What's New
Look-Alike Designation Periods Ending in Fiscal Year 2021 Extended
To provide flexibility during this time of COVID-19 pandemic response, HRSA extended the designation periods of the majority of health center look-alikes scheduled to complete a Renewal of Designation (RD) in fiscal year (FY) 2021. Look-alikes whose current three-year designation period ends in FY 2021 will receive a 12-month extension and will complete an Annual Certification rather than an RD in FY 2021. HRSA notified each of the affected look-alikes about the extended designation period through a Notice of Look-alike Designation.
Based on statutory requirements, look-alikes in a current one-year designation period will still complete an FY 2021 RD. Submit any questions via the BPHC Contact Form.
Quarterly 340B Program Registration
Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open from July 1 to 15. Health centers will still be able to register a site that has been verified as implemented and with a site status reflected as “active” in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) Form 5B through August 21. After that date, 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.
- 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.
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2020 Uniform Data System Manual Now Available
The 2020 Uniform Data System (UDS) Manual provides health centers with detailed reporting instructions to support calendar year 2020 UDS reports and each of the required data tables related to patients, operations, and clinical performance. 2020 UDS data reporting will take place between January 1, and February 15, 2021.
Given the historical impact of COVID-19, additional reporting changes include COVID-19 ICD-10 and CPT clinical codes, as well as codes for acute respiratory illness due to COVID-19. Get more information on 2020 UDS reporting.
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Service Area Competition Notices of Funding Opportunity Released for January 1 and February 1 Starts
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Service areas with a January 1, 2021, project period start date:
HRSA released the FY 2021 Service Area Competition (SAC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HRSA-21-002. This NOFO announces services areas where the current award recipient is in a 1-year project period that ends December 31. Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, September 14.
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Service areas with a February 1, 2021, project period start date:
HRSA released the FY 2021 SAC NOFO, HRSA-21-003. This NOFO announces service areas where the current award recipient is in a 1-year project period that ends January 31, 2021. Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 16.
Current award recipients should refer to box 6 of the most recent Notice of Award to obtain their project period length and end date. Technical assistance (TA) materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
SAC-Additional Area NOFO Released for Newark, NJ
HRSA released a FY 2021 SAC-Additional Area (SAC-AA) NOFO, HRSA-21-084, for the Newark, New Jersey service area. Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 17, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 1. TA materials are available on the SAC-AA TA webpage.
HRSA Healthy Grants Web Series
HRSA’s Office of Federal Assistance Management (OFAM) launched its Healthy Grants Web Series this month. This Adobe Connect series will provide presentations on the most requested grants management topics. Learn more and join an upcoming web workshop.
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COVID-19
HHS Requests Information About Public Health and Health System Adaptation for COVID-19
HHS issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback about how public health and health systems have adapted to address COVID-19. The request asks for opportunities to strengthen the U.S. health care system through partnerships in data sharing and analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions
We continually update our COVID-19 FAQ webpage and our page for coronavirus-related funding FAQs. The resources and links on our COVID-19 Information for Health Centers and Partners webpage now include links to Provider Relief Fund FAQs/resources.
HRSA Fiscal and Grants Management Best Practices for Health Centers
BPHC and OFAM are hosting a webinar highlighting key fiscal aspects to provide health centers with strategies to ensure compliance and properly manage all HRSA funding, including COVID-19-related awards (H8C, H8D, and H8E).
Tuesday, June 23
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
Call-in: 888-628-9525
Passcode: 9747226
OFAM speakers will share best practices for managing your portfolio of HRSA funding and guidance on how to ensure all costs are allowable and support each respective grant, and they will discuss these key items:
- Examples of adequate supporting documentation for allowable costs under the health center and FY 2020 COVID-19 awards.
- Budget and fiscal requirement reminders.
- Financial management system best practices (e.g., separation of funding by source, internal controls).
Submit a question ahead of time.
COVID-19 Survey Deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET TODAY
As a reminder, the survey you received on Friday, June 19, is due by 11:59 p.m. ET today. We recently created a User Guide to assist you in completing the survey. If you missed it, see the recent bulletin we sent discussing the survey link.
As always, we’re grateful to all of the health centers and look-alikes that complete these weekly surveys! The input is invaluable—it allows us to better understand training and technical assistance, funding, and other health center resource needs. Using it, we can track COVID-19’s impact on health center operations, staff, and patients.
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Updated Guidance for Health Care Facilities: Managing Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
CDC updated its guidance for health care facilities to reflect the current understanding of health care systems and facilities for managing operations during the pandemic.
Reimagining Care: Reducing Talent Burnout & Increasing Workforce Resiliency
The “Reimagining Care” series from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP), focuses on how health centers will continue to lead the primary health care industry through flexibility and innovation in a post-COVID-19 world.
The next session will offer guidance on reducing burnout in a time of increasing stress. Subject matter experts will provide promising practices with “real world” perspectives, guiding tips, and resources to help meet the current and future demands of delivery of care.
Thursday, June 25
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Visit NACHC's website to register or view past recordings
Additional “Reimagining Care” sessions are planned for 1:00 p.m. ET on July 9, July 23, and August 6.
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Many federal organizations, HRSA-funded NTTAPs, and other partners are holding COVID-19-related webinars. Our Technical Assistance Calendar lists more of them and includes descriptions and registration information.
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Resources
Health Center Boards Resources
Visit the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse COVID-19 page and select “Governance” to find information from NACHC on virtual board meetings, financial oversight, and strategic considerations given the current public health emergency. Additional resources will be released soon on financial oversight for boards.
Strategies to Manage Financial Operations During COVID-19 Response and Recovery
NACHC is producing a five-part podcast series to help health centers manage their fiscal solvency during COVID-19 response and recovery. Podcast topics include managing your health center’s cash flow, paycheck protection, the Provider Relief Fund, grants management, and staffing. The first four sessions are available now, including the most recent, “Health Center Funding, Reporting, and Grants Management Considerations.”
Re-Opening Dental Practices During COVID-19: Legal Analysis
This publication by NACHC includes considerations for health centers in determining the re-opening of dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides brief analysis of FTCA coverage, malpractice liability, CDC guidance, and applicable OSHA rules. It is also available in Spanish via the same link.
New Health Center Leadership Video Series Recording
In the sixth video in NACHC’s series, Wil Franklin, MS, LPC, President & Chief Executive Officer at KC CARE Health Center in Kansas City, MO, reminds leaders that knowing the organization’s mission and values will help focus their attention on 1) their people as their most valuable resource, 2) health and safety, and 3) showing up in new and different ways for their patients.
Substance Use Disorder & Mental Health
Join a Community of Practice to Help Your Health Center Develop a Safe and Effective Opioid Prescribing Strategy
Does your health center have a sound strategy for assessing and treating people with chronic pain who are at risk for opioid use disorder and substance use disorder (SUD)? Participants will develop skills to create an infrastructure to support the expansion of alternatives to pain management within your health center.
To apply, please create an account on the HRSA Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Technical Assistance's website.
Cross-Sectional Innovation to Improve Rural Postpartum Mental Health Challenge
One in seven mothers experiences a postpartum mental health condition, defined as the onset of depression or anxiety within one year of birth. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is holding a competition to improve postpartum mental health care for rural American families. Learn more at an upcoming webinar:
Tuesday, June 30
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Register here
NOFO for Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Planning
HRSA will make approximately 50 awards of $200,000 each to rural communities to enhance capacity to address SUD, including opioid use disorder. Over the course of an 18-month period of performance, grant recipients will conduct a series of planning activities, engage multi-sector consortiums, and participate in the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Planning learning collaborative. Applicant organizations may be located in an urban or rural areas; however, all activities supported by this program must exclusively target HRSA-designated rural areas (per the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer). Learn more or apply by Monday, July 13.
HIV
Ready, Set, PrEP Updates
HHS recently announced Albertsons Companies and Walmart will support Ending the HIV Epidemic by donating dispensing services to the Ready, Set, PrEP program. These pharmacies will also assist patients with medication adherence.
Diabetes
Cooking in the Colors of the Rainbow – Preventing Diabetes Through Healthy Eating
Farmworker Justice, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, developed a coloring book for agricultural worker families that promotes healthy eating as a way to prevent diabetes. It is available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
Workforce
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Clinical Leaders Peer-to-Peer Forum: Leading Together in Uncertain Times
Dr. Luis Padilla, associate administrator of HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce, invites clinical leaders in rural and underserved communities to join a discussion with peers about issues related to telehealth, student training staffing models, and provider wellness.
Thursday, June 25
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
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Your Input Needed!
HRSA recently published two RFIs. We will collect feedback on the areas of consideration outlined in the RFIs, as well as more general feedback or suggestions, through Friday, September 18.
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Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Scoring Criteria RFI:
HRSA seeks public input and feedback to inform policy considerations related to changes to HPSA scoring criteria and on possible additions or alternative approaches to HPSA scoring, as well as to solicit additional ideas and suggestions.
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Maternity Care Health Professional Target Area Criteria RFI:
HRSA seeks public input and feedback to inform policy considerations related to the establishment of criteria for Maternity Care Health Professional Target Areas and to solicit additional ideas and suggestions related to the RFI’s topic areas.
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Additional Resources
Introduction to Hepatitis B: Testing and Best Practices
Learn about the epidemiology of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), including perinatal HBV and the natural history of HBV. Experts will also discuss the recommended screenings for HBV infection and interpretation of testing results to support early intervention and improved patient outcomes.
Wednesday, July 15
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Medical-Legal Partnership Guide for Organizations Serving Agricultural Workers
Farmworker Justice and the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership (both HRSA-funded NTTAPs) published an updated Medical-Legal Partnership Guide for Agricultural Worker-Serving Organizations. It includes strategies and resources to develop or strengthen such partnerships in agricultural worker communities. This guide is an updated version of a guide originally published in 2013.
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