Primary Care HIV Prevention Funding Awarded, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and More! HRSA PHC Digest

A Newsletter from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)

HRSA BPHC Primary Health Care Digest

March 3, 2020

Red Ribbon

Ending the HIV Epidemic – Primary Care HIV Prevention Funding Awarded
Last week, HRSA awarded $117 million to expand access to HIV care, treatment, medication, and prevention services. This investment is a critical component of the Administration's Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) initiative, which aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by 90% by 2030.

The HRSA award includes nearly $54 million to 195 health centers to identify at-risk individuals and provide preventive services, including testing for HIV, and prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) when appropriate.

A presentation for award recipients is available on the Ending the HIV Epidemic – Primary Care HIV Prevention Technical Assistance (TA) page, along with additional resources.


Coronavirus

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

  • Read the bulletin we sent last week with updates about COVID-19.

  • CDC’s Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) will host a call this week for clinicians to prepare for COVID-19.

    Thursday, March 5
    2:00-3:00 p.m. ET 
    Learn more

  • Coronavirus CDC Update and the Health Center Response Webinar
    CDC and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC, a HRSA-funded National Cooperative Agreement (NCA)) will host a webinar delivering the latest information on COVID-19 response.

    Friday, March 6
    1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
    Register here

    Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions during the webinar. A transcription and recording will be available following it. Speakers will provide information on how health centers can:
    • Continue to prepare an organized response to the coronavirus.
    • Share clinical protocols nationwide. 
    • Build systems in partnership with federal, state authorities, local public health departments, and community stakeholders to boost the health center response strategy.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
We’re featuring resources and learning opportunities throughout the month.

  • Steps for Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates: A Manual for Community Health Centers
    Want to implement processes at your health center that reduce physician workload and increase colorectal cancer screening? This manual, produced by The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), offers practical advice for implementing expert-endorsed recommendations, one step at a time.

  • Reaching 80%: A Health Center Discussion on Colorectal Cancer Screening
    Our next interactive session in HRSA’s Data for Decision-Making Speaker Series focuses on practices for improving colorectal cancer screening rates. Learn from NOELA Community Health Center (New Orleans, LA), winner of NCCRT's grand prize 80% by 2018 National Achievement Award in 2019. NOELA dramatically increased its colorectal cancer screening rate from 3% in 2012 to 80% in 2018.

    Thursday, March 26
    2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
    Register here
    Submit a CRC question in advance
CHC Screening Manual

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                Additional Resources


What's New

UPDATED Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program Instructions
The HRSA Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP) guarantees up to 80% of financing to support health center capital infrastructure projects for eligible Health Center Program awardees. A guarantee helps health centers access capital funding and reduce financing costs for alteration/renovation, construction or expansion efforts. The updated LGP instructions will assist health centers in applying for the program and offer prospective participants and lenders a comprehensive overview of program eligibility, process, and administrative and policy requirements. Send questions and/or requests for additional information to the LGP Team.


Update to Fiscal Year 2020 Service Area Competition Funding Opportunity
HRSA updated the project period end dates for five service areas listed in the Service Area Competition (SAC) funding opportunity HRSA-20-100, from January 31, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The service areas are as follows: Colorado City, AZ; Brownsville, KY; Port Sulphur, LA; Las Vegas, NV; and San Juan, PR.

Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, March 9, and in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 8. Questions? Contact the SAC Response Team.


New Scope of Project 5A Accuracy Tool
To support health centers’ continuous compliance, BPHC has released a new tool: Health Center Self-Assessment Worksheet for Form 5A: Services Provided. This tool will help health centers assess and evaluate the accuracy of their HRSA scope of project, specifically the accuracy of Form 5A, and may be used to facilitate conversations between health centers and Project Officers.

Health centers should direct their health center-specific questions on the tool or their scope of project to their Project Officer. Other stakeholders can direct questions to Health Center Program Support online or at 877-464-4772, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays).


Jim PSAW

Get Involved in Patient Safety Awareness Week!
Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 8-14, is an annual recognition event to increase awareness of health care safety. Get involved!

  • Tune in to HRSA’s live webcast featuring a patient safety expert.

    Tuesday, March 10
    1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
    Join the webcast the day of the session
    Call-in: 888-795-3252
    Passcode: 3284388

  • Join the Conversation: I Support Safe and Reliable Health Care By…
    1. Think about how your job contributes to patient safety, and write it on this sign.
    2. Take a photo of you holding the sign.
    3. Email the photo, the names of people in the photo, and this signed photo release to BPHCpatientsafety@hrsa.gov. NOTE: If multiple people are pictured, we need a completed photo release for each person.

Your photo may be featured in an upcoming issue of the Digest or on HRSA social media. Thank you for keeping patients safe!


Million Hearts

Are You the Next Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion?
Now is your chance to get recognized for your organization’s successful efforts in the battle against hypertension!

The 2020 CDC Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions Challenge will recognize health centers that have achieved 80% blood pressure control (blood pressure reading <140 mmHg/<90 mmHg) among their patients with hypertension aged 18-85 years.

If your health center reached the 80% mark in 2019, we encourage you to apply by Monday, April 6. Read the Hypertension Control Challenge Rules and Eligibility.

In 2019, five health centers were recognized as champions. Let’s at least double that number in 2020! Questions? Contact Cheryl Thompson.


Telehealth Resource Center Program Request for Information
HRSA seeks feedback about a future funding opportunity for the Telehealth Resource Center Program. We may use the responses to inform policy development and program decision making, among other purposes. Find out more or comment by Friday, March 6.


2020 Centering Implementation Awards
In 2018, Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) launched a plan to expand access to the Centering model of group health care in communities where group care can have the greatest impact. They developed a program offering free implementation support and facilitation training to eligible sites—primarily in health centers.

CHI is awarding these services to up to 50 sites on a rolling basis in 2020. Qualified sites can get up to two years of free services to start Centering Pregnancy group prenatal care or Centering Parenting group pediatric care. These awards address the financial barrier to starting Centering that face many centers in resource-limited communities. Learn more and apply now.


Substance Use Disorder & Mental Health

Register Now for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®
Mark your calendars for a week of SHATTERING THE MYTHS® about drugs, alcohol, and addiction from Monday, March 30, to Sunday, April 5. This is a national health observance linking teens to science-based facts about drugs and alcohol. Learn more or register your event.


National Guidelines for Mental Health Crisis Care: A Best Practices Toolkit
SAMHSA is pleased to share its National Guidelines for Mental Health Crisis Care: A Best Practices Toolkit. Crisis services are an integral component of addressing mental illness in communities across the nation. These guidelines are intended to assist states and communities with the development and implementation of effective crisis services and systems.


Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Application Cycle is Open
See announcement below.


HIV

Promising Practices on Addressing Stigma and HIV in Primary Care Settings
Experts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the HRSA-funded Southeast AIDS Education Training Center will discuss various forms of stigma and how they impact patient outcomes. They will also share stigma reduction resources to assist health centers providing services to people living with HIV.

Thursday, March 5
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here


Diabetes

HRSA Diabetes TA Site Visits
To support our Diabetes Quality Improvement Strategy, HRSA has allocated a limited number of diabetes targeted TA visits for this year. During each 1.5-day visit, consultants will assist health centers with developing and/or maximizing diabetes resources, systems, and capacity in order to improve diabetes prevention, monitoring, and treatment. No action plan is required for these visits. If you are interested in receiving on-site diabetes TA, contact Debra Bergen by Monday, March 16.


Diabetes Action Plan Video

New Diabetes Action Plan Animated Tutorial
This animated video illustrates the key steps related to a year-long diabetes action plan in EHBs. These steps include reviewing the plan and returning it to HRSA, submitting progress updates, and the final resolution. HRSA will focus on the Uniform Data System (UDS) diabetes measure during 2020 operational site visits and diabetes TA visits. This video is a terrific resource for health centers with existing diabetes action plans or new 2020 action plans!


Diabetes Alert Day – Increase Awareness of Diabetes Risk
Tuesday, March 24 is Diabetes Alert Day. This annual event serves as a catalyst for improving awareness of diabetes status and risk. On this day, providers are encouraged to engage in patient education and diabetes testing. CDC’s Prediabetes Risk Test helps individuals understand their personal diabetes risk. This simple test assesses risk factors, and can be completed online in less than a minute; those who find they are at risk can be enrolled in prevention programs.

Improving diabetes care is one of HRSA’s highest priorities and many health centers have developed innovative approaches to diabetes prevention and treatment.


Behind the Label with FDA: The First Major Update to the Nutrition Facts Label in Over Two Decades
Join HRSA Registered Dietitian Clinicians for a lunch and learn session with guest presenter Dr. Robin A. McKinnon from the FDA, who will provide information on the first major update to the Nutrition Facts Label in over two decades. Contact Bramaramba Kowtha with questions.

Thursday, March 19
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-469-1606
Passcode: 6327121


Workforce

Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Application Cycle is Open
HRSA’s Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program is accepting applications until 7:30 p.m. ET, on Thursday, March 12. As part of HRSA's efforts to combat the nation's opioid crisis, there is special funding this year for psychiatric nurse practitioners. The goal is to increase the nursing workforce at critical shortage facilities and provide evidence-based care to patients in need of opioid use disorder and behavioral health treatment.


NACHC Year of the Nurse 2020: Nurses Leading with Care
Join NACHC and celebrate community health center nurses and midwives by participating in the Year of the Nurse campaign. Let nurses know how much they contribute to health centers and their communities by nominating them to be featured in NACHC communications throughout the year.


HRSA Launches Clinician Dashboards
The Clinician Dashboards display alumni data from HRSA's scholarship, loan repayment, and graduate medical education programs. They allow users to analyze the distribution of HRSA programs and participants from 2012-2018. Visit the new dashboard to see how HRSA programs connect skilled professionals to communities in need.


Connecticut Primary Care Association Starts a Domestic Violence ECHO
Health centers that want to become Domestic Violence Ambassadors can nominate staff to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Domestic Violence Project ECHO presented by the Connecticut Primary Care Association. The eight-month long ECHO begins Thursday, March 12, and meets the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. It will address intimate partner violence and human trafficking. For more information, contact Shaquille Pigatt.


Additional Resources

Recording Available for Addressing Hard-to-Control Hypertension: Let Us Count the Ways
Missed last week’s Heart Month webinar? View the recording to learn about factors that contribute to resistant hypertension and evidence-based options for treatment and control.


National Quality Initiative to Improve School Health
The School-Based Health Alliance, a HRSA-funded NCA, invite states to apply to participate in a yearlong school-based health center Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN) focused on making measurable improvements in the health of students during the 2020-21 school year. Successful applicants will form a CoIIN team comprising both state and local partners, including at least five school-based health centers. Learn more or apply by Tuesday, March 31.


Analysis of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Health Outcomes at Health Centers: UDS 2018 Report
This report, developed by the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO, a HRSA-funded NCA), examines the impact of chronic disease outcomes of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) at health centers. It highlights the similarities and differences between NHPI-, NH-, and PI-serving health centers to health centers in the continental U.S., Hawai’i, and the Pacific region. It aims to improve understanding of NHPI communities served by health centers, and to help identify priorities and opportunities to improve NHPI health.


Teen Pregnancy in the Hispanic Population Living in Public Housing: The Importance of Prevention
The National Center for Health in Public Housing, a HRSA-funded NCA, presents a new learning collaborative that will explore the role of Community Health Workers in teen pregnancy initiatives for the Hispanic population living in public housing. Learn more or register.


What Are Heated Tobacco Products?
CDC recently published a primer on heated tobacco products (which are different than e-cigarettes). These products heat processed tobacco leaves to create a harmful inhalable aerosol. They are NOT an FDA-approved method for quitting smoking. Visit CDC’s site to learn about the health effects associated with the use of heated tobacco products, who is using them, and how these products compare to traditional cigarette and e-cigarette use.


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Technical Assistance & Training

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

Through March 10

Introduction to the UDS Mapper
Tuesday, March 3
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Parent Engagement in School-Based Health Centers
Hosted by the School-Based Health Alliance, a HRSA-funded NCA
Tuesday, March 3
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

HRSA's Virtual Job Fair
Wednesday, March 4
6:45-10:15 p.m. ET
Job seekers may register until the event

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update—What Clinicians Need to Know to Prepare for COVID-19 in the United States
Hosted by CDC
Thursday, March 5
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Learn more

#80inEveryCommunity: The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable’s Annual Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Webcast
Hosted by NCCRT
Thursday, March 5
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Promising Practices on Addressing Stigma and HIV in Primary Care Settings
Thursday, March 5
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Transfusion in Sickle Cell Disease Cohosted with the HHS Office of Minority Health
Thursday, March 5
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Coronavirus CDC Update and the Health Center Response Webinar
Cohosted by CDC and NACHC, a HRSA-funded NCA
Friday, March 6
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Patient Safety Awareness Week: Achieving Safe and Reliable Health Care
Tuesday, March 10
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-795-3252
Passcode: 3284388


Upcoming

Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Office Hours: New to PCMH
Hosted by the National Committee for Quality Assurance
Wednesday, March 11
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Safe Spaces Webinar Series
Hosted by the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium, a HRSA-funded NCA

Part 1:
Building a Culture of Trauma-Informed Care for Staff
Wednesday, March 11
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Register here

Part 2:
Building a Culture of Trauma-Informed Care for Patients
Wednesday, March 18
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Register here

**1.5 CME/CNE credit available for each webinar (total of 3 CEs available)**

Behind the Label with FDA: The First Major Update to the Nutrition Facts Label in Over Two Decades 
Hosted by HRSA Registered Dietitian Clinicians
Thursday, March 19 
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET 
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-469-1606 
Passcode: 6327121

Addressing SDOH Using Motivational Interviewing Strategies
Hosted by the School-Based Health Alliance, a HRSA-funded NCA
Thursday, March 19
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Designing Workforce Training and TA for Health Center Leaders
Part of the STAR2 Center’s Primary Care Association/Health Center Controlled Network’s Workforce Professional Development Series
Thursday, March 19
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Health Network: A Care Coordination Program for Mobile Patients
Hosted by Migrant Clinicians Network, a HRSA-funded NCA
Tuesday, March 24
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates Webcast
(formerly the BPHC All-Programs Webcast)
Tuesday, March 24
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Webcast link coming soon
Submit a question in advance, by Friday, March 20

UDS Mapper Advanced Topics: Using the UDS Mapper for Research
Wednesday, March 25
11:00 a.m.-noon ET
Register here

Reaching 80%: A Health Center Discussion on Colorectal Cancer Screening
Thursday, March 26
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Developing a Community Health Center Capital Project Plan and Budget
Hosted by Capital Link, a HRSA-funded NCA
Thursday, March 26
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Strengths-Based Approaches to Adolescent Sexual Health and Being an Askable Adult
Hosted by the School-Based Health Alliance, a HRSA-funded NCA
Tuesday, March 31
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Health Centers as Age-Friendly Health Systems
Hosted by the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders, a HRSA-funded NCA
Wednesday, April 15
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Health Network: A Care Coordination Program for Mobile Patients Including Those with Hypertension
Hosted by Migrant Clinicians Network, a HRSA-funded NCA
Tuesday, May 19
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here

Webinars are hosted by HRSA unless otherwise noted.