What's New
REMINDER: Technical Assistance Call for Semi-Annual Progress Report—TODAY!
Today is HRSA’s scheduled technical assistance (TA) call for the Semi-Annual Progress Report (SAPR) available Monday, July 1, and due Monday, July 15.
Tuesday, June 25
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 877-918-6633
Passcode: 6437052
During this call, HRSA will provide an overview of the SAPR module processes and requirements and specific programmatic considerations associated with the following awards:
- Health Infrastructure Investment Program (HIIP)
- Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE)
- School-Based Health Center Capital (SBHCC)
Award recipients may visit the Semi-Annual Program Report Manual for more information.
Budget Period Progress Report for January 1 Starts
HRSA released the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Period Progress Report (BPR) Non-Competing Continuation for award recipients with a January 1, 2020, budget period start date (5-H80-20-001). These award recipients have a BPR submission available for completion in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs), which is due Friday, August 16, by 5:00 p.m. ET.
A pre-recorded TA presentation and additional TA materials are available on the BPR TA webpage. Contact the BPR Response Team with questions.
Quarterly 340B Program Registration
Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open from July 1 to 15. Health centers are still able to register a site that has been verified as implemented and with a site status reflected as “active” in EHBs Form 5B through Friday, August 23, after which the system will close to prepare for the October 1 start. Email the 340B call center or call 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET) to register a new site or ask questions.
You will need to provide the following information when calling:
- Health center name,
- Site/clinic name,
- Site IDs for all sites,
- HRSA/BPHC grant number,
- Contact name and email address, and
- Authorizing official name and email address.
The authorizing official will receive an email message that the account is unlocked and a registration may be submitted.
Less Than Two Weeks Left: Verify Your Health Center’s Patient-Centered Medical Home Status
Health centers that have Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition by July 1, 2019, may be eligible to receive the 2019 Health Center PCMH Recognition Quality Award.
The PCMH data in HRSA’s EHBs was recently updated based on data from the following recognition bodies: the Joint Commission, the National Committee on Quality Assurance, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Oregon Patient-Centered Primary Care Home Program, and Minnesota Health Care Homes. This table shows health centers with valid PCMH recognition status and the number of sites with PCMH recognition. We updated the table with data available as of May 31, 2019.
- If the information in the table is correct, NO FURTHER ACTION IS NEEDED.
- If the information in the table does not reflect your current PCMH status, please submit a recognition update request through EHBs. Find out how to do that. Updates must be submitted by Friday, July 5.
If you have questions, please contact Health Center Program Support.
Health Center Performance Management Webinar Recording Now Available
Last month, HRSA hosted a webinar to provide an update on efforts to identify opportunities for improving health center performance management based on input from stakeholders and published evidence from literature. The webinar recording and slides are available on the new Strategic Initiatives page. Share your thoughts, provide input, and ask questions about the effort at hcperformance@hrsa.gov.
Final Two Weeks! Share Your Input on Service Area Considerations
The deadline for sharing your feedback for the Health Center Program Service Area Considerations Request for Information (RFI) is Monday, July 8. Share your thoughts today. Thank you to those who’ve already submitted input!
This RFI seeks input from the public on service area considerations that may inform HRSA decisions regarding Health Center Program expansion through an existing health center’s addition of new service delivery sites. We welcome feedback from health centers and other Health Center Program stakeholders, including Primary Care Associations, National Cooperative Agreements (NCAs), as well as others who have an interest in health centers and potential health center expansion.
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Apply to Become a Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization for Plan Year 2020
CMS invites organizations that would like to become Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations (CDOs) to submit an application by Monday, September 16. Any organization seeking to use certified application counselors to provide enrollment assistance to consumers for plan year 2020 must be a certified CDO. Access the CDO application and email your questions to CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
Nationwide Shortage of Tuberculin Skin Test Antigens: CDC Recommendations for Patient Care and Public Health Practice
CDC is expecting a 3-10 month nationwide shortage of one of two purified-protein derivative tuberculin antigens licensed by FDA for use in performing tuberculin skin tests. Read more and find out CDC’s recommendations for how to mitigate a reduction in tuberculosis testing ability.
Substance Use Disorder & Behavioral Health
The Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information
This new, SAMHSA-sponsored center offers training and TA on privacy issues for care providers and consumers. It may be helpful for health centers struggling with privacy regulations, including if and how to comply with 42CFR.
Trauma-Informed Care: A Case-Based Virtual Course for Providers
HHS’ Office on Women’s Health has developed a case-based virtual course to help promote and improve the delivery of trauma-informed care. The free curriculum includes 42 patient case scenarios covering diverse settings and populations and offers over 10 hours of approved continuing education credit.
In a recent webinar, experts provided an overview of the course and how it can help enhance providers’ knowledge and skills to interact effectively with all patients, particularly those with a history of trauma, to improve patient outcomes. Watch the webinar recording.
Clinician Consultation Center Substance Use Warmline
Providers can access free peer-to-peer clinical consultation on substance use disorder assessment and treatment on the HRSA-supported, University of California San Francisco Substance Use Warmline. Expert clinical staff offer advice on patient-centered approaches and decision-making, use of evidence-based strategies, including medication-assisted treatment harm reduction, diversion mitigation, and treatment strategies for co-occurring behavioral health issues and chronic pain.
Connect by phone, toll-free at 855-300-3595, or upload patient cases securely. The Warmline operates from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday.
HIV
Promising Practices on Integrating HIV Testing and Care
HRSA will host a webinar focused on the integration of routine HIV services in primary care settings. Presenters from Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage, AK, and Family Health Center in Louisville, KY, will highlight promising practices that enhance routine HIV testing, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and linkage to care.
Wednesday June 26
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-790-3088
Passcode: 3209784
Promising Practices to Advance HIV Testing, Linkage to Care and PrEP Implementation: Webinar Recording
In a recent HRSA webinar, experts from the Southeast AIDS Education Training Center shared promising practices from the Southeast Practice Transformation Expansion Project (SEPTEP). In case you missed it, watch the recording.
Workforce
Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program
HRSA is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2020 Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. Apply by Friday, August 30. The THCGME Program provides funding to support the training of residents in a new or expanded primary care residency training program in rural and underserved communities.
Join a TA webinar for application questions:
Wednesday, July 10
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-795-2173
Passcode: 4462445
Telehealth
HRSA Telehealth Learning Series: Use of Telehealth to Improve Children’s Access to Health Care
This webinar features speakers from the University of Iowa Division of Child and Community Health and Child Health Specialty Clinics discussing current telehealth models and initiatives to improve access to pediatric specialty care in Iowa. Their presentation will also include a discussion about leveraging partnerships and funding to implement telehealth programs and a review of telehealth visits and patient satisfaction data. The webinar will also include the participation of the Indiana Rural Health Association/Indiana Rural Schools Clinic Network Project Director who will discuss how to establish school-based telehealth clinics and will share best practices and lessons learned from the field.
Wednesday, July 10
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
National Men's Health Month
Check out these resources for health centers to raise awareness of issues affecting men and boys, and to encourage patients to access care early and regularly to prevent poor health outcomes.
Behavioral Health
- According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (46.6 million in 2017), and the prevalence of mental illness among men is 15.1%. SAMHSA’s Addressing the Specific Behavioral Health Needs of Men: Quick Guide for Clinicians provides insight into barriers to seeking primary care and behavioral health services among men and offers clinical guidance for health care providers in engaging them through screening and treatment.
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CDC reports nearly 16 of every 100 U.S. adult men (15.8%) smoked cigarettes in 2017 (versus 12.2% of women). Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths in the United States. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force provides health professionals recommendations for tobacco use cessation interventions for adults.
Suicide
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S., and 2018 data from the National Vital Statistics System show that the suicide rate in men is consistently higher than in women and has steadily increased in recent years. From 1999 to 2017, the age-adjusted suicide rate in men increased 26% from 17.8 to 22.4 deaths per 100,000 standard population.
Oral Health
Maintaining oral health is important to overall health, especially among men, who are less likely to seek preventive dental care and more likely to develop oral cancer and periodontal disease compared to women. These resources contain more information:
Additional Resources
PCMH Trainings for Health Centers
HRSA contracts with The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to provide TA and training to health centers on the NCQA PCMH recognition process. HRSA is sponsoring regional trainings on NCQA’s Introduction to PCMH and Advanced PCMH courses for health centers organized by Primary Care Associations. Learn more about the trainings available in your region:
ECRI Resources to Strengthen Your Clinical Risk Management Program
Risk management is everyone's responsibility at all levels of the organization, and no risk manager can effectively manage risks alone. Become familiar with the new Risk Management Manual for Health Centers and other ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program resources (provided on HRSA’s behalf) to help you operationalize your risk management program and ensure that leaders, providers, and staff focus on proactively identifying and addressing risks.
All HRSA-funded health centers and look-alikes have free access to ECRI’s resources. Contact Clinical_RM_Program@ecri.org for access or assistance.
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