August 2019
Monthly update
Know someone making a positive impact?
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) is dedicated to bringing attention to the outstanding contributions of those who are working to improve health in rural America through leadership development, advocacy, education and collaborative partnerships. Help identify those who are making a positive health impact in their rural community and nominate them for consideration to be included in the 2019 Community Stars ebook, a publication released annually on National Rural Health Day (this year November 21). Nominations are open for a few more days until Friday, August 9.
How can you help the 2020 Census effort?
Follow the Minnesota State Demographic Center on Twitter for more information and fascinating data.
Tell your social and professional networks about the 2020 Census. Whatever tools you use, direct people to their website at http://mn.gov/2020census and use the hashtag #WeCountMN.
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MDH and ORHPC grants
International Medical Graduates (IMG) Career Guidance and Support Grant
The International Medical Graduate (IMG) Career Guidance and Support Grant Program is one aspect of a comprehensive program authorized by Minnesota Legislature to address barriers to practice and facilitate pathways to assist immigrant international medical graduates (IIMGs) and other foreign trained health care professionals integrate into the Minnesota health care delivery system, with the goal of increasing access to primary care in rural and underserved areas of the state. Applications are due August 9, 2019. For more information please contact: MN_health.IMG@state.mn.us
Minnesota State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
The Minnesota State Loan Repayment Program is for primary care providers practicing in rural and urban Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) in Minnesota. The MN SLRP provides funds for repayment of qualifying educational loans of up to $20,000 annually for full–time primary care providers and up to $10,000 annually for half–time primary care providers. Applications are due 3:00 pm, August 30, 2019. For more information please contact: Deb Jahnke, 651–201–3845.
Primary Care Residency Grant
The Primary Care Residency Grant provides funding to expand the training of primary care physicians. Primary care residency programs may apply for funding to create and maintain additional residency positions for up to three years. Applications are due 4:30 p.m., CST, September 6. For more information please contact: Paia Vang, 651–201–3856.
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Scholarship Grant
The Home and Community–Based Services (HCBS) employee scholarship grant program, authorized by Minnesota Statutes Section 144.1503, was established for the purpose of assisting qualified HCBS providers fund employee scholarships for education and training in nursing and other health care fields. Grant funds must be used by grantees to recruit and train caregiving staff through the establishment of a scholarship program. Applications are due September 27. For more information please contact: Sonya Borgeson–Bethke, 651–201–3895.
Dental Safety Net Grant
Dental Safety Net Grants support eligible dental providers who serve the uninsured. Funds will be awarded each year proportionally among all eligible programs, based on the total number of uninsured patients under the age of 21 served. The Legislature has appropriated up to $112,500 in Fiscal Year 2020. Funding will be allocated by formula, among eligible applicants. Step 1 Application due to MDH: 12:00 p.m., October 11, 2019. Step 2 Budget due to MDH: 12:00 p.m., November 1, 2019. For more information please contact: Randi Callahan, 651–201–3860
Mental Health Safety Net Grant
The Mental Health Safety Net Grant assists mental health centers and clinics that treat the uninsured. Funds will be awarded each year proportionally among all eligible programs, based on the total number of uninsured patients under the age of 21 served. The Legislature has appropriated up to $393,750 in Fiscal Year 2020. Funding will be allocated by formula, among eligible applicants. Step 1 Application due to MDH: Step 2 Budget due to MDH: 12 p.m., November 1, 2019. . For more information please contact: Randi Callahan, 651–201–3860.
Indian Health Grant
The Indian Health Grant Program provides assistance to eligible applicants to furnish clinical health services for American Indians who live off reservations. Nonprofit organizations, governmental and tribal entities are eligible to apply. Grants will be awarded for a two-year project period: January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. For more information please contact: Deb Jahnke, 651–201–3845.
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Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program
The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Farm Bill Broadband Program) furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas. The deadline is September 30.
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Title V Maternal & Child Health Needs Assessment
As part of the statewide Title V Maternal & Child Health Needs Assessment, the MDH Title V Assessment team has been busy analyzing data from focus groups, key informants and stakeholder interviews in order to broaden the voices that are providing input into the assessment. The following are all-remote events to assure broader input in establishing Minnesota’s statewide priorities. To register, please contact Blair Harrison, 651-201-5888.
All-Remote (Webex) Events:
Cross-cutting: Wednesday, Aug 7, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Maternal and infant health: Thursday, Aug 15, 1 – 2 p.m.
Children and youth with special health needs: Monday, Aug 19, 10 – 11 a.m.
Child & adolescent health: Monday, Aug 26, 1 – 2 p.m.
Feedback on MBQIP quality measures
The Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) is the set of quality measures that the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy uses to measure quality of care in Critical Access Hospitals. FORHP is looking to implement MBQIP Performance Standards in order to set national goals and evaluate state/CAH performance. They are requesting Flex program and CAH feedback on the proposed standards. Summary documents and comment submission information are available online: https://www.ruralcenter.org/resource-library/mbqip-performance-standards. The proposed MBQIP Performance Standards is open for public comment until August 12, 2019.
Fundamentals of Care Coordination and Emerging Professions
Health Care Homes has two new e-learning courses available on the MDH Learning Center. Fundamentals of Care Coordination covers the principles and practices of effective care coordination. Emerging Professions provides information on finding and incorporating community health workers, community paramedics and dental therapists into clinical practice. HCH courses are open to all, free of charge and qualify for CEU credit.
Visit the MDH Learning Center for more information and registration (required). NOTE: To register on the Learning Center, you must first establish a user profile and password. If you have already established a user profile and password, use these course links to register for Fundamental of Care Coordination and Emerging Professions.
Adult/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Training
The Train to Retain: SANE Expansion in the Upper Midwest is offering SANE trainings. The training is designed as a basic course for those new to the specialized area of caring for sexual assault patients in the role of the sexual assault nurse examiner During the training, nurses will learn everything they need to know in order to begin practicing as a SANE for all age groups – pediatric, adolescent, and adult. Register for the September 30-October 4 training in Winona by September 1. Email lwalther@mncasa.org with questions about registration and payment Register online at https://tinyurl.com/yypt7ts2.
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HRSA Recognizes 10 States for Top Performance at Critical Access Hospitals
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) presented ten states with the 2019 Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) Quality Performance Awards. These awards recognize achieving the highest reporting rates and levels of improvement in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) over the past year. Minnesota was named as one of this year’s 10 top performing states. The award was given for investing funding from HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) into quality improvement projects and developing technical assistance resources that improve high-quality care in our communities. The 10 top states also work collaboratively with their CAHs to share best practices and utilize data to drive quality improvement in their hospitals.
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We are lucky to have two new student interns: Melissa Rozmiarek and Atticus Wolfe.
Melissa Rozmiarek is a student at the University of Minnesota studying for her Masters of Integrated Behavioral Health with the goal of becoming a mental and chemical health counselor. She is helping ORHPC do workforce data cleaning and analysis.
Atticus Wolfe comes from the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health Administration and Policy. He is contributing to the team’s analysis of the Minnesota workforce and cultural competence.
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Health equity
People like us: How our identities shape health and educational success (NPR’s Hidden Brain podcast)
How The Eastern Cherokee took control of their healthcare (HealthLeaders)
Rural health
Coping with farm & rural stress (MN Department of Agriculture)
Social isolation and loneliness: Insights from rural clinical providers and other experts (The Rural Monitor)
Workforce
Rural Michigan needs doctors. Paying their debts may be an answer (Bridge)
More rural schools are finding school nurses online through Avera eCare (Argus Leader)
Miscellaneous
More physicians pursuing job opportunities in telemedicine (HealthLeaders)
When the safety net pays for itself (The Wall Street Journal)
At issue: Challenges facing 'safety net' hospitals podcast (WBBM NEWSRADIO)
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The 3rd annual Community Paramedicine Conference will be held September 8-10 in Charleston, South Carolina.
The 5th Comprehensive Advanced Life Support (CALS) conference on Rural Emergency Care will be held September 27 in St. Paul.
The 2019 Community Health Conference Examining Roots to Build our Healthy Future will be held October 2-4 in Brainerd.
The annual Many Faces of Community Health Conference will be held October 31-November 1 in Brooklyn Center.
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