| Read this online March 27, 2024. What's New CMS Announces ACO Primary Care Flex Model. The Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will test a new model beginning January 1, 2025, that aims to increase the number of low-revenue accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP). Participating ACOs will receive monthly prospective, primary care payments (PPCPs) from CMS to address the medical and health-related social needs of their patients. The ACOs will distribute the PPCS to their primary care providers, which can include Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. CMS encourages distributing funds to providers on a capitated basis. ACO Primary Care Flex Model participants will also receive a one-time Advanced Shared Savings Payment to help cover the costs of forming an ACO and administrative costs associated with the model. While this model features joint participation in both ACO Flex and the Medicare Shared Savings Program, ACO Flex participants will not be eligible to receive the SSP's Advance Investment Payments. CMS will host an hour-long public overview webinar on Thursday, April 4, at 2:00 pm Eastern. A Request for Applications is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2024. The initial submission period to apply to the SSP closes June 17, 2024. Webinar Series on Rural Maternal Health Continues April 9. Registration is open for the next installment of this four-part webinar series hosted by FORHP and the Rural Health Information Hub. The third part of the series highlights resources available for hospitals through Patient Safety Bundles to improve the process of care and health outcomes. See a recording and transcript of the first in the series, Achieving Birthing-Friendly Status, under Resources of the Week below. IRS Offers Free Tax Filing with Direct File. In a pilot program, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is launching an online tool that works on mobile devices, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Tax filers in 12 states - Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming – can check their eligibility for this 2024 launch. Ongoing: 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 are still required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications. On June 27, 2023, 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 Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 6. The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal opened January 1 and will remain open until March 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 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 to December 31, 2022, must report on their use of funds during Reporting Period 6 to comply with PRF Reporting Requirements. More information and resources can be found on the PRF Reporting webpage. Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, April 11 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style ECHO learning session to rapidly disseminate findings about Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). The series offers 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. CDC's COVIDVaxView Dashboard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to share weekly COVID-19 vaccination data using a variety of data sources. A new resource, COVIDVaxView Interactive, goes deeper with a look at variations in vaccine confidence by demographics and geography. Home Test to Treat is a new program funded by the National Institutes of Health focused on providing COVID-19 care and treatment for adults who are at greater risk of being affected by COVID-19. Adults who do not currently have COVID-19 or flu may enroll and receive free tests if they are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Affairs health care system, or the Indian Health Services. Individuals who are currently positive for COVID-19 can enroll to receive telehealth services for COVID-19 and treatment (if prescribed) at no cost. Enrollees may also be invited to participate in a completely optional research component of the program. Informational flyers are available in English and Spanish. Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (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 AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Continuing Nursing Education Program: Scholarship Opportunity – April 8. To celebrate Occupational Health Nurses Week, April 8-13, the national nonprofit AgriSafe Network will offer continuing education credits to 125 qualifying nurses through its Nurse Scholar program for agricultural and health and safety. DOJ Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault – May 2. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will make 50 awards with total funding of $22.5 million for community-based services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, as well as the development of culturally specific strategies. ACF Head Start Expansion, Early Head Start Expansion, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants – May 14. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides funding to operate Head Start and Early Head Start programming within a community, expanding on existing local resources to provide a comprehensive array of health, mental health nutrition, and social services for children and their families. A separate but related program, ACF and Seasonal Head Start Expansion also seeks applications by May 14. Indian Health Service Grants for Native Public Health Resilience – May 14. The federal IHS estimates 15 awards, each up to $400,000 to enhance capacity for core public health functions, services, and activities and to strengthen tribal public health management capabilities. ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities – May 20. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides grants for community-driven projects that grow local economies, support local businesses, strengthen families, preserve Native cultures, and increase social development. A separate program provides ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities in Alaska – May 20. USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program (ReConnect) – May 21. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to expand broadband service to rural areas without sufficient broadband access. HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23. HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy administers cooperative agreements to increase the amount of high quality, impartial, policy-relevant research to assist decision-makers at the federal, state, and local levels. Eight recipients will conduct policy-oriented health services research on rural issues and synthesize the results into reports easily understood by a non-technical policy audience. 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. Identifying Rural Health Clinics Within the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files. There is limited information on the extent to which Rural Health Clinics (RHC) provide pediatric and pregnancy-related services to individuals enrolled in state Medicaid/CHIP programs. In part, this is because methods to identify RHC encounters within Medicaid claims data are outdated. This brief from the Maine Rural Health Research Center describes a methodology for identifying RHC encounters within the Medicaid claims data using Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files. Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Key Informant Interviews. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center describes findings from interviews with key informants from IPV victim support and advocacy organizations, shedding light on distinct challenges faced by rural victims and survivors. It also highlights targeted opportunities for better supporting the health and safety of rural IPV victims and survivors. Prevent or Treat: Availability of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Dialysis in High Need Rural Counties. Researchers at the Rural and Minority Health Research Center assess the availability of in-county diabetes self-management education and dialysis across rural and urban counties. Partnerships to Address Social Needs Across Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Prospective Payment System Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Explores the extent to which hospitals partner with community organizations to address population and/or community health needs. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. See ACO Primary Care Flex Model under What's New. CMS Releases LTCH Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Data Set Q&As. The Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Data Set is the assessment instrument LTCH providers use to collect patient assessment data in accordance with the LTCH Quality Reporting Program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have published a consolidated set of Q&As based on inquiries to the LTCH Post-Acute Care (PAC) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Help Desk from September 2020 to March 2024. This set of Q&As offers LTCH providers additional clarifications to existing guidance. CMS has archived some previous Q&As, all of which can be found in the LTCH Quality Reporting Archives. Upcoming Webinar - Hospital Price Transparency: What Hospitals Need to Know – Thursday April 4 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Subject matter experts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will present the latest hospital price transparency policies and enforcement actions effective January 1, 2024, in a webinar produced by the Rural Health Information (RHI) Hub. These policies were effective January 1, 2021 and affect all hospitals operating in the United States. Learning Events and Technical Assistance NHSC Loan Repayment Program Applicant Webinar – Tuesday, April 2 at 1:30 pm Eastern. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce will hold a two-hour session for applicants to National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment programs. This webinar includes the first of six online Q&A sessions for applicants (see link for details), once each week until applications are due on May 9. FORHP 2024 Preview – Wednesday, April 3 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy continues to shape our programs to better address rural health needs, while also maintaining proven practices. Join us for our annual Preview webinar as we walk you through our investments and activities for this fiscal year. We'll preview anticipated funding opportunities, as well as our "hidden gems" - resources and projects that may not be well-known. Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center 2024 MATRC Summit – April 14-16 in Pocono Manor, PA. One of 12 regional centers in the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, the MATRC will hold its summit in-person only to explore trends, innovations, policy, and best practices. Resources of the Week ICYMI: Achieving Birthing-Friendly Status in Rural Hospitals. In case you missed it, the Rural Health Information Hub provides a transcript and recording of the hour-long March 12 webinar discussing maternity care improvements rural hospitals must make to earn the Birthing-Friendly designation from CMS. Quality Improvement Course for Rural Emergency Medical Services. The online course, funded by FORHP, introduces rural EMS providers to the concept of quality improvement (QI). The program, which was initially designed for the staff of healthcare organizations, has been modified to meet the needs of rural EMS by dividing the QI concept into three distinct levels that build upon each other. Approaching Deadlines Help shape the future of the Marketplace Quality Rating System (QRS) and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) Enrollee Experience Survey – Comment by March 28 CMS Changing Policy for Research Data Access – Comment by March 29 CMS Accepting Applications for New Physician Residency Slots – March 31 HRSA Provider Relief Reporting Period 6 – March 31 National Rural Health Association – Residency in Healthcare Executive Leadership Development – March 31 USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) – March 31 CDC Strengthening Public Health Systems Through National Partnerships – April 1 SAMHSA Grants to Expand SUD Capacity in Treatment Drug Courts – April 1 USDA Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program – April 1 HRSA Advanced Nursing Education – Sexual Assault Examiners Program – April 2 HRSA State Maternal Health Innovation – April 2 RWJF Healthy Eating Research for Children and Adolescents – Letters of Intent April 3 DOJ Sexual Assault Services – Culturally Specific Grant Program – April 4 CDC Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge – April 5 AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Continuing Nursing Education Program: Scholarship Opportunity – April 8 HRSA Licensure Portability Grant Program – April 8 DOJ Office on Violence Against Women – Rural Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program – April 12 SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment Program – April 12 Alaska Native Tribal Consortium/Alaska Pacific University - Alaska Indigenous Research Program and Scholarship – April 14 SAMHSA First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act – April 15 Department of Treasury Capital Magnet Fund for Affordable Housing – April 16 HRSA Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program – April 16 HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Capacity Development – April 16 CDC Drug Free Communities – New Grants – April 17 USDA Rural eConnectivity Program – April 22 DOJ Office of Violence Against Women – Grants to Indian Tribal Governments – April 24 DOJ Office on Violence Against Women – Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) – April 24 HRSA Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program – Supplement Funding for Rural Emergency Services – April 25 HRSA National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – April 25 Department of Veterans Affairs Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grants – April 26 SAMHSA Building Communities of Recovery – April 29 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants – April 29 DOJ Adult Treatment Court Site-Based Program – May 2 DOJ Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault – May 2 HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – May 2 Federal Agencies Seek Input: Effects of Consolidation in Health Care – Comment by May 6 HRSA Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program – May 6 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Impact – May 6 HRSA National Health Service Corps: Three Options for Loan Repayment Programs – May 9 CMS Seeks Input on a New Beneficiary Disenrollment Survey – Comment by May 13 ACF Head Start Expansion, Early Head Start Expansion, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants – May 14 ACF Head Start Expansion for Migrant and Seasonal Families – May 14 Department of Education Demonstration Grants for Mental Health Service Professionals in Elementary and Secondary Schools – May 14 IHS American Indians Into Medicine – May 14 Indian Health Service Grants for Native Public Health Resilience – May 14 USDA Farmers Market/Local Food Promotion Program – May 14 USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – May 14 HHS Community Level Innovations for Improving Health Outcomes – May 15 NIH Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes/Advance Health Equity in Rural Populations – May 17 ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities – May 20 ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities in Alaska – May 20 USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program (ReConnect) – May 21 HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23 CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data – Comment by May 29 AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – June 2024 NIH Innovations for Healthy Living – Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – June 10 NIH Researching Barriers to Care and Risk of HIV-Associated Comorbidities Among Vulnerable Population Groups – June 28 EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants – November 21 Ongoing Opportunities HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications Medicaid and CHIP Renewal and Transition Resources for Partners Extended Public Comment Period for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program National Indian Health Board Vaccination Event Funding – Ongoing while funds last SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities USDA Disaster Repair Grants for Rural Communities USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants 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 Association of American Indian Physicians Tribal Grant Writing Training 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 GSA Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use 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 National Indian Health Board Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center National Indian Health Board Vaccination Event Funding National Indigenous Women's Resource Center Technical Assistance for Domestic Violence Programs Native Americans into Medicine Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024 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 Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination – Various dates until October 2025 NIH Researching Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention – February 2026 NIH Research to Address Vaccine Hesitancy in Health Disparity Populations – June 2026 NIH Planning Grants for Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) – various dates until July 2026 NIH Research to Understand Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality – Various dates until October 2026 NIH Data Informed, Place-Based Community-Engaged Research to Advance Health Equity – January 2027 NIH/UVA Seeking Rural Individuals to Participate in Weight Loss Study (iREACH) – until 2027 NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications 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 Rural Grocery Transition Specialist Program 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 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/NRHA Rural Hospital Technical Assistance 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 | 
No comments:
Post a Comment