| View this online. June 29, 2023 What's New GAO on Critical Access Hospitals and Behavioral Health Care. The federal agency that examines the effectiveness of government programs turns attention to the way that Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) provide behavioral health services in rural communities. CAH administrators who were interviewed for the report expressed mixed views on how Medicare payment policies affect their ability to provide services in various care settings that are not paid solely based on cost. ACL Proposes Update to Older Americans Act Programs – Respond by August 15. The federal Administration for Community Living (ACL) is seeking input on proposed updates to the regulations for its Older Americans Act programs. The proposed rule is the first substantial update in 35 years, addressing new issues that have emerged and clarifying a number of requirements for programs, such as ACL's state and tribal caregiver support programs. Last year, the FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Gateway evaluated 50 State Plans on Aging, including common and innovative approaches for serving older adults. The Built Environment and Social and Emotional Support Among Rural Older Adults. Previous studies on social infrastructure in the built environment – specifically, the physical places that facilitate social interaction and social tie formation – relied heavily on urban settings or samples with limited diversity. For this study, researchers examine whether social infrastructure is associated with well-being for older adults in rural areas and whether this relationship varies across race and ethnicity. USDA Economic Research Service on Rural Access to Primary Care. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) update their chart showing the number of physicians per capita in rural counties. Commonwealth Fund on State Health System Performance. Learn why Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New Hampshire top the health policy nonprofit's ranking based on 58 measures of access, quality, disparities, and outcomes among other factors. While there's scant mention of health care in rural areas, many of the emerging crises at the center of the report – namely, avoidable deaths from preventable and treatable causes – are known to have higher incidence in these areas. 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 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 HRSA Faculty Loan Repayment Program – Extended to July 13. With up to $40,000 in loan repayment, the Faculty Loan Repayment Program supports the recruitment and retention of health professions faculty from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a faculty member, you train the next generation of providers and reduce your financial burden while doing so. National Environmental Public Health Internship Program - Students and Sites – July 17. The 400 hour internship is designed to encourage environmental health students to consider careers at local, state, or tribal environmental health departments following graduation. Among other requirements, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate environmental health academic program and be capable of performing tasks that may be physically challenging. Applications to become a host site for the program are accepted on an ongoing basis. DRA Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy – July 26. The federal Delta Regional Authority (DRA) places emphasis on public health, education, and infrastructure for this opportunity that trains leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries. Applicants must be within the 252 counties and parishes served by the DRA in in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. CDC Foundation Seeking Community Data for Overdose Prevention – August 4. The philanthropic arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeks proposals from community-based organizations, local health departments, and trusted intermediary organizations. Multi-sector teams will collect data for a set of overdose prevention indicators and provide feedback on the ease of documenting and reporting this data for the communities they serve. National Medical Fellowships Health Equity Leaders – August 11. Health professions students underrepresented in medicine – Black, Latino, Indigenous, Vietnamese, and Cambodian – will get more than 200 service learning hours and other training to develop competencies for health equity in medically underserved communities. EPA Community-Based Research to Mitigate Environmental Health Disparities – August 31. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds community-based scientific research to assess the impact of environmental stressors on health in underserved communities. Underserved communities may include people/communities of color, low income, tribal and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those who have pre-existing medical conditions. Addiction Policy Forum: Sites for Anti-Stigma Pilot – Ongoing. The national nonprofit will select 12 communities in 2023 for an ongoing project to test anti-stigma interventions. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum – Thursday, June 29 at 2:00 pm ET. This regular meeting held by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addresses regulatory issues pertinent to Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. This session will provide updates on the CY2023 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System and Rural ESRD Facilities Proposed Rule and Requests for Information regarding the Low Volume Payment Adjustment. They will also highlight an upcoming webinar in July on Hospital Price Transparency. CMS Proposes Policy Updates for End Stage Renal Disease – Comment by August 25. On June 26, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule under the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System for dialysis services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2024. This includes facility-level adjustments for ESRD facilities that have a low patient volume, for facilities in rural areas, and for the wage index. In addition, CMS is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting comments regarding potential changes to the Low-Volume Payment Adjustment (LVPA) methodology and the possible creation of a new payment adjustment that accounts for isolation, rurality, and other geographic factors to inform future rulemaking. New School-based Services Technical Assistance Center. As a follow up to the May 2023 release of the School-Based Services (SBS) Comprehensive Guide to Medicaid Services and Administrative Claiming, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the SBS Technical Assistance (TA) Center. This TA Center will support State Medicaid agencies, local education agencies, and school-based entities seeking to expand their capacity for providing Medicaid school-based physical and behavioral health services, and it will assist these entities in obtaining payment for Medicaid SBS. Schools can play an important role in bridging equity gaps among students in low-income and rural communities where access to health care services may be more limited. Learning Events and Technical Assistance Federal Office of Climate Change: Environmental Justice Climate Resilience – Thursday, June 29 at 12:00 pm ET. The newly formed Office of Climate Change and Health Equity will host experts from the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to explore their work and upcoming funding opportunity. HRSA OWH: Improving Cervical Cancer Prevention, Screening, and Management – Thursday, June 29 at 1:00 pm ET. HRSA's Office of Women's Health (OWH) and the National Cancer Institute will hold a one-hour webinar to advance equitable cervical cancer care in safety-net settings and showcase two new resources: a Toolkit to Build Provider Capacity and a Federal Opportunities Report. Download these resources from OWH's Cervical Cancer webpage. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that rural areas have higher incidence and death rates for certain cancers – such as colorectal and cervical cancers – that can be prevented by screening. Telehealth Implementation of Trauma-Focused Treatment – July 12, 2023 at 3:00 pm ET. Dr. Regan Stewart and Dr. Rosaura Orengo-Aguayo will present on telehealth implementation of trauma-focused treatment to increase equity in access to care for underserved youth in the US and Puerto Rico. Hosted by the HRSA Telehealth Centers of Excellence, this webinar will explore: (1) ways to increase equity in access to telehealth services for child trauma and treatment, (2) implementation and dissemination efforts for providing training and technical assistance for trauma-focused telehealth programs in low resourced contexts, and (3) clinical perspectives of implementing telehealth with trauma-exposed youth. Please visit the HRSA Telehealth Centers of Excellence website to learn more about this project. AgriSafe Mental Health: QPR for Farmers and Farm Families – July 12 at 1:00 pm ET. Over the last decade, farmers and farm families have experienced increasing pressures resulting in high levels of stress, mental health, and suicide. QPR training teaches laypeople and professionals to recognize and respond to mental health crises using the approach of Question, Persuade, and Refer. In this 1.5 hour QPR training we will provide: information on the unique challenges farmers face that can lead to stress, depression, and suicide, examples implementing each QPR component with someone at risk for suicide, and information on how to help someone at risk of suicide. Approaching Deadlines ACF Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities Program – June 30 USDA Tribal Colleges Extension Program: Special Emphasis – June 30 Notice of Meeting and Request for Information: ICD-11 Transition – June 30 NACCHO Funding/Technical Assistance for Vaccine Equity – June 30 HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Simulation Education Training Program – July 3 HRSA Primary Care Training and Enhancement-Language and Disability Access – July 3 SAMHSA Family Counseling/Support for LGBTQ+ Youth – July 3 USDA Delta Health Care Services Grant Program – July 3 HRSA Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program – July 7 NIH Community Level Interventions to Improve Minority Health – July 7 NIH Emergency Award: RADx-UP Research on COVID-19 Interventions – July 10 CDC Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans – July 11 CMS Minority Research Grant Program – July 12 HRSA Faculty Loan Repayment Program – July 13 HRSA Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program – July 13 HRSA Sites for Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program – July 13 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training – Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Program for Professionals – July 14 HRSA Maternity Care Nursing Workforce Expansion Program – July 14 HRSA Medical Student Education Program for Underserved States – July 14 ACL Tribal Long Term Services and Support Resource Center – July 17 DOL Critical Sector Job Quality Grants – July 17 HRSA Enhanced Healthy Start Initiative – July 17 National Environmental Public Health Internship Program – July 17 Region IV Public Health and Primary Care Leadership Institute – July 17 USDA Native Community Development Financial Institution Relending Demonstration Program – July 17 HHS Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative – July 18 HRSA Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program – July 20 DRA Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy – July 26 DHS Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project – July 28 ACF Alaska Native Tribal Resource Center on Domestic Violence – July 31 HHS Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity – August 1 EPA Brownfields Job Training Grants – August 2 CDC Foundation Seeking Community Data for Overdose Prevention – August 4 ACL Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative – States and Community Grants – August 7 Department of Education Full-Service Community Schools Program – August 8 ACF Culturally Specific Family Violence Prevention – August 11 National Medical Fellowships Health Equity Leaders – August 11 Berkley Rural Public Health Master's Program – August 13 Dept of Transportation Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program – August 14 Comments Requested: ACL Updates Older Americans Act – August 15 Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project – August 15 Comments Requested: CMS Updates Policy for End Stage Renal Disease – August 25 EPA Community-Based Research to Mitigate Environmental Health Disparities – August 31 NIH Research to Improve Native American Health (AIDS Related) – September 7 NIH Tobacco Control Policies to Promote Health Equity – September 8 NRHA Rural Health Fellows Program – September 14 NIH Assessing Real-World Effectiveness of Telehealth Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication in Rural Communities – October 5 UMMC Caregiver University for Alzheimer's Support – Quarterly deadlines until October 10 American Psychological Foundation Grant for Rural First Responders Mental Health Interventions – October 15 NIH Pilot Interventions to Integrate Social Care and Medical Care for Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases – October 19 NIH Researching Social Networks to Promote Behavior Change – November 3 Ongoing Opportunities HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications 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 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 Addiction Policy Forum: Sites for Anti-Stigma Pilot 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 AmeriCorps American Connection Corps for Broadband in Rural Areas 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 CORH Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program 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 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 National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence Technical Assistance 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 Native American Research Centers for Health – Various dates until July 2026 NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications 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 NRHA Chief Nursing Officer Certification Program for Rural Hospitals 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 RTT Collaborative: Rural Training Track Directors University RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals SAMHSA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program for Communities Post-Disaster 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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