal before it opens with full reporting functionality on July 1. Learn more about the PRF reporting requirements. AHRQ Social Determinants of Health Database. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) curated data from publicly available sources linked to county and zip code. The five key SDOH variables are social context (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, veteran status), economic context (e.g., income, unemployment rate), education, physical infrastructure (e.g, housing, crime, transportation), and healthcare context (e.g., health insurance). AAMC Reports on Physician Supply and Demand. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects the future supply of active physicians, including projected demand for primary care or non-primary care specialties by urban or rural location. COVID-19 Resources Expanded Resources for Rural Health Clinics. Three new programs help more than 4,600 Rural Health Clinics in 45 states meet the needs of their communities. HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will provide claims reimbursement at the national Medicare rate for eligible health care providers administering vaccines to underinsured individuals. This may be particularly helpful in rural communities given higher rates of uninsured and underinsured. We Can Do This: COVID-19 Public Education Campaign. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a national effort to help community partners promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence. The campaign includes educational materials targeted to specific audiences, including rural communities, and seeks volunteers for the COVID-19 Community Corps. New: The campaign launched a Spanish-language website, JuntosSíPodemos.HHS.gov. Volunteer to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has expanded its definition of persons authorized to give the vaccine. These include, among others, current and retired traditional and non-traditional health care professionals, and students in health care programs. HHS Facts About COVID Care for the Uninsured. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) helps uninsured individuals find no-cost COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines. The HRSA Uninsured Program provides claims reimbursement to health care providers generally at Medicare rates for testing, treating, and administering vaccines to uninsured individuals, including undocumented immigrants. There are at-a-glance fact sheets for providers and for patients in English and Spanish. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy FAQs for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders. 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 vaccine locator by state, and COVID-19 Vaccination Trainings for new and experienced providers. HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network. A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients and struggling with access to enough critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other specialized clinical experts. Teams of critical care clinicians are available to deliver virtual care through lightweight telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device. Hear from participating clinicians and email to learn more and sign up. 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. FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created this temporary program to help eligible individuals and households afford internet service during the pandemic. Eligible households can enroll through an approved broadband service provider or by visiting GetEmergencyBroadband.org. The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner. Funding and Opportunities NASHP Policy Academy on Rural Mental Health Crisis Services – July 9. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) seeks applications from state-level health officials for this learning opportunity. NASHP will provide technical support, opportunities for peer-to-peer discussion, targeted support for state policy goals, and access to national expertise. USDA Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance - Ongoing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps with management, financial health, and operations for food access projects still in the early stages. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect health care workers from COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an emergency temporary standard to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19. Under this standard, covered healthcare employers must develop and implement a COVID-19 plan to identify and control COVID-19 hazards in the workplace, and they must implement other requirements to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace. Fact sheets and FAQs are available as well as a flow chart for employers to determine whether or how their workplace is covered by the ETS. Revised reporting requirements for recipients of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has updated the reporting requirements for recipients of PRF payments to expand the amount of time providers will have to report information, reduce burdens on smaller providers, and extend key deadlines for expending PRF payments for those who received payments after June 30, 2020. Learning Events and Technical Assistance CMS Rural Toolkit for COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign – Thursday, June 17 at 1:00 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is partnering with the HHS We Can Do This campaign to promote vaccine confidence. This 90-minute webinar will review the toolkit tailored to rural communities. National Academies: COVID-19 and Disaster Preparedness – Thursday, June 17 at 1:00 pm ET. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine will hold a one-hour session that focuses on disaster preparedness for vulnerable populations. This is the first in a three-part series on the subject. HRSA Maternal Health Webinar Series: SUD and Pregnancy – Tuesday, June 22 at 12:00 pm ET. The Office of Regional Operations at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) hosts this session covering the effects of and treatments for substance use disorder (SUD) during pregnancy. HRSA Virtual Job Fair for Primary Care Clinicians – Wednesday, June 23 at 6:45 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) invites clinicians and trainees to attend this four-hour online session to learn about job openings in underserved areas. Application Assistance for the Delta Community Health Program – Thursday, June 24 at 12:00 pm ET. The National Rural Health Resource Center will hold an hour-long session for applicants to the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program (see Ongoing Opportunities below). This program provides technical assistance to small and rural hospitals, rural health clinics and other health care organizations located in the 252 counties and parishes served by the Delta Regional Authority (a federal agency and HRSA partner). Evaluating Implicit Bias in Patient/Provider Communication – Thursday, June 24 at 1:00 pm ET. HRSA's Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center will host a webinar on the implicit race bias that has been associated with poor patient/provider communication, an issue more commonly experienced by Black patients. The webinar will explore an online course developed by the University of Washington, on implicit bias for academic teaching faculty and others. MATRC: Answering Questions About Telehealth and Telemental Health – Friday, June 25 at 12:00 pm ET. The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) holds a live, two-hour event to answer questions about the basics. The MATRC is one of 14 FORHP-Supported Telehealth Resource Centers. This is a recurring session taking place every other Friday from 12:00 to 2:00 pm ET. Meeting of the HHS COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force – Friday, June 25 at 2:00 pm ET. The virtual meeting, lasting four hours, is open to the public and will be live-streamed. Pre-registration is required for those who want to provide public comment during the meeting. To provide a public comment during the meeting, send an email with your name and organization to COVID19HETF@hhs.gov no later than close of business on Friday, June 18. BPC: Strengthening Public Health for the Next Pandemic – Tuesday, June 29 at 11:00 am ET. Over 90 minutes, the Bipartisan Policy Center will discuss its policy recommendations for intergovernmental responsibilities, data infrastructure, and public health financing. IHS Domestic Violence Webinar Series - Wednesday, June 30 at 11:00 am ET. The Indian Health Services (IHS) will examine the key issues of the missing and murdered Indigenous people in a one-hour session. Resources of the Week Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings on Hospital Compare: Overview for Flex Programs and Rural Stakeholders The National Rural Health Resource Center provides an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings including background information, rural relevant discussion/talking points, and a summary of the methodology including the recent changes made as part of the Calendar Year 2021 CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule. FORHP Grants in Motion. Every quarter the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIHub) releases Grants in Motion, which is a series that highlights some of the exceptional work our FORHP awardees are achieving in their communities. This edition features a grantee from FORHP's Rural Health Opioid Program, which was opened in 2017 in response to the Opioid epidemic. Community Action Commission of Fayette County was awarded for the peer support program they created in response to being ranked the #2 county in the state of Ohio for opioid overdose. Approaching Deadlines USDA Local Food Promotion Program – June 21 USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program – June 21 HRSA Early Intervention Services for HIV/AIDS – June 21 DOJ Family Drug Court Program – June 22 DOJ Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program – June 22 DOJ Second Chance Act Adult Re-entry/Recovery Program – June 22 DOJ Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative – June 22 DOJ Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence – June 22 HRSA Rural Health Clinics Vaccine Confidence Program – June 23 NIH/IHS Native American Research Centers for Health – June 24 HRSA Telehealth Technology-Enabled Learning Program – June 25 Comments Requested: Proposed Changes to Medicare Payments to Hospitals – June 28 DOJ Opioid Affected Youth Initiative – June 28 HRSA Application for New NHSC-Approved Sites – July 1 HRSA Faculty Loan Repayment Program – July 1 NIH Practice-Based Research for Mental Health Interventions in Pediatric Primary Care Settings – July 1 CDC Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans – July 5 ACF Head Start University Partnerships/Building ECE Workforce Well-Being – July 6 DOJ Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative – July 6 Federal Funding for Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators – July 6 HRSA Pediatric Mental Health Care Access – New Area Expansion – July 6 HUD Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS – July 6 Request for Information on Advancing Equity and Support for Underserved Communities – July 6 NIDA American Indian/Alaska Native Youth Projects to Stand Against Substance Misuse – July 7 NIH Researching COVID-19 Testing Interventions in Underserved Populations – July 7 HRSA Delta Region Rural Health Workforce Training Program – July 9 NASHP Policy Academy on Rural Mental Health Crisis Services – July 9 HHS Family-Centered Approaches to Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Control – July 13 USDA Revolving Loan Fund for Rural Water/Waste Systems – July 16 NIH Research to Improve Health Care Quality and Outcomes Through HIT – July 17 USDA Delta Health Care Services Grants – July 19 USDA Rural Housing Preservation Grants – July 19 USDA Rural Decentralized Water System Grants – July 19 DOL Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities – July 21 HRSA Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) – July 22 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants – July 23 NIH Research Education Programs for Alcohol and Other Substance Use – August 10 Special Enrollment Period for Health Coverage – Extended to August 15 (from May 15) DOC Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program – September 1 COVID-19 Extension for Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Affiliation Agreement – January 1 Ongoing Opportunities HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network Extended Public Comment Period for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program FCC Emergency Broadband for Individuals and Households FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program – March 2022 AHRQ Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grants – September 2022 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 FEMA/SAMHSA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program 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 Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications 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 Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance 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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