March 9, 2023 What's New New Funding Available for Training Nurses – Apply by April 27. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) will invest $8.9 million in the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention – Pathway to Registered Nurse Program to fund up to eight cooperative agreements with health care facilities, nurse-managed health clinics, and/or accredited schools that train associate degree nurses. Over a period of four years, grantees will develop or enhance bridge programs that move students from Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse to Registered Nurse or nurse faculty. Strong partnerships are encouraged between clinical training sites and academic institutions, including technical/vocational schools and community colleges. Recent research points to both a need for advanced degree nurses in rural areas and barriers to pursuing further education – primarily, the cost for training versus uncertainty about salaries in underserved areas. Other BHW funding opportunities currently open for schools of nursing include: Advanced Nursing Education Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Program – April 11, and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program – May 1. Practicing nurses may be eligible for National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Programs – April 25. Currently enrolled students may apply for the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – May 4. State Timelines for Unwinding Medicaid Continuous Enrollment. As of April 1, states will resume eligibility reviews for enrollees in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), also known as unwinding the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement. This chart details the expected first month for each state/territory's unwinding-related renewals, as well as the anticipated effective date for the first terminations of enrollees' Medicaid coverage. The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families maintains a 50-State Unwinding Tracker that compiles information found on state websites, including links to how enrollees can update their contact information and communication materials and toolkits for partners. Nearly a quarter of individuals under age 65 who live in rural areas are covered by Medicaid. Guiding Rural Health Clinics at the End of the Public Health Emergency. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics first describes some of the COVID-related waivers and flexibilities that applied widely – such as those reducing barriers to telehealth – and then those that were specific to RHCs. These include relaxed requirements that physicians provide medical direction to nurse practitioners and justification to provide home nursing services, among others. These waivers will end with the public health emergency. Women's Veterans Outreach Symposium – Thursday, March 9 at 1:00 pm ET. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hosts an event today featuring information on benefits and services available for women veterans. The VA collects data showing almost a quarter of all veterans in the U.S. return from active military careers to reside in rural communities. About 8 percent of these rural veterans enrolled in the VA health care system are women. Ongoing: HRSA Payment Program for RHC Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in January 2023, clinicians no longer need DATA 2000 Waiver training to prescribe buprenorphine; however, the payment program to defray earlier training costs is still active. Launched in June 2021, the initiative pays for providers who previously received a waiver 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 previously trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $900,000 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. **New and Ongoing: The University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction, a HRSA Rural Center of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders, offers an incentive to help defray previous training costs of $750 to each qualifying provider who obtained a DATA-Waiver. To qualify, providers must be practicing in a HRSA-designated rural county in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, or Northern New York. To apply for the $750 payment, providers should contact cora@uvm.edu. COVID-19 Resources Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Distribution (RHCVD) Program. Under the program, Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) receive direct COVID-19 vaccines in addition to their normal jurisdictions' weekly allocation. Webinar recordings explaining RHC vaccine programs are available on the National Association of Rural Health Clinics website. *New: As a reminder, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent vaccine for people 12 years of age and older is available to order through the RHCVD program in both single and multi-dose vials. The single-dose option responds to widespread requests to allow greater flexibility for RHCs that may not have the demand or capacity to store multi-dose vials. Contact RHCVaxDistribution@hrsa.gov for more information. Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal – Report by March 31 for RP4. The PRF Reporting Portal is open from January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023 for Reporting Period 4 (RP4). Providers who received one or more PRF (General or Targeted) and/or American Rescue Plan Rural payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, from July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, must report on their use of funds during RP4. Resources are available to assist providers with completing their reports. For a quick glance at all PRF reporting-related resources, visit the PRF Reporting Resources Page. Updated Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines. In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines for children down to 6 months of age. This expands earlier guidance announced in October. Current recommendation is that people aged 6 months and older receive one updated (bivalent) dose if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was: - Their final primary series dose, or
- An original monovalent dose
People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) dose are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) dose. In September, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced that people with public, private, or no insurance coverage can get COVID-19 vaccines at no cost, for as long as the federal government continues purchasing and distributing them. To find nearby locations for vaccines, masks, testing, and treatment, visit COVID.gov. 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. Teams of critical care clinicians - critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts – 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. Online Resource for Licensure of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, and Social Workers. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Resources for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders. Funding and Opportunities #CaliforniansForAll College Corps – March 15. State-level volunteer service organizations join with the federal AmeriCorps to provide community service opportunities to enrolled students. College Corps Fellows receive up to $10,000, academic credit, and real-world job experience as they work on local projects addressing food insecurity, environment/climate, and K-12 education in rural and underserved areas. Requirements and benefits vary for each of the participating colleges and universities; several of these are located in rural areas. Priority application deadline is March 15, 2023, but the final deadline will vary by campus. HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – May 1. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide through low-interest loans and loan forgiveness for those who take positions as faculty. Eligible applicants are accredited schools of nursing with advanced education nursing programs. NIH Evaluating Pandemic Era Food/Housing Policies on Disparity Populations – May 1. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will support research projects that identify and evaluate the long-term impacts of governmental policy actions that address two specific social determinants of health: food/nutrition security and housing security. NIH funding is focused on disparity populations that include racial/ethnic communities, socially disadvantaged populations, underserved rural populations, and sexual and gender minorities. Recently, the National Institutes of Minority Health targeted rural areas as a priority for health disparities research. SAMHSA Rural Emergency Medical Services Training – May 1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) expects to make 37 awards with total funding of $7.4 million to train emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in rural areas. The program has a focus on addressing substance use disorders and co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Recipients will be expected to train EMS personnel on trauma-informed, recovery-based care for people. USDA Local Food Promotion Program – May 2. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides grants to intermediary organizations to help increase access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products. This funding supports four types of projects: 1) planning grants, 2) implementation grants, 3) farm-to-institution grants, and 4) turnkey marketing and promotion grants. According to the USDA, more than 10 percent of rural households were food insecure in 2021. Plenty of other research show a direct correlation between food security and life-long chronic disease. (Also see funding opportunity for Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program below.) SAMHSA Developing Infrastructure for Mental Health of Children/Families in AI/AN Communities – May 5. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make 17 awards, each up to $350,000 per year to provide Tribes with resources to plan culturally competent systems of care. Eligible applicants are federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes and Tribal organizations, Tribal colleges and universities, and consortia of Tribes or Tribal organizations. CDC Overdose Data to Action: Limiting Overdose through Collaborative Actions in Localities – May 8. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeks to build capacity at the local level in its nationwide effort to reduce and prevent drug overdose. Total funding of $400 million will go to local health departments and territorial governments. Separate funding of nearly $1 billion will support CDC Overdose Data to Action in States – May 8. This opportunity is open to all state health departments to track overdoses, with a primary focus on opioids, stimulants, and polysubstance use. USDA Produce Prescription Program (Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive) – May 16. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make awards ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 each. Total funding of nearly $10.1 million will go to government agencies and nonprofit organizations that form multisector partnerships among various parts of the food and healthcare systems to develop, implement, and evaluate projects that increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. 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 School- and Community-Based Programs Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth. This case series from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center highlights examples of four school- and community-based organizations providing support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Proposed Rule on Disclosure of Ownership for Nursing Facilities – Comment by April 14. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a proposed rule that would require the disclosure of certain ownership, managerial, and other information regarding Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities. CMS believes that greater transparency about nursing home owners and operators can help CMS and other regulators hold these parties more accountable for the quality of care they furnish. Recent research from the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center looked at quality of SNFs serving rural Medicare beneficiaries and included an overview of SNF characteristics including ownership status. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Learning About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, March 9 at 3:00 pm ET. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fund this monthly webinar-style ECHO learning session to rapidly disseminate Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) findings and emerging best practices. The series offers didactic presentations by subject matter experts, examples of emerging best practices and models of care, and a facilitated Q&A. This program is intended primarily for providers who care for patients with PCC and ME/CFS but is open to all healthcare professionals and all Long COVID and ME/CFS patient-lived experience experts interested in learning more about the treatment of Long COVID and ME/CFS. Mobile Crisis Response Across Diverse Settings – Thursday, March 16 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing hosts a discussion of differing needs of mobile crisis teams responding to behavioral health emergencies in urban, rural, and frontier areas. Register for Rural Suicide Prevention Workshops – March 21, May 23, and July 25. This comprehensive training for service providers in rural communities includes special focus on youth, substance use, and Indigenous communities. The interactive workshop features video demonstrations, active discussion groups, and access to the latest research on best practices. Attendees will get free, ongoing support – including online discussion forums and monthly Q&A video calls – for one year after the workshop. This opportunity is provided by the University of Rochester Recovery Center of Excellence (COE), one of three COEs in FORHP's rural opioid programming. National Indian Health Board Maternal Health Learning Series – Tuesday, March 21 at 2:00 pm ET. The NIHB joins with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address maternal mortality prevention in Tribal communities. NACo on Strengthening Rural Child Care Workforce – Tuesday, March 21 at 2:15 pm ET. The National Association of Counties (NACo) focuses on rural and smaller suburban counties in an hour-long discussion on long-term strategies to finance and sustain investments. A recent brief from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health & Human Services recommends creation of a Childcare Shortage Area designation similar to the Health Professions Shortage Area designation that informs policymaking. Annual Rx and Illicit Drug Summit – April 10-13. Federal policymakers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse are among those sharing their expertise at this annual conference on substance use disorder. The summit takes place over four days in Atlanta, Georgia. Resources of the Week FORHP Investment Preview for 2023. An archived recording of the March 1 presentation that previews grants we expect to be funded this year. NTIA Mapping Broadband Infrastructure. An interactive map from the federal National Telecommunications and Information Administration shows how broadband infrastructure may impact local economies. Using county-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the map provides a percentage of households with a broadband subscription as well as data on employment, wages and income, poverty, home values, population change and migration, educational attainment, and gross domestic product. Telehealth Guide for Critical Access Hospitals. The National Rural Health Resource Center centers hospitals designated as Critical Access in a guide to planning, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining an effective telehealth program. Farmworker Outreach Promising Practices: Lessons from the Field. The National Center for Farmworker Health highlights ten different promising practices and discusses lessons learned from each. The website for national nonprofit has a broader library of resources and tools. Approaching Deadlines Department of Transportation Planning for Areas of Persistent Poverty Program – March 10 Comments Requested: Proposed Updates for Interoperability – March 13 CDC Assessing Coalition Capacity for Rape Prevention/Education – March 14 SAMHSA First Responders – Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act – March 14 #CaliforniansForAll College Corps – March 15 Mayo Clinic Native American Pathways Summer Program – March 15 RWJF Health Policy Research Scholars – March 15 National Indian Health Board Outstanding Service Awards – March 16 DOJ Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative – March 21 CDC High Obesity Program – March 21 HRSA Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program – March 21 SAMHSA Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children's Health – March 21 Treasury: Community Development Financial Institutions Capital Magnet Fund – March 21 Delta States Rural Development Network Grant Program – March 22 NIH Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination – March 24 NIH Innovations for Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – March 24 SAMHSA National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Community Treatment/Service Centers – March 27 SAMHSA State Pilot Program - Treating Pregnant/Postpartum Women – March 27 CDC State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program – March 28 HUD Community Compass Technical Assistance for Federal Housing Programs – March 28 RWJF Culture of Health Prize – March 29 ACL Rehabilitation Research/Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities – March 31 Administration for Native Americans – Social/Economic Development Strategies – March 31 DEA Proposed Rules for Permanent Telemedicine Flexibilities – March 31 Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Residency Positions Available – March 31 National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Diversity Scholarships – March 31 FCC Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program – April 1 HRSA HIV/AIDS Intervention Services – New Geographic Areas – April 3 Institute of Museum and Library Sciences Grants for Native American Libraries – April 3 HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program – April 7 EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving – April 10 CDC Drug Free Communities Support Program – April 11 CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) – April 11 DOJ Rural Domestic/Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program – April 11 HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Residency and Fellowship Program – April 11 Comments Requested: OMB Updates to Race and Ethnicity Standards – April 12 DOT Bus and Bus Facilities Infrastructure Program – April 13 Denali Commission Grants for Alaska Communities – April 14 EPA Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program – April 14 NIH Strategies for Managing SUD in Primary Care and Ambulatory Settings – April14 Indian Health Service Zero Suicide Initiative Coordinating Center – April 17 HHS Advancing Equity Through Teen Pregnancy Prevention – April 18 CDC National Cardiovascular Health Program – April 25 DOJ Violence Against Women Grants to Indian/Tribal Governments – April 25 HRSA National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Programs – April 25 HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention – Pathway to Registered Nurse Program – April 27 ACF Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program – Development and Implementation Grants – May 1 HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – May 1 NIH Evaluating Pandemic Era Food/Housing Policies on Disparity Populations – May 1 SAMHSA Rural Emergency Medical Services Training – May 1 USDA Local Food Promotion Program – May 2 HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – May 4 SAMHSA Developing Infrastructure for Mental Health of Children/Families in AI/AN Communities – May 5 ACF Community Economic Development Projects – May 8 CDC Overdose Data to Action: Limiting Overdose in Localities – May 8 CDC Overdose Data to Action in States – May 8 USDA Produce Prescription Program (Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive) – May 16 AHRQ Small Research Projects to Advance the Science of Primary Care – June 16 Berkley Rural Public Health Master's Program – August 13 UMMC Caregiver University for Alzheimer's Support – Quarterly deadlines October 10 Ongoing Opportunities HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications CFPB Rental Assistance Finder Economic Development Administration Public Works/Economic Assistance Program (CARES Act Funding) 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 SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities USDA Emergency Rural Health Care Grants (Track One only) – September 2023 or until funds run out ACF Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program ACF Rural Community Development Program for Rural Water Systems AgriSafe Mental Health Training for Agricultural Producers & Families AHRQ Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grants – October 2023 American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Foundation - Accreditation Grants American Heart Association Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance Appalachian Regional Commission J-1 Visa Waivers for Doctors 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 Delta Doctors J-1 Visa Waiver Program 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 EPA Water Infrastructure and Innovation Program FEMA/SAMHSA Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program 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 Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program 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 Native Americans into Medicine Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship NIH Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination – Various dates until October 2025 NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications NIH Research to Improve Native American Health – Various dates until September 2023 NIH Practice-Based Research for Primary Care Suicide Prevention – February 2023 NIH Researching Mental Health Practices in Low-Resource Settings – September 2024 NIH Researching Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Underserved/Vulnerable Populations – September 2024 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 Oweesta Native CDFI Loan Funds and Technical Assistance Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans Rural Community Assistance Corporation Community Facility Loans for Western States and Pacific Islands Rural Community Assistance Corporation Environmental Infrastructure Loans for Western States Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SAMHSA Training to Provide Medication Assisted Treatment SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans Tribal Grant Writing Training Treasury Department Opportunity Zone Economic Development Program United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support 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 Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees 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 and Loan Guarantees USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects USDA Water and Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands and Colonias USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program | 
No comments:
Post a Comment