| View this email in your browser. May 2, 2024 What's New New Data from the CDC on Preventable Premature Death. The new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an extension of an earlier CDC study, which showed a higher percentage of early death from the five leading causes in rural counties compared with urban counties during 2010-2017. More recent data show that the rural-urban gap in all-cause mortality continues to widen. In 1999, the death rate in rural areas was 7 percent higher than in urban areas; by 2019, it was 20 percent higher. View CDC's rural health website and Rural Public Health At-a-Glance to find out what CDC is doing to improve the health and well-being of rural communities. New Funding: HRSA Rural Northern Boarder Region Outreach Program – Apply by June 25. Administered through FORHP, HRSA's new funding will make up to 12 awards to support rural communities in the four Northern Border Regional Commission member states, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Eligible applicants include organizations located in within these four NBRC member states. A technical assistance webinar via Zoom will be held for applicants on Thursday May 9 at 2:00 pm Eastern. HRSA Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project – Apply by August 15. Five small rural hospitals and certified Rural Health Clinics will be selected to receive one year of focused, virtual technical assistance designed to strengthen their organization's understanding of the key elements of value-based care. Project focus areas include quality, efficiency, patient experience, and safety. Details on the application process can be found in the 2024-2025 Application Interview and Process Guide. Selected applicants will be notified in September, and project activities begin in October 2024. Get Support Writing Your AHEAD Model Application. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and Mathematica are partnering to provide expert consultation for a limited number of states seeking to apply to the new CMS Innovation Center model, States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD), for the third cohort (applications are due August 12, 2024). Assistance includes working with states to strengthen their applications, working through state-specific considerations such as readiness, governance, the details of model components, and reviewing draft applications. NASHP has also developed an AHEAD Model Application Assistance Tool to help states understand and navigate the application requirements for the Notice of Funding Opportunity. To request assistance, email Vicki Veltri at vveltri@nashp.org. See the Events section below for an informational webinar on May 9 held by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 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, May 9 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 FEMA Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grants – May 17. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) makes rural communities and other underserved populations a priority for grants to increase terrorism prevention capabilities at the local level. Projects should bring together mental health providers, educators, faith leaders, public health officials, social services, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. CDC Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality – May 23. Funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will support an expected 59 awards for agencies and organizations that coordinate and manage Maternal Mortality Review Committees to identify and characterize pregnancy-related deaths. Dept of Ed Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grants – Deadline Extended to May 31. Federal grants ranging from $400,000 to $1 million will support up to 33 awards for a five-year project. Applicants from high-need school districts must propose a school-based mental health partnership established to place graduate students in mental health fields in local education agencies (LEAs). Rural high need LEAs include agencies that meet eligibility requirements for funding under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program and Rural Low-Income School Program. National Aging and Disability Transportation Center: Rural Transportation Planning Grants – June 7. The national nonprofit provides funding for rural communities to develop a transportation plan that identifies transportation barriers, considers current and future community needs, actively engages older adults, and strengthens multi-sector partnerships. ACL Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative – Grants to States and Communities – June 11. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) will make 49 awards, each ranging from $850,000 to $1 million, for cooperative agreements intended to develop and expand dementia-capable home and community-based services. DOJ Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program – June 14. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) provides grants for tribal communities to improve services for victims of crime. Funding may support a comprehensive range of activities including needs assessment, strategic planning, program development, implementation, and other activities. Telehealth Implementation Bootcamp – July 18. Applications are now being accepted for monthly technical assistance and support running from July 18, 2024 to March 26, 2025. Health care organizations and professionals wanting to use telehealth in their practice can fill out the simple application and attend an in-person Kick-Off event in New Orleans on July 18. CDC: A Cultural Approach to Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country – June 28. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make 30 awards to Native American tribal organizations and Governments for wellness strategies that combine community-chosen cultural practices with clinical care for disease prevention and self-management of chronic conditions. 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. Non-Urgent Use of Emergency Departments by Rural and Urban Adults. Among findings from the Maine Rural Health Research Center: rural adults aged 18-64 are more likely than their urban counterparts to visit the emergency department in a given year; socio-demographics associated with higher rates of non-urgent ED use by rural residents include younger age, fair or poor mental and physical health, low income, public insurance coverage, and lower access to primary care. Using the Updated Financial Distress Index to Describe Relative Risk of Hospital Financial Distress. Researchers at the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis used a recent revision of the Financial Distress Index (FDI) model to describe the relative risk of experiencing financial distress for rural hospitals and selected urban hospitals. Among the findings: over 60 percent of hospitals at highest relative risk of financial distress are in seven states: Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, and Georgia. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. HHS Releases Nondiscrimination in Health Program and Activities final rule. Effective May 6. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act advancing protections against discrimination in health care. At a minimum, the rule will restore protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. It will also reduce language access barriers, expand physical and digital accessibility, and address bias in health technology. With the restoration of the rule, HHS aims to increase meaningful access to health care for communities across the United States. HRSA Modifications to the Definition of Rural for FORHP Grants – Comment by May 28. On April 26th, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) announced a proposed modification to the definition of 'rural' used to designate eligible areas for rural health grants. Because access to needed health care is likely to be reduced when roads are most difficult to traverse, FORHP proposes to modify the definition of rural areas by integrating the new Road Ruggedness Scale (RRS) released in 2023 by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The proposed modifications are based on a data-driven methodology to identify areas with difficult mountainous terrain. All areas included in the current definition of rural would remain included. New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC – Thursday, May 9 at 1:00 pm Eastern. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will host the free, FORHP-supported webinar with information on incorporating Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) and Mental Health Counselors (MHCs) into Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Medicare coverage of Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors in RHCs began January 1, 2024. This webinar will feature representatives from the National Board for Certified Counselors and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, who will provide information to ensure RHCs are equipped to consider expanding behavioral health services. Additional time for Q&A will be provided. Advanced registration is required. Learning Events and Technical Assistance SAMHSA: Peer Recovery Support for Families – Thursday, May 2 at 1:00 pm Eastern. The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) holds a one-hour session with experts who will explain how these programs work and how to start one in your community. The NCSACW is a resource and technical assistance center supported by the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National Rural Transit Assistance Program: Building Capacity – Thursday, May 2 at 2:00 pm Eastern. The national nonprofit will host staff from the Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture discussing grant programs and resources for rural and tribal communities. Rural Center of Excellence for Opioid Response: Addiction in a Chronic Disorder – Thursday, May 2 at 2:00 pm Eastern. The Fletcher Group is one of three FORHP-supported Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorder. In this session, experts will discuss extensive models of chronic disease management. Nursing Funding Opportunities from HRSA – Wednesday, May 8 at 2:30 pm Eastern. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce will discuss funding opportunities for nursing students and graduates, nurses looking to advance their careers, and nursing education and training programs. The two-hour webinar will provide information about how to apply for scholarships, nursing student loan and loan repayment opportunities, training programs, and the benefits of each program. Program representatives will be available to answer questions. Lessons in Framing Overdose Prevention: Considerations for Rural Communities – Wednesday, May 8 at 2:30 pm Eastern. The National Overdose Prevention Network will hold an hour-long session on how to communicate effectively – tailoring messages to a specific community, identifying trusted messengers, preparing to answer tough questions – to rural communities. Webinar on the Role of Primary Care in the AHEAD Model – Thursday, May 9 at 1:00 pm Eastern. During this webinar, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide more about the new CMS Innovation Center model States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model. Topics will include provider eligibility, opportunities for participating State Medicaid Agencies to boost participation and increase statewide primary care investment, and the relationship between the hospital and primary care components of the AHEAD Model. CMS encourages participants to submit questions to the AHEAD mailbox (AHEAD@cms.hhs.gov) in advance of this webinar. AgriSafe: Using a Total Worker Health/Total Farmer Health Approach to Assessing Ag Worker Wellbeing – Tuesday, May 14 at 1:00 pm Eastern. This presentation will describe worker wellbeing through measures of job satisfaction, coworker support, work affect, work fatigue, overall health status, chronic health conditions, individual stress, general mental health status, substance use, work injury, social support, anxiety, and depression. Resources of the Week Occupational Therapy and Telehealth Toolkit. Created by the Greater Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center, the toolkit gives information on basics and best practices for providing occupational therapy via telehealth. "Economic Development is Population Health": A New Vision for Rural Hospital Leadership. A new feature article in The Rural Monitor describes the role that rural hospital investments can play in contributing to community health. The story details a Critical Access Hospital in Wisconsin making infrastructure investments in their downtown and a New Hampshire medical center investing in public transit and affordable housing. Approaching Deadlines 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 First Nations Development Institute/Luce Foundation Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship – May 7 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 HHS Community Level Innovations for Improving Health Outcomes – May 15 FEMA Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grants – May 17 NIH Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes/Advance Health Equity in Rural Populations – May 17 OMB Seeks More Public Participation in Government Decision-Making – Comment by 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 AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – May 23 CDC Enhancing Reviews and Surveillance to Eliminate Maternal Mortality – May 23 HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23 HRSA Modifications to the Definition of Rural for FORHP Grants – Comment by May 28 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 Dept of Ed Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grants –May 31 Administration for Children and Families – Next Generation Child Support Employment Services Demonstration – June 3 CMS Minority Research Grant Program – June 3 FTA Seeking Comments on Updates to Rural Areas Formula Grant Programs – Comment by June 3 CISA Seeking Comments on New Covered Cyber Incidents for Covered Entities such as Critical Access Hospitals – Comment by June 4 National Aging and Disability Transportation Center: Rural Transportation Planning Grants – June 7 Proposed Updates to Medicare Hospital Payment for Fiscal Year 2025 – Comment by June 10 NIH Innovations for Healthy Living – Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – June 10 SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program – June 10 ACL Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative – Grants to States and Communities – June 11 CMS Updates to the Low-Income Beneficiaries through Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition Program – Comment by June 11 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Planning Cooperative Agreement – June 12 IHS Tribal Self-Governance Program Negotiation Cooperative Agreement – June 12 DOJ Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program – June 14 Department of Labor Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) for Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border Regions – June 20 HRSA Delta Health Systems Implementation Program – June 24 HRSA Rural Northern Boarder Region Outreach Program – June 25 CDC: A Cultural Approach to Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country – June 28 NIH Researching Barriers to Care and Risk of HIV-Associated Comorbidities Among Vulnerable Population Groups – June 28 Telehealth Implementation Bootcamp – July 18 HRSA Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project – August 15 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 Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems 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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