October 14, 2021 What's New JAMA: Birth Volume and Geographic Distribution of U.S. Obstetric Hospitals, 2010 – 2018. In an open-access article from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers report that, among more than 34 million hospital births in the U.S., 37.4 percent of the hospitals were low volume. Among low-volume hospitals, 18.9 percent were isolated and 58.4 percent of these were rural. New Plan and Policy Statement for Climate Impacts on Health. Last week, HHS revealed its roadmap for assuring that all parts of the Department address the effects that climate change can have on health and well-being. The plan is in response to an Executive Order for a whole-of-government approach to confronting the crisis that includes extreme weather, rising temperatures and sea levels, and increases in levels of carbon dioxide. New Spanish Language App Helps Latinos With Health Care. A report from HHS shows that insurance coverage and access to care improved significantly for Latinos between 2013 and 2016, but they still have among the highest uninsured rate of any racial or ethnic group within the U.S. To build on progress, HHS launched a Spanish version of its QuestionBuilder app, which can help Latino patients prepare for their in-person or telehealth appointments. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality built the app to help users improve their interaction with clinicians, providing questions they might want to ask with links to helpful resources. The 2020 Census reports that Hispanics are the second most prevalent racial or ethnic group in rural America, comprising 10.4 percent of the rural population. Rural Doulas Supporting Maternal and Infant Health. The latest feature article in The Rural Monitor spotlights a New Mexico doula program that reaches American Indian, Hispanic, and other populations who lack nearby labor/delivery units, a Minnesota program helping moms experiencing incarceration, and a North Dakota program training postpartum doulas to care for families impacted by opioid use disorder and other substance use. COVID-19 Resources New COVID-19 Provider Funding Application Portal Open through October 26. As of September 29, health care providers can apply for $25.5 billion in provider relief funds. The package includes $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) resources for those who serve rural patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and $17 billion for Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 for a broad range of providers experiencing changes in operating revenues and expenses. Providers may apply for both programs with a single application, and applications must be completed and submitted by October 26 at 11:59 p.m. ET. HRSA will host the next technical assistance webinar on Thursday, October 21. NARHC Assistance with Federal Programs for COVID-19 Testing, Vaccine Distribution, and Provider Relief Fund. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) includes a review of the application process for the new round of COVID-19-related funding in its collection of technical assistance webinars. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Resources for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders. Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Distribution (RHCVD) Program. Under the program, Medicare-certified RHCs will receive direct COVID-19 vaccines in addition to their normal jurisdictions' weekly allocation. Contact RHCVaxDistribution@hrsa.gov for more information. Online Resource for Licensure of Health Professionals. As telehealth usage increased during the pandemic, FORHP funded new work with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards to reduce the burden of multi-state licensure. 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. 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. Round 1 Provider Relief Fund Reporting – Grace Period for Submitting Until November 30. Provider Relief Fund (PRF) recipients who received funds prior to June 30, 2020, should have completed reports by September 30. Resources on the Reporting and Auditing web page will help PRF recipients comply with reporting. Last month, HHS announced a grace period to support those facing natural disasters and the Delta variant surge. While the September 30 deadline for reporting has not changed, recoupment or other enforcement actions will not be initiated during the grace period, lasting October 1 – November 30, 2021. 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. Don't miss the Spanish-language website, JuntosSíPodemos.HHS.gov. The Ad Council's Rural Resource Toolkit for Vaccinations [pdf]. The toolkit includes simple message elements for talking about vaccines and public service announcements that can be customized with your organization's logo and used in print, online, on the radio, or on television. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, COVID-19 Vaccination Trainings for new and experienced providers, and Tips for Talking with Patients about COVID-19 Vaccination. New: COVIDVaxView: A Data Dashboard. 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. 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. 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 from 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. NIH Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) created a collection of online resources with information for communities hit hardest by the pandemic, such as African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and American Indian/Alaska Natives. 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. ATTC Network COVID-19 Resources for Addictions Treatment. The online catalog of COVID-related resources includes regularly-updated guidance and trainings for professionals in the field. The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network was established in 1993 by SAMHSA. 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 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. 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 HRSA Primary Care HIV Prevention in Health Centers – December 14. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will invest $50 million for prevention efforts in 150 facilities. Eligible applicants are current grantees of the Health Center Program with at least one delivery site targeted by the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. Fifty-seven priority districts include seven states with a substantial number of HIV diagnoses in rural areas. HRSA Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) – January 5. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make 59 awards with total funding of more than $5.7 million to support children and youth with special health care needs. The program will fund one F2F HIC in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands). Up to three F2F HICs will serve American Indians/Alaska Natives. Each center will advance a system of culturally and linguistically appropriate services in which families and health professionals partner in health care decision-making. 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. Statewide Age-Friendly Initiatives: An Environmental Scan. Age-friendly policies and programs have typically occurred at the local level but are becoming increasingly common at the state level. This is of particular importance for rural communities as the share of older adults is increasing in rural areas faster than in urban areas, yet funding of and access to aging supports in rural areas may be more limited or disjointed. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center identifies these state-level initiatives and the extent to which such programs have an explicit rural focus. Policy Updates Visit the FORHP Policy page to see all recent updates and send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. No updates this week. Learning Events and Technical Assistance HRSA's New Projections for the Health Workforce – Thursday, October 14 at 2:00 pm ET. While HRSA's National Center for Workforce Analysis predicts a shortfall of primary care physicians by 2030, their latest report shows a surplus of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Join experts for more details in this 90-minute webinar. Telehealth Best Practices Learned from the Pandemic – Tuesday, October 19 at 3:00 pm ET. The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resources will hold the last of a four-part series with lessons learned from telehealth practices of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Topics in the series include connecting with hard-to-reach populations, staff engagement, and the future of telehealth after the pandemic. NIHB Public Health Indian Country Capacity Scan Project – Tuesday, October 19 at 3:00 pm ET. In an hour-long webinar, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will describe and discuss their two-year project to assess the capacity of Tribal health and Tribal public health organizations. Resources and Tools for Rural Mental Health – Wednesday, October 20 at 2:00 pm ET. Rural health experts will discuss opportunities for delivering integrated care as well as upcoming sessions for peer-to-peer learning. The Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions is funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. CMS All Tribes Webinar on Rural Emergency Hospitals – Thursday, October 21 at 2:00 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Tribal Affairs will host an All Tribes Webinar on Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), a new Medicare provider type, established by section 125 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (see page 1779 of the linked PDF). In this 90-minute call, CMS seeks input on any unique circumstances for Indian health care providers. HRSA Guidance on New COVID-19 Provider Relief Funding – Thursday, October 21 at 3:00 pm ET. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold the last of its webinars for rural applicants of Phase 4 and American Rescue Plan funding, featuring guidance on how to navigate the application portal. The application will close on October 26, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. SEARCH 2021: The National Telehealth Research Symposium – November 8-10. Registration is open for the annual event that supports health researchers, academicians, and visionaries in telehealth with a virtual venue to share findings and foster research partnerships. This year's agenda includes keynotes and panel presentations designed to promote federal research resources and priorities, and will feature discussions pertaining to health disparities and development of digital health research programs within academic medical centers. Over 50 experienced and graduate researchers will present their work and share innovative studies. Resources of the Week Financial Guide for Rural Health Care Leaders During COVID and After COVID. The guide was created for state-level personnel of the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, leaders of Critical Access Hospitals, and provider-based Rural Health Clinics. The content is designed to be as non-technical as possible with guidance on financial indicators likely to be impacted by the Public Health Emergency. Sustainable Rural EMS: Navigating Change. This guide is designed to assist rural communities in navigating a change from unsustainable volunteer EMS and ambulance service models to those that are sustainable. This guide is intended to direct community leaders through change based on a stepped process that has been used in rural communities throughout the U.S. It includes information on how to assess if a community has an EMS problem, the needed ingredients to change, and a six-step process to implement change to a more sustainable model of rural EMS. Delta Region Community Spotlight. Each video in this series from the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program tells the story of how a participating organization and their community have been transformed by the technical assistance the program offers. Approaching Deadlines Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples: Thriving Women Program – October 16 Department of Commerce/EDA American Rescue Plan Program for Community Development – October 19 HRSA COVID-19 Provider Relief Funding, Phase 4 – October 26 USDA Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants – November 1 Combating Opioid Overdose Through Community-Level Intervention – November 1 AmeriCorps VISTA Requesting Concept Papers – November 3 USDA Small Business Innovation Research, Phase 1 – November 3 National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program – November 4 HHS Seeks Public Input on Four-Year Strategic Plan – November 7 AmeriCorps State and National Public Health AmeriCorps – November 8 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows – Letters of Intent November 12 CDC Seeking Public Input on Work-Related Stress for Health Workers – November 26 Comments Requested: Criteria for Determining Maternity Care Health Professional Target Areas – November 26 End of Grace Period for Round 1 Provider Relief Fund Reporting – November 30 Department of Commerce Pilot Program: Connecting Minority Communities – December 1 EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants – December 1 EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants – December 1 Comments Requested: Requirements Related to Surprise Billing – December 6 HRSA Physician Assistant Rural Training Program – December 9 HRSA Graduate Psychology Education Program – December 9 HRSA New Geographic Service Areas for HIV/AIDS Early Intervention – December 10 RADx-UP Mini-Grant Program for COVID-19 Testing Initiatives – December 10 HRSA Primary Care HIV Prevention in Health Centers – December 14 Department of Labor Stand Down Grants for Veterans Services – December 31 COVID-19 Extension for Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Affiliation Agreement – January 1 HRSA Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) – January 5 NIH Researching Behavioral Risk Factors for Cancer in Rural Populations – January 18 Ongoing Opportunities CFPB Rental Assistance Finder 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 HRSA Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians – Until Funds Run Out 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 American Rescue Plan Funding for Indigenous Communities – September 2022 Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs Department of Labor Dislocated Worker Grants 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 Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians – Until Funds Depleted 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: Intervening with Cancer Caregivers to Improve Patient Outcomes – September 8, 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 Researching the Role of Work in Health Disparities – Various Dates Until September 2024 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 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 SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) 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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