| View this newsletter online. May 25, 2023 What's New Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services - Access to timely ambulance service is an essential part of the emergency medical system. Yet ambulance access varies widely with significant gaps across the country. New FORHP-funded research from the Maine Rural Health Research Center analyzed 41 states in 2021-2022 and identified places and people that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance station, also called an ambulance desert (AD). This report presents data on ADs by state and county. Included are maps of AD locations and health care facility locations for every state with available data. How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals. The nonprofit Commonwealth Fund takes a closer look at how Critical Access Hospitals and other rural providers partner to overcome challenges. The report profiles six regional partnerships that address staffing, quality improvement, contracts with payers, value-based payment, and community development. Behavioral Health Conditions Reach Crisis Levels: Counties Urge Stronger Intergovernmental Partnerships and Outcomes. Several rural counties are featured in a report from the National Association of Counties on behavioral health needs and access challenges. Health Care Capsule: Accessing Health Care in Rural America. The Government Accountability Office discusses challenges rural communities face related to healthcare access, such as limited healthcare providers, travel distance and transportation issues, insurance coverage, and access to broadband. An Important Notice for HRSA Grantees. On May 26, HRSA will follow a federal upgrade to security measures for online systems requiring a login for external users. The new multi-factor login procedure will affect those who access HRSA's Electronic Handbook (EHB) system, including grantees, grant applicants, service providers, and consultants. To avoid issues with upcoming application and reporting deadlines, it is important to set up the new login procedure ahead of the change on May 26. Ongoing: Updates to Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing. As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in January 2023, clinicians no longer need a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder. Clinicians will still be required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications. Beginning on June 27, the DEA registration will require applicants – both new and renewing – to affirm they have completed a new, one-time, eight-hour training. Exceptions for the new training requirement are practitioners who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, and those who graduated from a medical, dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the U.S. within five years of June 27, 2023. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained between January 1, 2019 and January 25, 2023 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). 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. COVID-19 Resources **New: FDA Simplifies COVID-19 Vaccination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in April that monovalent vaccines are no longer authorized for use. Bivalent vaccines – those that combine the original and Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains – will now be used for all COVID-19 vaccinations of eligible people aged 6 months or older. Most individuals, depending on age, previously vaccinated with a monovalent vaccine who have not yet received a dose of a bivalent vaccine may receive a single dose of a bivalent vaccine. Most unvaccinated individuals may receive a single dose of a bivalent vaccine. While reports have shown that rural adults were least likely to vaccinate against COVID-19, a recent study examining perceptions in one rural community found that, among vaccine-willing and vaccine-hesitant participants, almost all had greater trust in local authorities and sources of information. Updates to Coverage for COVID-19 Tests. The ending of the PHE on May 11, 2023 may impact an individual's coverage of COVID-19 tests. To help providers and the public understand these changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has developed a new Consumer Fact Sheet on COVID-19 tests in both English and Spanish. If you have any type of health insurance, you can get up to eight over-the-counter tests per month with no out-of-pocket costs through May 11, 2023. After that date, laboratory tests for COVID-19 ordered by providers will still be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare. Over-the-counter tests will still be available, but there may be out-of-pocket costs. Rural Health Clinics can continue to access free testing supplies directly from HRSA. (See more information below.) Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Distribution Programs - Vaccines, Testing Supplies, Therapeutics. As a reminder, CMS-certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can receive COVID-19 vaccines, testing supplies, and COVID-19 antivirals directly from HRSA. Please reference the linked websites for additional information and enrollment instructions. Technical assistance resources for these programs are available through the National Association of Rural Health Clinics. Note: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent vaccine for people 12 years of age and older is available to order through RHC Vaccine Distribution 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. 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. Funding and Opportunities Housing Assistance Council OneRural Capacity Building Program – June 7. The national nonprofit organization will provide tailored technical assistance, training, and access to resources designed to build the capacity of housing/community development organizations working in rural communities. Delta Regional Authority States Economic Development Assistance Program – June 25. The federal Delta Regional Authority (DRA) offers grants to elevate rural communities in specific counties/parishes of the area. Funds may be used for basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, broadband, and business development including entrepreneurship and workforce education and training. HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Simulation Education Training Program – July 3. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce funds accredited schools of nursing and other teaching facilities to increase the number and capacity of nursing students for rural and/or medically underserved populations. Grantees of the program will use simulation-based technology, including equipment, to increase students' readiness to practice upon graduation. USDA Delta Health Care Services Grant Program – July 3. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides financial assistance to address the unmet health needs through cooperation among healthcare professionals, institutions of higher education, research institutions, and other individuals and entities located in the Delta Region. For more information, contact the USDA Rural Development Office in your state. CDC Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans – July 11. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will fund multi-sector collaborations to develop an implementation-ready Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plan to reduce disparities related to chronic disease in a tribal jurisdiction, community, or catchment area. Health disparity populations include socially, economically, geographically, and environmentally disadvantaged populations. CMS Minority Research Grant Program – July 12. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) count rural populations as priority for health services research that can directly contribute to improved health outcomes. Other minority groups considered include racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with limited English proficiency, and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. ACL Tribal Long Term Services and Support Resource Center – July 17. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) will support a resource center for home and community-based supports that enable tribal elders to remain in their homes and/or communities. The program has been developed through consultations with tribes and tribal elders to respond to a need for culturally sensitive, person-centered, home and community-based supports. HRSA Enhanced Healthy Start Initiative – July 17. HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau will provide grants to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy, and to reduce the racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes. The program priority is diverse communities and populations, such as non-Hispanic Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and rural areas that are experiencing the greatest disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. HHS Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative – July 18. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) make rural and other minority populations a priority for grants to develop and implement community-based maternal support services. Models should be designed to improve pregnant and post-partum people's health outcomes and reduce racial and ethnic disparities. USDA Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program – July 17. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports loans for Native Community Development Financial Institutions to use for relending to increase homeownership opportunities for Native American tribes, Alaska Native communities, and Native Hawaiian communities in rural areas. VA Virtual Living Room - Using Technology to Address the Critical Healthcare Needs of Veterans in Rural Areas – Ongoing. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) supports this grant program that combines rural technology, VA resources, and local support to provide solutions for healthcare access for veterans in rural areas. Communities that are located more than an hour away from a VA clinic or hospital can provide a private, comfortable location for veterans to access VA medical system telehealth and other online resources. 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 Healthy People 2030: Common Challenges, Rural Nuances. This study from the Southwest Rural Health Research Center is a companion piece to the Healthy People 2030 initiative with a focus on health priorities of rural people. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. No policy updates this week. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Rural Telementoring Training Center (RTTC) Mobile App Launch Event – May 30 thru June 2. The RTTC is hosting a series of events to share digital solutions for rural health. The week will feature a stellar lineup of speakers who will speak on podcasting, policy updates, digital equity, and rural telementoring to improve community health. Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants as Buprenorphine Providers – Wednesday, May 31 at 12:00 pm ET. This hour-long presentation will explore barriers and facilitators for nurse practitioner engagement in buprenorphine treatment, including regulations, education, and broader social factors such as stigma. Specific considerations for advanced practice clinicians' work with members of rural communities will be discussed. The event is hosted by the FORHP-supported Center on Rural Addiction at the University of Vermont. RMOMS Program Applicant Webinar – Wednesday, May 31 at 2:00 pm ET. FORHP staff will provide information and answer questions for those applying to the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program (RMOMS). Applications for the grant program are due on July 7. The webinar will be recorded and playback information can be accessed at the RMOMS webpage. Call-In Number: 1-833-568-8864; Meeting ID: 160 363 0214; Passcode: 42409094 Emergency Preparedness and Response Efforts in Critical Access Hospitals – Tuesday, June 6 at 1:00 pm ET. Hosted by the Rural Health Information Hub, this is the second in a 3-part webinar series on rural emergency preparedness highlighting how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) have planned for, responded to, and recovered from disasters. HRSA Advancing Health Equity among Hispanic/Latino Populations Series – Tuesday, June 6 at 1:00 pm ET. HRSA's Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs invites you to the 3rd session in the series, titled Maternal Health Among Hispanic/Latina Women. During the session, speakers will highlight culturally appropriate models and trauma-focused approaches to care to promote the well-being of Latina/Hispanic mothers before, during, and after pregnancy. New Online Tools for Recruiting Rural Clinicians – Tuesday, June 6 at 2:00 pm ET. 3RNET, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to healthcare recruitment in rural and underserved communities, is hosting a free informational demonstration of its new platform tools. 3RNET is designed to assist recruiters, human resources professionals, hiring managers, and CEOs at net safety facilities including: critical access hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and rural health clinics, in streamlining their recruitment tasks. The platform offers a range of features that simplify the recruitment process and ensure that safety net facilities can attract the best healthcare professionals to serve their communities. Resources of the Week In celebration of Maternal Mental Health Month in May and the 1-year anniversary of the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: FORHP would like to share hotline as a resource (1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). The hotline provides free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support, resources, and referrals to pregnant and postpartum individuals facing mental health challenges, and their loved ones. Professional counselors offer support via phone and text in English and Spanish. Interpreter services are available in 60 additional languages and a relay service is available for deaf or hard-of-hearing callers. FORHP Grants in Motion: The Rural Health Care Coordination Program. This edition of Grants in Motion focuses on a recipient of the Community Based Division's Rural Health Care Coordination Program (RHCC). The RHCC Program supports rural health consortiums/networks aiming to achieve the overall goals of improving access, delivery, and quality of care through the application of care coordination strategies in rural communities. Approaching Deadlines AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine – May 25 SAMHSA American Indian and Alaska Native Behavioral Health Center of Excellence – May 26 USDA Healthy Meals Incentives Grants for Small/Rural School Food Authorities – May 26 Comments Requested: CMS Proposed Hospice Payment Rate Update for FY 2024 – May 30 ACF Tribal Maternal/ Childhood Home Visiting Program: Implementation and Expansion Grants – May 31 The American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarships – May 31 U.S. Conference of Mayors Infrastructure Grant Application Bootcamp – May 31 DOJ Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program – June 1 Comments Requested on Proposed Medicare Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Payment Rates – June 2 HRSA Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and SUD – June 2 HRSA State Maternal Health Innovation Program – June 2 Comments Requested: Two Proposed Rules to Improve Access to Care in Medicaid and CHIP – July 3 Comments Requested on Proposed Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Payment Rates – June 5 Comments Requested: CMS Releases Proposed Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System for FY 2024 – June 5 SAMHSA Partnerships for Success for Communities, Local Governments, University, Colleges, and Tribes/Tribal Organizations – June 5 SAMHSA Partnerships for Success for States – June 5 USDA Rural Housing Preservation Grants – June 5 CDC Strengthening Public Health Systems and Services in Indian Country – June 6 Housing Assistance Council OneRural Capacity Building Program – June 7 Indian Health Service Produce Prescription Pilot Program – June 8 SAMHSA Behavioral Health Equity Challenge: Outreach/Engagement for Racial/Ethnic Communities – June 8 Comments Requested on Proposed Medicare Hospital Payment and REH Updates – June 9 USDA Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects – June 10 CDC Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences through Data to Action – June 12 U.S. Dept of Education Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program – June 12 HRSA Maternal Health Research Collaborative for Minority-Serving Institutions – June 12 HRSA Maternal Health Research Collaborative for Minority-Serving Institutions - Coordinating Center – June 12 National Center American Indian Health Professions Pre-Admission Workshops – June 12 DOL Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities (WORC) for Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions – June 13 Alaska Community Foundation Suicide Prevention Grant – June 14 AHRQ Small Research Projects to Advance the Science of Primary Care – June 16 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Planning – June 20 USDA Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant – June 20 USDA Rural Utilities Service Community Connect Grant Program – June 20 HRSA New Sites for the National Health Service Corps – June 22 CDC Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research Centers – June 23 Delta Regional Authority States Economic Development Assistance Program – June 25 DOT Tribal Transit Program – June 26 SAMHSA Addressing Dementia in Indian Country: Models of Care – June 27 HRSA Faculty Loan Repayment Program – June 29 ACF Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities Program – June 30 HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Simulation Education Training Program – July 3 USDA Delta Health Care Services Grant Program – July 3 HRSA Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program – July 7 CDC Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans – July 11 CMS Minority Research Grant Program – July 12 ACL Tribal Long Term Services and Support Resource Center – July 17 HRSA Enhanced Healthy Start Initiative – July 17 USDA Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program – July 17 HHS Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative – July 18 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 Regional Authority Community Infrastructure Fund 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 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 NIH Researching Barriers to Care for HIV-Associated Comorbidities – May 2025 NIH Research to Address Vaccine Hesitancy in Health Disparity Populations – June 2026 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) Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program Veterans Affairs Virtual Living Room - Using Technology to Address the Critical Healthcare Needs of Veterans in Rural Areas WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program | 
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