October 5, 2023 What's New Competencies and Workplace Stressors: Comparing Rural and Urban Public Health Practice. Researchers analyzed survey responses to the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interest and Needs Survey to compare rural and urban skill proficiencies, training needs, turnover risk, and experiences of bullying due to work as a public health professional. Among the findings, rural staff had higher likelihood than urban staff of reporting proficiencies in community engagement, data-based decision-making, and in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rural staff were also more likely than urban staff to report leaving because of stress, experiences of bullying, and avoiding situations that made them think about COVID-19. Registration is open for Advancing Rural Health Equity through Partnerships, Data, and Finance, a hybrid meeting hosted by the Urban Institute and Partners for Rural Transformation– Wednesday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The meeting will examine challenges and solutions for advancing rural health equity with an emphasis on community-driven solutions and promising approaches and partnerships. CMS Releases Additional Guidance for MFTs and MHCs. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 expanded the range of behavioral health practitioners that can serve Medicare beneficiaries by allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to bill Medicare directly beginning in 2024. CMS included policies that would implement this in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for 2024. The agency has also recently released a document providing answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the details of Medicare enrollment for these providers, along with how this relates to other topics including telehealth. MFTs and MHCs can help to address behavioral health workforce shortages in rural areas, with recent research finding a much smaller proportion of rural counties lacked counselors compared to any other behavioral health provider type. FCC Seeks Further Comment on 5G Fund for Rural America – Comment by October 23. Specific issues for the Federal Communications Commission's plan to increase rural access to fifth generation (5G) mobile technology include budget allocation, defining areas eligible for bidding, inclusion of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, inclusion of cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans, and use of the Open Radio Access Networks. 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. On June 27, the DEA began to require that registration applicants – both new and renewing – 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. Watch this 11-minute video that explains the changes. 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 December 29, 2022 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). Approximately $889,000 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 Learning About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, October 12 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. 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 through the CARES Act by the Federation of State Medical Boards and HRSA's Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. 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 CDC Fellowship for Evaluation of Rural Funding Impact – October 13. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will support a research fellowship focused on addressing COVID-19 related health disparities among populations at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities. Eligible applicants are U.S. citizens with a Master's or doctoral degree received within the last 60 months. Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Scholarship – November 17. Financial support for American Indian and Alaska Native scholars, health leaders, health professionals, and paraprofessionals serving tribal communities who are interested in attending the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Summer or Winter Institute courses at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Eligible applicants are American Indian and Alaska Native scholars with a Bachelor's degree and a minimum grade point average of 2.75. HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program – November 30. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will make 70 awards, each up to $1.3 million. Eligible organizations include public and private organizations that can carry out education, outreach, and enforcement activities to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. See What's New for CMS Releases Additional Guidance for MFTs and MHCs. Learning Events and Technical Assistance CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum – Thursday, October 5 at 2:00 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regularly hold this open forum to address topics relevant to rural providers. Advance registration is recommended for this session, during which they will discuss the FY 2024 Hospice final rule, the FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH final rule, the FY 2024 SNF PPS final rural and the FY 2023 IRF PPS final rule. This call will be Conference Call Only. To participate by phone dial 1-33-568-8864, meeting ID 161 882 6311 and reference conference passcode 480301. Working with Rural LGBTQ+ Clients – Wednesday, October 11 at 2:30 pm ET. The Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity is funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to increase awareness and understanding of disparities experienced by people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, two-spirit, and other diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions (LGBTQ+). The nonprofit think tank Movement Advancement Project estimates 3-4 million LGBT people live in rural America. Studies have shown that a higher level of stigma in rural areas correlates with increased risk of stress-related health behavior for LGBTQ+ individuals, but also with decreased access to quality care. Preventing Gender-Based and Intimate Partner Violence - Thursday, Oct. 12 from 2:00 - 3:00pm ET. Join HRSA's Office of Women's Health, the Bureau of Health Workforce, and the Director of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health for a one-hour webinar, "Preventing Gender-Based and Intimate Partner Violence." Attendees will learn about HRSA and HHS programs that address gender-based and intimate partner violence (IPV). This webinar is being held in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. View and download HRSA OWH's newly released Implementation Framework for Preventing and Responding to IPV. Research published in August 2023 reports higher rates of perinatal IPV for rural residents compared with their urban counterparts. Get to Know the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers – Thursday, October 12 at 3:00 pm ET. The National Library of Medicine offers a one-hour look at the HRSA-supported network of Telehealth Resource Centers providing expertise nationwide. The webinar is intended to help library workers understand how they can support telehealth access in their communities. Rural Definitions and Data: Changes after the 2020 Census – Tuesday, October 17 at 1:00 pm ET. Experts from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy will review how rurality is defined by the federal government, what changes in these definitions were made recently, and how this may affect rural areas' eligibility for federal funding. The Rural Telementoring UnConference – Wednesday, October 18 at 11:00 am ET. The HRSA-supported Rural Telementoring Training Center invites you to their 2nd Rural featuring an array of brief presentations on topics relevant to technology as a driving force for innovation in rural health care and practice. An UnConference is a participant-driven event that nurtures collaboration, participant interactivity, and idea incubation. Advancing Rural Health Equity through Partnerships, Data, and Finance – Wednesday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The national nonprofit Partners for Rural Transformation joins the Urban Institute for a three-hour discussion about cross-sector partnerships, data resources, and financing. Mobilizing an Emergency Preparedness Response for Agricultural Workers – Thursday, October 19 at 2:00 pm ET. The National Center for Farmworker Health will discuss community-level resources and key steps to prepare, plan for, and respond to national emergencies that impact migratory and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAW). Resource of the Week Capital Funding for Rural Healthcare. The Rural Health Information Hub recently updated this topic guide with information on different types of funding sources. Approaching Deadlines NIH Assessing Real-World Effectiveness of Telehealth Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication in Rural Communities – October 5 UMMC Caregiver University for Alzheimer's Support – October 10 CDC Fellowship for Evaluation of Rural Funding Impact – October 13 National Aging and Disability Transportation Center/Creative Solutions to Rural Transportation Course – October 13 Northwest Public Health and Primary Care Leadership Institute – October 13 American Psychological Foundation Grant for Rural First Responders Mental Health Interventions – October 15 HUD Lead Hazard Control/Older Adults Home Modification Grants – October 16 NIH Pilot Interventions to Integrate Social Care and Medical Care for Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases – October 19 PTAC Solicits Public Input on Encouraging Rural Participation in Alternative Payment Models – October 20 FCC Seeks Further Comment on 5G Fund for Rural America –October 23 USDA Community Food Projects – October 30 USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grants – October 31 NIH Native Collective Research Effort Addressing Overdose, Substance Use, Mental Health, and Pain – November 1 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows – November 1 NIH Researching Social Networks to Promote Behavior Change – November 3 Comments Requested: CMS Proposes Minimum Staffing Standards for Nursing Homes – November 6 EPA Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program – November 6 NIH Researching Firearm Injury Prevention in Community Healthcare Settings – November 7 IHS Small Ambulatory Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives – November 10 EPA Funding One Entity Providing Technical Assistance for Tribal Nations and Entities Addressing Brownfields – November 13 NIH Build UP Trust Challenge – November 14 DOT Assistance for Communities through the Thriving Communities Program – Letters of Interest November 15 NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program – November 16 Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health Scholarship – November 17 CMS Making Care Primary Model – November 30 HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program – November 30 CDC Rigorous Evaluation of Policy-Level Interventions to Prevent Overdose – December 1 Commonwealth Fund/Harvard Fellowship in Minority Health Policy – December 1 HRSA National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program – December 7 NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program – January 23 HHS Innovation Challenge: Preventing Human Trafficking/Women and Girls – February 1 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 Disaster Repair Grants for Rural Community Facilities – Ongoing while funds last USDA Water Infrastructure Grants for 2022 Disaster Areas – Ongoing while funds last 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 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 Community Fund Technical Assistance Grants Appalachian Regional Commission J-1 Visa Waivers for Doctors ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs 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 Act Program FEMA/SAMHSA Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment HRSA/SAMHSA Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training and Mentoring 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 Research to Improve Native American Health – October 2024 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 Intermediary Relending Program USDA Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA National School Lunch Afterschool Snack 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 Western Region Public Health Training Center – Future Leaders Program WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program 3RNET Recruitment and Retention Assistance | 
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