All-Programs Recording, National Health Center Week, and More! HRSA PHC Digest

HRSA BPHC Primary Health Care Digest

August 6, 2018

All-Programs

Watch the Recording of the July 31 All-Programs Webcast
Missed the recent All-Programs webcast? Watch it now for important Health Center Program updates.

Here are some of the resources mentioned during the webcast:

We also received a question about the email notices sent by HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs), specifically in reference to communications about Service Area Competition (SAC)/Renewal of Designation. These notices will come from “HRSA GEMS”: oitgems@hrsa.gov. By adding this email address to a “safe senders” or contacts list, you may avoid messages going to your junk folder. 


What's New

Reminder: Upcoming SAC and Service Area Competition-Additional Areas (SAC-AA) Deadlines
SAC applications for service areas with January, February, or March 2019 project period start dates are due soon in Grants.gov and/or EHBs. Current award recipients should refer to box 6 of the most recent Notice of Award (NOA) to obtain their project period end date. 


NOA Project Period End Date


Upcoming due dates:

  • January 1, 2019, project period start date (HRSA-19-010) are due in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 21.
  • February 1, 2019, project period start date (HRSA-19-012) are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 15, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 30.
  • March 1, 2019, project period start date (HRSA-19-013) are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 20, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 18.

Technical assistance materials are available on the SAC technical assistance website.

SAC-AA applications for HRSA-19-091 for the Chicago, Illinois, and Toledo, Ohio service areas are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, August 17, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 5. Technical assistance materials are available on the SAC-AA technical assistance website


National Health Center Week

National Health Center Week 2018
Follow HRSA on Facebook and Twitter as we celebrate National Health Center Week on August 12-18. This year’s theme is Celebrating Health Centers: Home of America’s Health Care Heroes.

For more than 50 years, community health centers have delivered comprehensive, high-quality preventive and primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Today, nearly 1,400 HRSA-funded health centers serve approximately 1 in 12 people in the United States.


Rural Residency Planning and Development Program Technical Assistance
The fiscal year (FY) 2018 Rural Residency Planning and Development -- Technical Assistance (RRPD-TA) Cooperative Agreement funding opportunity is now open. The awardee will receive up to $800,000 to support one three-year award (up to $2.4 million over the project period). This cooperative agreement supports development of sustainable rural residencies through the Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) program, which will be awarded in FY 2019. Apply by Wednesday, August 22; program start date is Sunday, September 30. Learn more or apply now


NHSC Site Badge

More Providers at Your Site May Soon Be Eligible for NHSC Funding
Later this year, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) will make available an additional $105 million in NHSC Loan Repayment Program awards that expand and improve access to quality opioid and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in rural and underserved areas. You are eligible to opt-in if your site provides any of these services:

  • Opioid treatment program  – Facilities certified by SAMHSA
  • Office-based opioid treatment – Outpatient facilities with providers eligible to administer Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
  • Non-opioid outpatient SUD treatment facilities – Outpatient facilities that offer SUD treatment services (that do not provide MAT) as demonstrated on their website or other organizational materials.

    All NHSC sites—including health centers and NHSC auto-approved sites—must opt in for their providers to be eligible for this additional SUD treatment funding. We have extended the deadline to Tuesday, August 14, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Learn more, including how to opt in.


    The Federal Communications Commission Seeking Comments on Telehealth Proposal
    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted their proposal for a $100 million pilot project on telehealth for low income rural consumers. For the next 30 days, the Commission is seeking comments and feedback on how to proceed with the plan, what it should cover, and whether FCC should work with HHS or other federal agencies. Get more information.


    CMS Proposes Medicare Outpatient Payment and Policy Changes
    CMS seeks comments on its annual rule proposing payment and policy changes for Medicare outpatient services. Read a related fact sheet. Changes in the rule are estimated to reduce payments with equal impact to urban and rural hospitals overall. The rule includes several requests for information (RFI), including providers sharing information with patients about charges and out-of-pocket costs and using Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation to advance progress toward interoperability. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Monday, September 24.


    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Update
    USPSTF has posted a final research plan on behavioral counseling to prevent sexually transmitted infections. The draft research plan for this topic was posted for public comment earlier this year.


    Resources

    National Institute on Drug Abuse Launches Clinician-informed Tool on Opioid Use Disorder Medication Treatment
    The first in this series—Science to Medicine: Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)—offers quick, targeted information on how to get started offering OUD treatment medications and other recovery support services. Learn more.


    New Materials Available from the AIDS Education & Training Center Program
    The HRSA-funded HIV/HCV (Hepatitis C virus) Coinfection Initiative aims to utilize the AETC HIV/HCV coinfection curriculum for training health care providers in five U.S. jurisdictional sites. Materials developed as part of this initiative are now available for all health centers from the AETC Program and include:

    • An HCV Screening and Treatment Flyer for providers treating people living with HIV
    • HIV/HCV co-infection patient engagement tools in English and Spanish (Passport to Cure brochure and Hep C Free cards)


    Suicide Prevention in Rural Populations Roundtable Discussion for Health Centers
    The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) is hosting an interactive roundtable discussion on suicide screening and prevention tools and the management of suicide risk, with a special focus on rural populations. Nicole Tirone, MSW, Project Coordinator from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, will participate in the discussion as an expert from the field.

    Tuesday, August 7
    1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session


    Working Together to Eradicate Pediatric Obesity
    As part of its Telehealth Learning Webinar Series, HRSA is hosting a webinar featuring experts from the University of Kansas Medical Center who have developed treatment recommendations for pediatric obesity. Join to hear about the prevalence of pediatric obesity and the use of telehealth for the treatment of pediatric obesity.

    Wednesday, August 8
    2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
    Register here

    The webinar series aims to highlight successful projects/best practices as well as resources to promote and further the use of telehealth technologies for health care delivery, education, and health information services. For more information, contact Carlos Mena or Nancy Rios.


    Key Components of Integrated Care: Providing Services to Rural Populations Roundtable Discussion for Health Centers
    CIHS is hosting an interactive roundtable discussion on the key components of behavioral health integration, with a special focus on providing services to rural populations. Experts from the field will join the discussion: Jennifer Yturriondobeitia, MSW, Behavioral Health Programs Manager, and Amy Walters, PhD, Clinical Health Psychologist from St. Luke’s Health Partners.

    Tuesday, August 14
    3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session


    Best Practices for Sustaining Behavioral Health Integration Models in Health Centers Using Health Information Technology
    This CIHS webinar features subject matter experts in health information technology and technologies that support population health management and data aggregation from Clinica Family Health and Colorado Community Managed Care Network. Presenters will share best practices for health centers in streamlining and sustaining behavioral health workflows and maximizing their electronic health records to ensure comprehensive and accurate billing and coding.

    Wednesday, August 22
    3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session


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    Technical Assistance & Training

    Mouse

    Visit the training calendar to learn details about or register for events.

    UPCOMING

    Introduction to the UDS Mapper
    Hosted by HRSA
    Tuesday, August 7
    11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET
    Register here

    Suicide Prevention in Rural Populations Roundtable Discussion for Health Centers
    Hosted by CIHS
    Tuesday, August 7
    1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session

    Tribal Grants Webinar Series: Preparing a Budget for your Grant Proposal
    Hosted by HRSA
    Wednesday, August 8
    1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
    Register here

    Working Together to Eradicate Pediatric Obesity
    Hosted by HRSA
    Wednesday, August 8
    2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
    Register here

    Key Components of Integrated Care: Providing Services to Rural Populations Roundtable Discussion for Health Centers
    Hosted by CIHS
    Tuesday, August 14
    3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session


    JUST ANNOUNCED

    Promoting CDC Tips from Former Smokers to Public Housing Residents
    Hosted by the National Center for Health in Public Housing, a HRSA-funded National Cooperative Agreement
    Wednesday, August 15
    1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
    Register here

    Best Practices for Sustaining Behavioral Health Integration Models in Health Centers Using Health Information Technology
    Hosted by CIHS
    Wednesday, August 22
    3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
    Join the webinar the day of the session