What's New
NAP Resources – New and Upcoming Tomorrow, HRSA will hold a second question and answer session for New Access Points (NAP) applicants:
Wednesday, February 20 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET Join the webcast day of the session Call-in: 800-779-8419 Passcode: 9842068
The NAP technical assistance (TA) webpage has several new or related resources:
You may submit your questions in the webcast room up to 30 minutes before the call starts. Additionally, continue to send your NAP questions to Health Center Program Support, as some of these will be shared during tomorrow’s call.
Fixed: Contact Form Email Address Error We received feedback that the BPHC Contact Form encountered an error when a user entered an email address longer than 30 characters. We have fixed this issue and hope that individuals with longer email addresses will again feel comfortable using the web form to contact Health Center Program Support. You may also contact us by phone: 877-464-4772 from 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays).
Health Center Program Support Email Change Health Center Program Support (formerly the BPHC Helpline) is updating its email address from bphchelpline@hrsa.gov to HealthCenterSupport@hrsa.gov. By adding the new email address to a “safe senders” or contacts list, you may avoid messages going to your junk folder.
Deadline Reminder: SAC-AA NOFO HRSA-19-099 for Eight Service Areas Applications are due in the HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 6, for HRSA-19-099, the Service Area Competition-Additional Areas (SAC-AA) funding opportunity for the Bishop, CA; Worcester, MA; Baltimore, MD; Jackson, MI; Fayetteville, NC; Perth Amboy, NJ; Caguas, PR; and Naranjito, PR service areas. TA materials are available on the SAC-AA TA website.
Review Process for Service Area Competition or Renewal of Designation Applications A few months ago, HRSA created this graphic, which illustrates what to expect after submitting a SAC or Renewal of Designation (RD) application to HRSA. Take a look to learn more about the updated HRSA review process.
A new quick reference guide tells SAC and RD applicants how to manage correspondence requests from HRSA about their application. It will help you respond quickly to the EHBs correspondence request 14-day turnaround time.
For more details, check out our fiscal year (FY) 2019 SAC and RD application and review award process Frequently Asked Questions.
340B Recertification Due by February 25 Less than one week remains for covered entities to recertify and retain their 340B participant status before the Monday, February 25, deadline. All covered entities, including HRSA-funded health centers and look-alikes, who do not recertify by the deadline will be terminated from the HRSA 340B Program starting on Monday, April 1. You will require a new registration and not be eligible to participate in the 340B Program until July.
To recertify, Authorizing Officials (AOs) and Primary Contacts (PCs) must first set up user accounts by visiting the HRSA 340B Office of Pharmacy Affairs Information System (340B OPAIS) and choosing “I am a participant.” It is the covered entity’s responsibility to ensure they have created their accounts before recertification to allow successful completion of the process.
For questions or assistance, contact the 340B call center at apexusanswers@340bpvp.com or 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET). Watch a recording of HRSA’s 340B Program Recertification webinar for reference.
Substance Use Disorder & Behavioral Health
Substance Use Disorder and Child Welfare Resource Available The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, a SAMHSA partner, offers health professionals TA, resources, and tools to provide services to children and families affected by substance use disorders.
Workforce
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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Rural Residency Planning and Development Grant Program Now Accepting Applications HRSA is accepting applications for the FY 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. Awardees will receive TA 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.
Oral Health
Resources for National Children’s Dental Health Month February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Your health center may be interested in the following resources, featuring current national guidelines and promising practices in maternal and pediatric oral health care:
We’ll share some oral health promising practices from HRSA-funded health centers in an upcoming Digest.
HRSA UDS Sealant Measure Frequently Asked Questions Now Available The National Network for Oral Health Access, a HRSA-funded NCA, has released its annual HRSA UDS Sealant Measure Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) guide. Developed in consultation with oral health specialists and HRSA staff, it answers questions about the HRSA UDS Sealant Measure for children ages 6-9 years at risk for dental caries.
American Heart Month
Help Patients Achieve and Maintain Blood Pressure Control Health centers play an important role in their patients’ heart health. Check out resources that can help improve outcomes:
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Additional Resources
Her Health, Her Housing: Improving Services for Women Experiencing Homelessness Learn how to improve services for women experiencing homelessness through trauma-informed, quality care in eight CME-accredited webinars from The National Health Care for the Homeless Council, a HRSA-funded NCA. Their virtual training series features national experts and explores a variety of topics including the intersection of violence against women and homelessness, how to improve care for pregnant women who are homeless, and more. Learn more and register for individual webinars.
The 2019 Community Health Center Chartbook This new resource from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded NCA, features graphs, figures, and maps showing health centers' services, patients, finances, workforce, economic impact, challenges, and more.
Social Media in Healthcare: Lessons for the Digital World In today’s digital age, it is easier than ever to share information and reach a massive audience within seconds. However, it is also easier than ever to share incorrect, sensitive, or private information in a way that is public and permanent. Misuse of social media can impact a health center's reputation, violate patient privacy, and even impact patient care. A webinar from ECRI Institute, presented on HRSA’s behalf, will address some of the most common topics related to social media, including:
- Implementing a social media plan in your health center
- Responding to negative reviews about the health center posted online
- Addressing smartphone risks other than social media (e.g., distractions, texting)
- Responding to patients who record office visits
Real-life scenarios and case studies will highlight the potential pitfalls of social media use as well as important risk management strategies.
Join one of these two sessions:
Tuesday, March 5 Noon-1:00 p.m. ET Register here
Wednesday, March 6 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET Register here
Patient Safety Week Webcast: Improving Diagnosis in Primary Care Patient Safety Week is March 10-16. HRSA will host a webcast featuring Dr. Gordon Schiff, a general internist and Associate Director of Brigham and Women’s Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Quality and Safety Director for the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. Dr. Schiff will speak on improving diagnosis in primary care.
Wednesday, March 13 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET Join the webcast the day of the event
Patient-Centered Medical Home Office Hours HRSA contracts with The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to provide TA and training to health centers on the NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition process. We encourage health centers to attend an upcoming open forum hosted by NCQA’s Government PCMH Recognition Programs (GRIP), which will address questions related to NCQA’s PCMH standards, applications, and survey process.
Monday, March 4 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET Register here
For more information, visit the HRSA Accreditation and Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition Initiative webpage.
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