June 24, 2021 What's New HRSA Makes Awards for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $1.9 million to 20 awardees for this one-year, community-driven program designed to assist in the planning and development of an integrated health care network at the local level. By emphasizing the role of networks, the program creates a platform for both rural and urban medical care providers, social service providers, and community organizations to coalesce key elements of a health care delivery system for the purpose of improving local capacity and coordination of care in rural communities. Administered by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) at HRSA, the Network Planning program is an opportunity for health care providers to implement new and innovative approaches to care that may in turn serve as a model for other rural communities. The incoming cohort of Network Planning grantees have projects that focus on care coordination, health information technology/data analytics, behavioral health (including mental health and substance use disorder), elder care, and COVID-19. Visit the Rural Health Information Hub online to learn more about successful program models and evidence-based toolkits that have come from the work of FORHP-funded projects. See more about this program under Rural Health Research below. An Update on COPD. The rural-focused publication, The Rural Monitor, provides details on recent efforts to close the rural-urban disparity gap for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that disparity in 2017; later that year, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute launched the COPD National Action Plan. A new website from the Dorney-Koppel Foundation provides testimonials from those affected by the disease, as well as links to resources. UPDATED: CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions. Includes information on terms and conditions, attestation, general and targeted distributions, and how to report capital equipment purchases. Reporting and Auditing requirements FAQs were updated on June 11. AHRQ: COVID-Related Hospitalizations in 13 States. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) examines the differences in month-to-month hospitalizations by patient location (metropolitan to rural) from April to September 2020. NACo: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Counties Post-COVID. The National Association of Counties (NACo) presents a video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organizations to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Topics include rural economic concerns following COVID-19, county-level responses to the pandemic, rural hospitals and workforce issues, broadband access, and federal programs serving rural communities. Transcripts from this hearing are available on the congressional website. COVID-19 Resources Customizable COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Rural Communities. Easy access to customizable communication templates that include print ads, poster, brochure, social media posts, and an online resource guide. 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 ACF Grants for Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) – July 15. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will make 30 awards for projects that educate youth, ages 10-19, on prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. Eligible applicants include local organizations and entities in states that did not accept FY2010 and FY2011 allocations for State PREP. These are Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, American Samoa, and Marshall Islands. Separately, ACF Tribal Personal Responsibility Education Program for Teen Pregnancy Prevention – July 26 will make eight awards to Native American tribal organizations and governments. HUD Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program – July 30. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will make nine awards of up to $1,000,000 each to rehabilitate and modify the primary residence of veterans who are low-income and living with disabilities. Projects that focus on disadvantaged populations are encouraged. These include Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons; Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. CDC National HIV Behavioral Surveillance – August 2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make 30 awards with total funding of more than $97 million. The program will support ongoing surveillance of HIV-related behaviors among populations at high risk for infection. Eligible applicants include local governments and all U.S. state health departments. USDA Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants – August 2. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make seven awards with a total investment of $10 million to support jobs accelerator partnerships to create high wage jobs, form new businesses, and help rural communities identify and maximize local assets. Eligible applicants include state, local, and Native American tribal governments; small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. ONC Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development – August 11. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) will make 30 cooperative agreement awards with total funding of $75 million. The four-year program aims to train at least 4,000 individuals in in public health informatics and data science. ONC is particularly interested in applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions. HHS Minority Leaders Development Program – August 17. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) seeks applications from any public or private nonprofit entity to develop and implement a fellowship program at HHS to train early-career individuals in health equity issues and leadership. The Minority Leaders Development Program aims to enhance skills and competencies necessary for federal leadership through a curriculum focused on health care policy, leadership skill-building, and cultural competence. According to the USDA's Economic Research Service, minorities in rural areas have the highest rates of poverty, something that may be improved by representation in leadership positions. NIH Research to Address Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health – August 24. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide grants for observational research to understand the role of structural racism in causing minority health disparities. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments, small businesses, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education. Letters of Intent, due July 20, are not required but strongly encouraged. NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will support research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and risks for abuse and injury among vulnerable children and youth. NIH places special interest on populations disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and disparity populations that include American Indians, Alaska Natives, LGBT youth, and children seen at rural emergency departments. 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. Rural Health Network Development Planning Grants in Counties with Majority Persons of Color Populations. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center describes the prevalence of Rural Health Network Development Planning Grants awarded to organizations located in counties where the population is majority Black, majority Hispanic, majority Indigenous, has no majority racial or ethnic group, or is located in a U.S. territory. Researchers also identify the primary focus areas of work for these grantees and how that focus has changed over time. In a separate brief, the research center examines Trends in Network Focus Areas Among Network Development Planning Grantees, 2003-2020. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. GAO Report on Medicare-Funded Graduate Medical Education (GME). This Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reviews the extent to which hospitals were over or under their Medicare GME caps, which determine the number of physician trainees the payments can support. It also summarizes stakeholders' views on the amount of time that should be allotted for a new GME program to grow before the cap is permanently set, including the amount of time under-resourced hospitals such those in rural areas may need. Learning Events and Technical Assistance 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. VA: Disparities in Telehealth Use During COVID-19 – Wednesday, July 7 at 1:00 pm ET. In a one-hour session, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will examine three sets of factors that account for differences in Telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources of the Week Direct-to-consumer telehealth: Which approach is right for your practice? While many health care professionals offer telemedicine appointments as part of their regular practice, there are several ways to provide telehealth. Learn about all the different telehealth options available to you and your patients by using the direct-to-consumer best practice guide from Telehealth.HHS.gov. New Tool for Licensing Psychologists Across Jurisdictions. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) is a grantee of FORHP's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. They launched a new website, the Centre for Data and Analysis on Psychology Licensure to help licensing boards make informed decisions through consistent data gathering, analysis and reporting. Posted on the site and available for download is ASPPBs first edition of the annual InFocus 2020 report providing information on trending data regarding the number of licensees, jurisdictional licensure requirements, licensure portability and the inter-jurisdictional utilization of telepsychology. NTIA Indicators of Broadband Need Map. The National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The interactive map uses several different public and private data sources to show broadband availability with in the United States. Approaching Deadlines HRSA Rural Health Clinics Vaccine Confidence Program – Extended to June 24 (from 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 ACF Grants for Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) – July 15 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 Appalachian and Delta Regions – July 21 HRSA Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) – July 22 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants – July 23 ACF Tribal Personal Responsibility Education Program for Teen Pregnancy Prevention – July 26 HUD Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program – July 30 CDC National HIV Behavioral Surveillance – August 2 USDA Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants – August 2 NIH Research Education Programs for Alcohol and Other Substance Use – August 10 ONC Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development – August 11 Special Enrollment Period for Health Coverage – Extended to August 15 (from May 15) HHS Minority Leaders Development Program – August 17 NIH Research to Address Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health – August 24 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 NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024 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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