March 24, 2022 What's New Twelve Years of the Affordable Care Act. March 23rd marked the anniversary of the landmark law that has helped millions of Americans gain access to health coverage. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has issued a series of briefs over the last year analyzing how that coverage affected different segments of the population, including rural residents, older adults, immigrants, and ethnic/racial minorities. Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period Closes Soon. The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal will close on March 31 for Reporting Period 2. Providers who received one or more PRF payment exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, during the second Payment Received Period must report on their use of funds no later than March 31, 2022. Providers who fail to submit a completed report by the March 31 deadline will be subject to further enforcement actions such as repayment or exclusion from receiving and/or retaining future PRF payments. For more details, review the Reporting Non-Compliance Fact Sheet. To get started, providers must register in the Portal (if not yet completed). More information and resources can be found on the PRF Reporting web page. FCC Requests Comments on Promoting Telehealth in Rural America – Respond by April 14. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks comment on revisions to its initiatives to fund access to broadband and telecommunication services for rural health care providers. FCC proposes to modify the way the internal funding cap applies to upfront costs and multi-year commitments in the Healthcare Connect Fund Program, and to streamline the invoice process in the Telecommunications Program. The rule also seeks comment on ways to further increase the speed of funding commitments. Tobacco Use Down; Still High For Certain Groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 47.1 million U.S. adults (19%) reported that they were currently using any commercial tobacco product in the 2020 National Health Interview Survey. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was higher in rural areas than urban areas among adults who were non-Hispanic Black (38% higher), Hispanic (38% higher) and non-Hispanic White (62% higher). The Implications of Long COVID for Rural Communities. While the definition of post-COVID-19 effects has evolved, experts have identified a range of health conditions that may include shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, tachycardia, exercise intolerance, and cognitive dysfunction. In an open access article from The Journal of Rural Health, researchers report an estimated 7 to 22 million individuals in the U.S. may experience long COVID, with greater implications for rural economies and health delivery systems. National Poison Prevention Week March 20 – 26. HRSA funds 55 poison control centers across the nation and the Poison Help Line (1-800-222-1222). This week provides an opportunity to highlight the dangers of poisonings for people of all ages and promote community involvement in poisoning prevention. Over 2,000,000 poisonings occur annually, with nearly 43% of all exposures involving children younger than age 5. Two-thirds of calls to the Poison Help line are successfully resolved over the phone, preventing unnecessary visits to the hospital and reducing medical costs. Ongoing: HRSA Payment Program for RHC Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. In June 2021, HRSA launched an effort to improve access to substance use disorder treatment by paying for providers who are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.5 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov. There is ongoing availability of a free online course for waiver eligibility training from the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine and the Providers Clinical Support System. COVID-19 Resources Spread the Word About Vaccine Boosters. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) provides resources – posters, flyers, videos, and talking points – to help promote the extra protection from COVID-19 boosters. All vaccinated adults aged 18+ are eligible for a booster. A few weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded booster eligibility to include adolescents ages 12 to 17, recommending that they receive a booster shot five months after their initial vaccination. The CDC also released a new resource, based on input from rural health departments and organizations, with 12 strategies to increase vaccine uptake in rural communities (pdf). Search by zip code to find nearby locations providing adult and pediatric vaccines and boosters for COVID-19 and the flu at vaccines.gov. NARHC Assistance with Federal Programs for COVID-19 Testing, Vaccine Distribution, and Provider Relief Fund. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) has background information and guidelines in its collection of technical assistance webinars for all COVID-related programs designated for Rural Health Clinics. 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. Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation. The new resources help individuals, teachers, school administrators, librarians, faith leaders, and health care professionals to understand, identify, and stop the spread of misinformation. The toolkit includes common types of misinformation and a checklist to help evaluate the accuracy of health-related content. 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. HRSA will provide claims reimbursement at the national Medicare rate for eligible health care providers administering vaccines to underinsured individuals. On April 5, 2022 at 11:59 pm ET, the Coverage Assistance Fund will stop accepting vaccination claims. 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. The Uninsured Program has stopped accepting claims for testing and treatment due to lack of sufficient funds. On April 5, 2022 at 11:59 pm ET, the Uninsured Program will also stop accepting vaccination claims. CDC COVID-19 Updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance, including Rural Considerations for Vaccine Confidence and Uptake Strategies (pdf). New: Know Your COVID-19 Community Level. 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 Grant 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. Reaching Farm Communities for Vaccine Confidence. The AgriSafe Network is a nonprofit organization that provides information and training on injury and disease related to agriculture. Their health professionals and educators created a social media toolkit that aims to provide clear messages about COVID-19 vaccination for agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers. Funding and Opportunities Fuel Up to Play 60: School Funding for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity - April 13. Fuel Up to Play 60 Grants offer funding for schools to improve opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity. Up to $4,000 in funding and equipment are awarded to schools enrolled in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and participating in the National School Lunch Program. Funding may be used to purchase equipment, among other activities, but must support at least two activities from the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook. NOSORH Rural Health Data Institute – April 22. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) will provide web-based training for individuals who work with rural health data. Eight webinars, held weekly from May 3 to June 7, will cover the basics of finding, analyzing, or communicating data and creating a basic data skill set. There is a cost to participate and class size is limited to 60 participants. SAMHSA Grants for Substance Use Treatment Capacity in Drug Courts – May 9. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make 15 awards of up to $400,000/year each to enhance and expand treatment for substance use disorder in existing drug courts. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments; public and private universities and colleges; and community-based organizations. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. HRSA Announcement on Hospital Reinstatement into the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Section 121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, signed into law on March 15, 2022, permits certain hospitals to be reinstated into the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The hospital must be classified as a disproportionate share hospital, sole community hospital, rural referral center, children's hospital, or free standing cancer hospital and meet other specified conditions to qualify. This includes the condition that the hospital's termination must have been as a result of actions taken by or other impact on the hospital in response to, or as a result of, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. NQF Core Set of Rural Health Measures – April 12. The National Quality Forum (NQF) is convening a Rural Health Advisory Group funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update an existing core set of rural health measures established in 2018. A public commenting period is now open on a draft environmental scan (PDF) that provides an overview of updates to measures in the existing core measure set and identifies potential measures for addition based on rural-relevant topics and emerging issues. NQF is seeking comments from a diverse range of stakeholders on commonly used and high-priority measures in rural settings, as well as feedback on the challenges of implementing these measures. Learning Events and Technical Assistance HRSA/TRC: Sustainable Solutions for Pediatric Behavioral Health – Tuesday, March 29 at 12:00 pm ET. HRSA will be joined by the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center (TRC) to host this one-hour session. Panel members providing hospital and health center services will describe recent challenges to behavioral health for children and families, and effective techniques for telehealth and in-patient visits. COVID-19 Impact on Emergency Preparedness for RHCs – Tuesday, March 29 at 3:00 pm ET. Please join the technical assistance team for the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Program to learn about additional requirements and revisions made to emergency preparedness for RHCs. The session will be structured to ensure ample time for participant questions. All RHCs are welcome regardless of program enrollment. The Role of Medicaid in Reducing Low-Risk Cesarean Delivery (LRCD) – Thursday, March 31 at 2:00 pm ET. As part of the Improving Maternal Health by Reducing LRCD Learning Collaborative, CMS invites state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies, along with their hospital and obstetrical providers, managed care plans, public health agencies, and other quality improvement partners, to this first in a series of webinars presenting strategies that states can use to reduce LRCD births, such as doula services, community health workers, and maternity health home. In 2017, Medicaid paid for 43 percent of all births in the United States and an estimated 50-60 percent of births in rural areas. BHW Virtual All Grantee and Stakeholder Meeting - April 5-6: Join HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce's (BHW) first ever meeting allowing participants to exchange information and resources and share their successes making an impact on the rural and underserved healthcare landscape. Participants will gain an understanding of ways BHW programs focus on the unique needs of communities by hearing from grantees and BHW staff in several program areas, including COVID-19, behavioral and community health, data and performance measures, provider resilience and telehealth, trainee projects, and health equity and diversity. National Rural Substance Use Disorder Health Equity and Stigma Summit – May 18-20. Registration is open. The event will focus on the challenges that are brought on by substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) and equip rural providers, community-based organizations, and other recovery champions with actionable strategies and information on how to successfully address barriers to those seeking SUD/OUD care. This event is supported by the University of Rochester RCOE, one of three FORHP-funded RCORP-Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders. Resource of the Week Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program Directory, 2021-2025. Now available on the Rural Health Information Hub, the directory provides contact information and a brief overview for each of the federal program's 61 currently funded initiatives. This includes 45 initiatives working to address a wide variety of rural healthcare needs through funding under the program's general outreach track, and 16 initiatives funded under the program's Healthy Rural Hometown Initiative (HRHI) track focusing on efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce rural health disparities related to the five leading causes of avoidable death for people living in rural areas: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke. Approaching Deadlines ONC Seeks Public Input on Electronic Prior Authorization – March 25 CMS Funding for Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment – March 28 USDA Grants for Higher Education Distance Learning in Insular Areas – March 28 HRSA Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program – March 31 Medicare-Funded Residency Slots – March 31 USDA Program for Women and Minorities in STEM Fields – March 31 FCC/USAC Rural Health Care Connect Fund – April 1 FCC/USAC Telecommunications Program – April 1 NIH Innovations for Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – April 4 Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award: Stakeholder Convening Support – Letters of Intent April 4 HRSA Pediatric Mental Health Care Access – New Area Expansion – April 5 HRSA Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program – April 5 Comments Requested: VA Pilot Program on Graduate Medical Education and Residency – April 5 USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Program – April 5 Comments Requested: VA Pilot Program on Graduate Medical Education and Residency – April 5 HRSA Area Health Education Centers – April 6 DOJ Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program – April 7 NIH Evaluating Pandemic-related Food/Housing Policies on Disparity Populations – April 7 HRSA State Loan Repayment Program – April 8 Comments Requested: CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids – April 11 CDC Drug Free Communities New Areas – April 11 DOT RAISE Grants for Transportation Infrastructure – April 14 FCC Requests Comments on Promoting Telehealth in Rural America – April 14 HRSA Health Workforce Research Centers – April 14 USDA Rural Business Development: Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems – April 14 ACF Early Childhood Home Visiting Program for Tribal Communities – April 15 ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Tribal Communities – April 15 ED Small Rural School Achievement Grants – April 15 Request for Information: Access to Care and Coverage for People Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP – April 18 DOJ Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program – April 19 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) – Behavioral Health Care Support – April 19 USDA Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) – April 19 USDA Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants – April 19 DOJ Grants for Culturally Specific Sexual Assault Services – April 21 CMS Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH) Model – April 22 NOSORH Rural Health Data Institute – April 22 IHS Tribal Management Grant Program – April 25 SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs – April 25 SAMSHA Medication Assisted Treatment – Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction – April 29 SAMHSA SUD Treatment for Minority Populations at High Risk for HIV/AIDS – April 29 USDA Rural Health and Safety Education Grants Program – April 29 SAMHSA Navigator Program for SUD/HIV Prevention for Minorities – May 2 ACL Elder Justice Innovation Grants for Cases Involving Opioids/SUD – May 3 HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – May 5 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – May 5 NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health – May 8 SAMHSA Grants for Substance Use Treatment Capacity in Drug Courts – May 9 New Sites for National Health Service Corps – May 10 NIH Research to Improve Native American Health – May 17 DOT Bus and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Program – May 31 NIH Practice-Based Research for Primary Care Suicide Prevention – June 21 NIH Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas – July 6 Ongoing Opportunities CFPB Rental Assistance Finder Extended Public Comment Period for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program FCC Affordable Connectivity Program for Broadband Service FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance HRSA Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians – Until Funds Run Out AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program 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 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants for Climate Change and Health – Quarterly through August 2023 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 Seeking Nominations for Migrant Health Advisory 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 Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications 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 Practice-Based Research for Primary Care Suicide Prevention – February 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 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 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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