What's New
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month
Each year more than 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Two screening tests (Pap test and Human papillomavirus (HPV) test) can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early. In 2017, more than 3.8 million HRSA-funded health center patients were screened for cervical cancer. Learn more about best practices for screening and preventing cervical cancer in these resources:
From Africa to the United States: Addressing Access to Early Detection and Treatment of Cervical and Breast Cancers
Renowned gynecologic oncologist Dr. Groesbeck Parham will visit HRSA to present strategies for improving access to care for cervical and breast cancer early detection and treatment. He will discuss how these strategies, with the use of technology and task-shifting, may be applied to gynecological practices in the U.S.
Monday, January 14
10:30 a.m.-noon ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Dr. Parham’s expertise is concentrated on the link between HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer in Zambia, Africa. His work on scaling up public sector cervical and breast cancer services in resource-poor global environments has been sought by the World Health Organization and United Nations Population Fund.
A New Year’s Resolution: Give the Gift of Life
Health centers, we thank you for your ongoing partnership with us to increase access to care. In 2019, we invite you to help us promote the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation. Make it the year that you, your colleagues, and the communities you serve learn more about donation and transplantation and sign up as organ, eye, and tissue donors. Visit us online (Spanish language site) to learn more. We also invite you to “Like” our Facebook pages, Organdonor.gov and Donaciondeorganos.gov, to share messages and videos that will call your social network to action.
 National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Opportunities
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) provides financial assistance to health care professionals in exchange for a commitment to work at approved sites in high-need, underserved areas. This week the NHSC opened the application cycle for two programs – its Loan Repayment Program (LRP) and a new Substance Use Disorder Workforce LRP (SUD Workforce LRP). Both applications close on Thursday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
- The NHSC LRP awards up to $50,000 toward student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to work at approved sites in high-need, underserved areas.
- The new NHSC SUD Workforce LRP provides up to $75,000 in exchange for a three-year commitment and expands eligible disciplines and site types for loan repayment. The program is open to health care professionals who provide SUD treatment services at NHSC-approved SUD sites.
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Advanced Nursing Education Nurse Practitioner Residency Program
Nurse-managed health care centers may be interested in this opportunity from HRSA’s Health Workforce Program. The Advanced Nursing Education Nurse Practitioner Residency Program’s purpose is to prepare new nurse practitioners in primary care for practice in community-based settings through clinical and academic focused 12-month Nurse Practitioner Residency (NPR) programs, with a preference for those projects that benefit rural or underserved populations.
Rural Residency Planning and Development Grant Program Now Accepting Applications
HRSA is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2019 Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program in Grants.gov. Applications are due by Monday, March 4.
The RRPD is a collaboration between HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce and Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to develop new rural residency programs or Rural Training Tracks (RTT) in family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry to support expansion of the physician workforce in rural areas. An estimated 28 awards will be made for creation of rural residency programs or RTTs intended to be sustainable through separate public or private funding beyond the three-year RRPD grant period of performance. Awardees will receive technical assistance from the RRPD Technical Assistance Center for the duration of the project period. Hospitals, medical schools, and community-based ambulatory settings that have a rural designation, along with consortia of urban and rural partnerships are eligible to apply for a grant award.
Questions? Contact Tracey Smith or Jemima Drake.
Public Comment Period Opens for Proposed Grants Management Common Data Standards
A recent notice by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provides the opportunity for public comment on proposed grants management common data standards that were created in support of the Results-Oriented Accountability for Grants Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goal. Comments must be received by Tuesday, January 15.
In March, OMB launched the President's Management Agenda, which established more than a dozen CAP goals, one of which is titled, “Results-Oriented Accountability for Grants.” The intent of this CAP goal is to rebalance grants compliance efforts with a focus on results for the American taxpayer; to standardize grant reporting data; and to improve data collection in ways that will increase efficiency, promote evaluation, reduce reporting burden, and benefit the American taxpayer. Learn more about the CAP goal.
 Healthy People 2030 Public Comment
HHS is soliciting written comments on the proposed objectives for Healthy People 2030. The public can comment on the proposed objectives and also propose their own objectives. Previous public comments on the proposed Healthy People 2030 framework helped shape the vision, mission, foundational principles, plan of action, and overarching goals for Healthy People 2030. In this public comment period, HHS would like input on the proposed Core, Developmental, and Research objectives.
In response to stakeholder input, Healthy People 2030 will be a streamlined set of national health objectives guiding the nation in efforts to improve health. Heathy People 2030 will continue to represent critical public health priorities by addressing the leading causes of morbidity and mortality and driving action at the national, state, and local levels.
Submit comments on the proposed objectives before Thursday, January 17.
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Resources
CDC’s MMWR Early Release: Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths
According to CDC, the 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2016 represented a 21.4% increase from 2015; two-thirds of these deaths involved an opioid. Read the full article.
Medicaid Coverage of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders and of Medication for the Reversal of Opioid Overdose
A new SAMHSA report discusses Medicaid coverage of FDA-approved medications for treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders, limitations on coverage (such as prior authorization requirements), federal laws and policies and state-level innovative practices and policies.
Using Health IT to Facilitate SBIRT Service Delivery in Health Centers
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an approach to the delivery of early intervention and treatment to people with SUD and those at risk of developing this disorder. To promote continuous quality improvement in SBIRT implementation, the Health Information Technology, Evaluation, and Quality Center (HITEQ), a HRSA-funded National Cooperative Agreement (NCA), will host a webinar on promising practices for the use of health IT to facilitate SBIRT workflow integration.
Thursday, January 17
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
The discussion will focus on:
- coding and billing for SBIRT services;
- using health IT to enhance SBIRT screening, communication, data capture and documentation;
- clinical decision support; and
- information-sharing and reporting.
It will also feature the experiences and practices of health centers that are currently using health IT to facilitate SBIRT service delivery. For questions, please contact QualityDivision@hrsa.gov.
STAR2 Center and Northwest Regional Primary Care Association: Region 10 Recruitment and Retention Learning Collaborative
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved is a HRSA-funded NCA. Their STAR2 Center, in parternship with Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, will host a Recruitment and Retention Learning Collaborative: Building a Culture of Retention that uses a variety of learning modalities and levels of engagement, including webinars, peer-to-peer discussion, application assignments, and personalized support from subject matter experts. This opportunity is open to Region 10 health center staff who focus on workforce issues. Topics cover a range of issues including recruitment, data, compensation strategies, building a culture of retention, analysis, workforce challenges and successes, and benefits.
Building a Foundation for Healthy Active Living: A Focus on Childhood Obesity Prevention During the First Five Years
HRSA offers an opportunity for providers to learn about childhood obesity prevention:
- Why are the first five years of life critically important from an early obesity prevention perspective?
- How can health care providers support families in establishing and maintaining healthy, active living-related behaviors?
Dr. Sandra G. Hassink, previous president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and internationally recognized expert in child obesity prevention, will discuss key anticipatory guidance and counseling techniques and desired actions (for the health care provider and parent). She will also highlight tools and resources to support implementation.
Tuesday, January 15
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-946-4311
Passcode: 4786596
Pregnancy and Substance Use Disorder
If your providers have questions about how to treat pregnant or parenting women with substance/opioid use disorder, these resources may help:
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