| View this email in your browser. April 11, 2024 What's New ERS on the Widening Gap in Urban-Rural Mortality. The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture analyzed natural-cause mortality data for adults aged 25-54 from two three-year periods – 1999 through 2001 and 2017 through 2019. Researchers found that the mortality rate from natural causes such as chronic disease and cancer in rural areas was only 6 percent higher than for city dwellers during the first period, but the gap widened to 43 percent by 2019. Expanding Rural Residencies Without Separate Accreditation: Section 127 Opportunities and More – Monday, April 15 at 12:00 pm Eastern. In this one-hour session, experts will provide background information on Section 127 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, the federal legislation that brought several changes to Medicare payments made to hospitals training residents in Rural Track Programs. This session is hosted by the FORHP-supported program that helps hospitals plan and develop rural residencies and will include leadership from the Accreditation Counsel on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) along with representatives from two programs that successfully increased their resident complement via Section 127. A-Z: All You Need to Know About Making Your RHC a PA Clinical Rotation Site – Friday, April 19 at 1:00 pm Eastern. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host a free, FORHP-supported webinar with information on how to establish a Rural Health Clinic as a Physician Assistant/Physician Associate (PA) clinical rotation site. This webinar will feature representatives from universities with PA programs who will share their experiences placing students in rural training sites and provide additional time for Q&A. Advanced registration is required. An Observational Study of Physicians and Nurse Practitioners Providing MAT. Researchers used data from electronic license renewals in 2021 to examine what factors affect the likelihood of providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. Physicians and nurse practitioners who were younger, practiced in a public or community health center, and offered a sliding fee scale in their practice had a greater likelihood of providing MAT. The study builds on previous research showing a lack of mental health services, professional burnout, and stigma associated with lower rates of MAT provision in rural areas, with a further look at organizational and personal barriers to prescribing. Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17. Join HRSA's social media campaign for #BMHW24 to raise awareness. Learn more about how HRSA is Strengthening Black Maternal Health | MCHB (hrsa.gov). 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 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 DOJ Mentoring for Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Misuse – April 29. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will make grants to support local, regional, or statewide efforts to provide mentoring services to youth ages 17 and under and their family members affected by opioid and other substance misuse. Rural communities and federally recognized tribes are priority populations. USDA Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects – May 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides grants to help nonprofit organizations establish revolving loan funds that will finance water and wastewater projects in rural communities. CMS Minority Research Grant Program – June 3. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provide grants to encourage innovative health services research to improve health outcomes for people from minority populations – including racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with limited English proficiency, rural populations, and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation Cooperative Agreement – June 12. The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides cooperative agreements with negotiation resources for tribes interested in participating in the Tribal Self Governance Program, giving tribes the authority to manage and tailor health care programs in a manner that best fits the needs of their community. IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Planning Cooperative Agreement – June 12, provides planning resources. NIH Notice of Special Interest: Telehealth Strategies for Individuals with HIV and Substance Use Disorders – September 7. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issues this Notice of Special Interest for research to explore and develop telehealth methods and strategies for diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and population analysis in individuals living with HIV and substance use disorder. National Indian Health Board Tribal Environmental Impact Network Call for Technical Assistance Providers – Ongoing. The national nonprofit seeks professionals with experience in issues affecting environmental justice to provide technical assistance to tribal communities. 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. What Happens to Rural Hospitals During a Ransomware Attack? Evidence From Medicare Data. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center used data on hospital ransomware attacks from 2016 to 2021, describing disrupted operations at hospitals in rural and urban areas. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2025 Marketplaces. The final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sets standards for Marketplaces and issuers, as well as requirements for agents, brokers, web-brokers, direct enrollment entities, and assisters that help Marketplace consumers. The rule includes policies that extend the special enrollment period for low-income people to enroll in coverage in any month rather than only during Open Enrollment, provides states the ability to increase access to routine adult dental services such as cleanings, diagnostic X-rays, and restorative services like fillings and root canals, and sets network adequacy standards for the time and distance people travel to appointments with in-network providers. The rule standardizes certain operations across the Marketplaces to increase reliability and consistency for consumers. Lastly, the rule includes several policies impacting the Medicaid program, Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Basic Health Program. CMS Issues Final Rule for 2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Drug Program. The changes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are intended to improve access to behavioral health care; cap and standardize MA plan compensation to brokers which includes prohibiting volume-based bonuses for enrollment into certain plans; streamline enrollment for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; and annually review MA utilization management policies for health equity considerations. Medicare Advantage enrollments continue to become a significant form of insurance coverage for Medicare eligible rural enrollees with 45.1 percent of nonmetropolitan eligible beneficiaries are enrolled in a MA plan (November 2023 RURPI Rural Policy Brief). Additionally, MA enrollment grew by 7.7 percent (2.2 million) from 2022 to 2023; the highest rate of growth was observed in non-metropolitan counties. CMS Announces 2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Payment Rates. In finalizing changes to payment policies for these programs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates an increase in Medicare Advantage plan revenues by an average 3.7 percent, or over $16 billion, from 2024 to 2025. The notice implements changes to the Part C risk adjustment model finalized in the CY 2024 final rule. The changes will be phased in over a three-year period. CMS also finalized technical updates to the Part C and D star ratings and will implement changes to the standard Part D drug benefit required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This includes capping annual out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare Part D at $2,000 in 2025. Finally, CMS reminds stakeholders the agency seeks public input on Medicare Advantage Data – comment by May 29. CMS Releases Hospital Interpretive Guidelines for Informed Consent. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated this guidance to clarify that informed consent from patients is required before medical students or other students perform important surgical tasks, invasive procedures, or examinations. This guidance specifically references hospital enforced consent obligations in response to increasing public attention to the traditional practice of allowing practitioners or supervised medical, advanced practice provider, or other applicable students to perform examinations to training -related examinations outside the medically necessary procedure, particularly on anesthetized patients. In Case You Missed It: Webinar on Hospital Price Transparency. The Rural Health Information Hub posted a recording of the hour-long webinar from April 5 where experts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reviewed policy updates on the latest hospital price transparency policies and enforcement actions that were made effective January 1, 2024 and affect all hospitals operating in the United States. Learning Events and Technical Assistance 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. HRSA National Donate Life Month Webinar – Tuesday, April 16 at 1:00 pm Eastern. This virtual gathering will convene stakeholders nationwide to delve into the critical topics of organ donation and transplantation. Join us for insightful discussions led by donation advocates and representatives from key organizations dedicated to outreach efforts that spread awareness and encourage organ donor registration. 3RNET's Free Training for Employers – Tuesday, April 16 at 2:00 pm Eastern. Formerly known as the National Rural Recruitment & Retention Network, 3RNET is holding a live training session explaining how to post jobs and find job seekers on its site. Addressing Substance Use in Maternal Health Within Tribal Communities – Thursday, April 18 at 2:00 pm Eastern. Hosted by HRSA, this webinar will examine the impact of substance use in maternal health, share examples of how Tribes and Tribal communities have addressed the issue, and identify HRSA resources and regional contacts. Webinar Series on Rural Maternal Health Continues – Tuesday, April 23 at 3:00 pm Eastern. Registration is open for a four-part webinar series presented by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), in collaboration with the Rural Health Information Hub. The fourth session highlights resources available for obstetric readiness in rural facilities without birth units. Attendees will learn about resources available to be ready and respond to patients' needs. Recordings and transcripts of previous sessions are also available. Resources of the Week In Case You Missed It: FORHP Preview. Thank you for attending the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's 2024 Preview Webinar on April 3rd. Over 400 participants joined to hear about our anticipated funding opportunities and "hidden gems" – resources and projects that may not be well-known. Here, we're providing a recording of the hour-long session. HRSA's National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce provides demographic, training and education, employment, COVID-19 impact, and workforce projection data for registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. Communities Need Safe Drinking Water: A Rural Environmental Justice Case Study. A brief from the Aspen Institute discusses access to clean drinking water in rural, underserved communities and Native nations, and presents case studies of communities working to improve environmental health equity. Features the Environmental Justice Community Action Network (EJCAN) of North Carolina, the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) of the Native Village of Hooper Bay, Alaska, and community leaders in Ivanhoe, North Carolina. Approaching Deadlines 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 DOJ Mentoring for Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Misuse – April 29 SAMHSA Building Communities of Recovery – April 29 USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants – April 29 Department of Education School-Based Mental Health Services Grant – April 30 USDA Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects – May 1 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 USAging: The John A. Hartford Foundation Business Innovation Award – May 6 HRSA National Health Service Corps: Three Options for Loan Repayment Programs – May 9 NOSORH Purpose-Driven Leadership Institute – May 10 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 Department of Education Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program – May 15 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 Micro-Grants for Food Security – May 21 USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program (ReConnect) – May 21 HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23 Medicare Proposes Updates for SNF, IRF, and Hospice Payment Rules – Comment by May 28 Medicare Proposes Updates to Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Payment Policies – Comment by May 28 ONC Seeks Feedback on Federal IT Strategic Plan – Comment by May 28 CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data – Comment by May 29 HRSA Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program – May 29 AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – June 2024 CMS Minority Research Grant Program – June 3 CISA Seeking Comments on New Covered Cyber Incidents for Covered Entities such as Critical Access Hospitals – Comment by June 4 NIH Innovations for Healthy Living – Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – June 10 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Planning Cooperative Agreement – June 12 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation Cooperative Agreement – June 12 NIH Researching Barriers to Care and Risk of HIV-Associated Comorbidities Among Vulnerable Population Groups – June 28 NIH Notice of Special Interest: Telehealth Strategies for Individuals with HIV and Substance Use Disorders – September 7 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 Tribal Environmental Impact Network Call for Technical Assistance Providers 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 NOSORH Rural Primary Care Institute 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 | 
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