| Read this in your browser December 19, 2024 FORHP Announcements will return on January 9 What's New New Funding: HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – Apply by February 19, 2025. HRSA expects to make 35 awards, each up to $100,000, to support the development and planning of rural integrated health care networks. Over the one-year performance period, networks will conduct planning activities to achieve greater collective capacity to overcome local challenges, expand access and improve the quality of care in the rural communities these organizations serve. A technical assistance webinar via Zoom is scheduled for applicants on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm Eastern. If you are unable able to join the webinar, a recording will be made available later. Examples of previously funded projects under this program can be found online at the Rural Health Information Hub. Applicants may also benefit from Evidence-Based Toolkits for Rural Community Health which are informed by previous program investments by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Rural Health Information Hub. New Funding: HRSA Black Lung Clinics Program – Apply by February 11, 2025. FORHP's Community Based Division will make up to 15 awards to support clinics in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with occupation related coal mine dust lung disease through the provision of quality medical, outreach, educational, and benefits counseling services for active, inactive, retired, and disabled coal miners. FORHP will hold a technical assistance webinar for applicants on Thursday, December 19 at 1:00 pm Eastern. A separate opportunity, HRSA's Black Lung Data and Resource Center Program, also has a February 11 deadline and will award one cooperative agreement to strengthen the operations of Black Lung Clinics Program grantees with data collection and analysis. A webinar for Data and Resource Center applicants will be held December 18 at 1:00 pm Eastern. If you were not able to join the webinars, you can request a recording by emailing BlackLung@hrsa.gov. Get Help With Your Application to the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program. HRSA will invest $13 million for up to 50 awards to expand the delivery of health care services in rural communities. We expect to make 40 awards under the program's regular track to support rural community-identified healthcare needs. We're setting aside 10 awards for a special track to address the underlying factors that drive rural health disparities related to heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury/substance use, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, and maternal health. You can access the program guidance by going to the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov and then: - Click the blue tab labeled "Package"
- Click the blue hyperlink labeled "Preview"
- Click on the gray box labeled "Download Instruction"
You can also find answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the HRSA website and a recording of the technical assistance webinar for applicants that was held on Wednesday, December 11. New Study Finds Rural Hospitals Facing Struggles Even As Hospital Margins Nationally Improve. Research and analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows rural hospital margins continue to lag relative to urban hospitals, confirming prior findings on rural hospital financial status by the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center. Funding and Opportunities North Central Regional Center for Rural Development/Purdue University: Multi-State Rural Development Research or Extension Project Grants – January 15. The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at Purdue University provides seed grants aimed at enhancing the ability of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities to positively influence the quality of life in rural areas of the 12-state North Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Enterprise Community Partners/HUD Section 4 Capacity Building Grants: Rural and Tribal Communities – January 31. The national nonprofit sponsors this program with an investment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As an intermediary organization, Enterprise will provide funding to rural and tribal Community Development Corporations and Community Housing Development Organizations to increase their capacity for affordable housing activities that benefit families with low incomes. Rural Health Research Research in this section is provided by HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Centers and available on the Rural Health Research Gateway. Variation in Elder Abuse State Statutes by State Level of Rurality. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center examines elements of state-level elder abuse statutes' definitions and reporting requirements to investigate potential differences in these policies by state rurality. Utilization of Inpatient and Emergency Services by Rural and Urban Medicaid Enrollees. Researchers from the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center focused on inpatient and emergency department health care utilization. Among the key findings: non-Hispanic Black enrollees had the highest utilization rates compared to enrollees that were non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic of any race. Hispanic enrollees of any race had the lowest utilization rates. Utilization was lowest in Isolated Rural areas, and often highest in Large Rural areas. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Seeking Input to Protect Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers – Comment by February 17. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is soliciting comments to inform future decision-making regarding how the agency can best protect Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) and Medicare beneficiaries. MBIs have been targeted by individuals seeking to commit Medicare fraud, including the use of MBI lookup tools to commit MBI theft. CMS is seeking input and information related to the following topic areas: - Organizations that operate an externally-controlled MBI lookup tool;
- Users of MBI lookup tools, both CMS-operated and externally-controlled;
- Potential benefit or impact of prohibiting or restricting externally-controlled MBI lookup tools;
- Safeguards or best practices from inside or outside healthcare that CMS should consider for preventing MBI theft and misuse.
Visit the link in the headline for more information and the full list of questions. To provide comments, fill out and submit the survey by Monday, February 17. Rural Health Clinic CY 2025 All-Inclusive Rate. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) all-inclusive rate for calendar year (CY) 2025. The payment limit per visit for independent and provider-based RHCs in hospitals with 50 or more beds is $152.00. The payment limit per visit for specified provider-based RHCs, with an April 1, 2021 established payment limit, that continue to meet the qualifications in section 1833(f)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act is the greater of these amounts: 1) Your payment limit per visit starting January 1, 2024, increased by 3.5 percent; 2) The national statutory CY 2025 payment limit per visit of $152.00. For more information see the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 9, section 20.2 and Instruction to your Medicare Administrative Contractor. CMS Guidance on Co-location Arrangements in CAHs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance last month providing clarity on how Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) may leverage space sharing arrangements with other healthcare entities, such as private physician practices, to increase access to care and services within the community, while maintaining independent compliance with all applicable Conditions of Participation (CoPs). Because CAHs must maintain a specified distance from another hospital or CAH, they cannot share space with these types of facilities. This guidance explains how a CAH may share space with other types of health care providers through either a 'time share' arrangement or a 'leased space' arrangement and meet requirements of their CoPs. Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model to End after Calendar Year 2025. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design Model (VBID) is ending on December 31, 2025. CMS is ending the model due to negative financial performance. Through the model, participating MA plans have had greater flexibility in serving high needs and underserved beneficiaries, and many of the lessons learned from the model have been incorporated into the MA program as a whole. Upon the model's end, some beneficiaries in VBID MA plans may need to select a new MA plan or go back to traditional Medicare in 2026. Expand GME Training at Your Hospital: How to Apply for Section 126 and 4122 – Thursday, January 16 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Federal legislation under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and Section 4122 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to distribute additional residency positions (also known as slots) for physician training in underserved areas. Eligible hospitals must use MEARIS, CMS's online application system to apply by March 31 for 200 newly available Section 126 slots and the 200 Section 4122 slots. In a one-hour webinar, experts will provide background information on Section 126 and Section 4122. The session is hosted by RuralGME.org, the FORHP-supported organization that helps hospitals plan and develop rural residencies, and will focus on considerations for rural hospitals. 2025 Physician Fee Schedule Webinar: Registration Required – Thursday, January 30 at 2:00 pm Eastern. Subject matter experts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will present highlights of policy updates from the Calendar Year 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule in a webinar produced by the Rural Health Information Hub. Covered topics will include: general care management, Advanced Primary Care Management, telehealth, policy updates for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers, behavioral health, dental services, and more. The webinar is free, and you must register to attend. Learning Events and Technical Assistance USICH: How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness – Thursday, December 12 at 12:30 pm Eastern. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) is a federal agency with the sole mission of preventing and ending homelessness in America. During this one-hour webinar, they will discuss their recent federal guidance for hospitals and health systems, with effective strategies relevant for all health professionals, including public health departments and researchers. According to USICH, nearly 20 percent of the people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. live in rural areas, and rural areas have higher rates of unsheltered homelessness than big cities or suburbs. Developing a Behavioral Health Paraprofessional Training Program – Thursday, December 17 at 12:00 pm Eastern. HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce will hold a two-hour session via Zoom, hosted by its National Workforce Collaborative. Attendees will see presentations from HRSA's Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) programs and learn promising practices for successful paraprofessional programs. Resources of the Week How Federal Funding Helped Build a Rural Cancer Care Network. This feature article in The Rural Monitor describes how an urban nonprofit organization collaborated with a regional health care system and a rural physician's office to create a network that brings comprehensive cancer care to residents in rural Georgia. The Southeastern Rural Cancer Care Network used federal funds administered by FORHP's Community-Based Division through the Rural Health Care Coordination Program. New Patient Engagement Toolkit from HRSA's Federal Cervical Cancer Collaborative (FCCC). The toolkit supports efforts to increase patient and community engagement in prevention, screening, and management of a cancer that is highly treatable if found early. Materials include social media posts, posters, a cervical screening follow-up card, and more. The toolkit and materials are available in English and Spanish. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported higher rates of cervical cancer for rural residents than urban. The FCCC is a multi-year federal partnership that bridges the federal priorities of cancer research and health care delivery in safety net settings of care. This resource is a companion to the Toolkit to Build Provider Capacity publicly available on the FCCC resources page in the headline link. Finding Your Way Through USDA Rural Health's New Resources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides a recording of their webinar highlighting tools and resources related to rural health, accomplishments, and future plans. Discusses the USDA Rural Health Program Index Tool, the Rural Development Innovation Center, the USDA Rural Health website, and the Rural Data Gateway. COVID-19 Resources Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, January 9 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) 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 health care 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. *New: a short course on Long COVID in Children and Adolescents opened on November 14 and runs until February 25, 2025. 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. Approaching Deadlines Delta Regional Authority Workforce Grant Program – December 20 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants – December 20 CMS Enhancing Coverage of Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act – Comment by December 27 CMS Seeks Feedback on Quality Measures for Medicare Hospitals, including REHs – Comment by December 30 USDA Intermediary Relending Program for Rural Economic Development – December 31 USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP): Grants and Loans for Energy Systems/Improvements – December 31 NARHC Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellowship – January 6 ASPPH/USDA Rural Health Fellowship – January 9 NIDA Seeks People with Lived Experience for New Working Group – Respond by January 10 VA Proposes Expanded Access to Telehealth for Rural Veterans – Comment by January 13 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding: Improving Mental and Behavioral Health – Letters of Intent January 14 North Central Regional Center for Rural Development/Purdue University: Multi-State Rural Development Research or Extension Project Grants – January 15 SAMHSA/American Psychological Association - Psychology Minority Fellowship Programs – January 15 NHTSA Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grants – January 17 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals – January 21 HRSA Graduate Psychology Education Program – January 21 CMS Proposed Changes to Medicare Part C and D – Comment by January 27 HRSA Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science, and Practice – January 27 HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program – January 27 OIG Updating Antikickback Safe Harbor Provisions – Comment by January 27 Enterprise Community Partners/HUD Section 4 Capacity Building Grants: Rural and Tribal Communities – January 31 HRSA Rural Veterans Health Access Program – February 5 RWJF Summer Health Professions Education Program – February 5 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding: Broad Pragmatic Studies – Letters of Intent February 6 PCORI Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Topical Studies – Letters of Intent February 6 HRSA Black Lung Clinics Program – February 11 HRSA Black Lung Data and Resource Center Program – February 11 CMS Seeking Input to Protect Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers – Comment by February 17 HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – February 19 HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program (funding goes to schools, not individuals) – February 19 HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – February 24 U.S. Department of Energy Demonstration Funding for Energy Improvement in Rural/Remote Areas – Letters of Intent February 27 Ongoing Opportunities Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. 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 California Department of Health Care Access – Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs CMS Medicaid and CHIP Renewal and Transition Resources for Partners Communities Unlimited, Inc: Water and Wastewater Loans for Rural Systems Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications 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 Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications 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 Forensic Nursing Consultation Program and Training IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project 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 HRSA National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program 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 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 Opportunity Finance Network/Partners for the Common Good – Economic Justice Partnership Fund 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 RCORP Rural Center of Excellence on SUD Prevention: Developing a Rural Community Approach to Overcoming Stigma 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 SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Certified Development Company (504) Loan Program: Rural Initiative Pilot Program Southeast Rural Community Development Loans Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program 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 – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter 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 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