What's New
Uniform Data System Reporting Improvement Survey
For the 2019 Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting period, we enhanced functionalities within both the EHBs and the offline reporting features. HRSA invites health centers to provide feedback on these enhancements through a short survey. Your responses will help us assess whether the changes helped to reduce reporting burden. The survey will also allow you to suggest additional improvements. Learn more about UDS Modernization.
Service Area Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity Released for April 1 Starts
HRSA released the fourth fiscal year (FY) 2021 Service Area Competition (SAC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HRSA-21-005. This NOFO announces service areas where the current award recipient is in a 1-year project period that ends March 31, 2021. Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, September 14, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 15.
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.
FY 2021 Budget Period Progress Report Non-Competing Continuation
HRSA recently released the FY 2021 Budget Period Progress Report (BPR) Non-Competing Continuation (NCC) for award recipients with a January 1, 2021, budget period start date (5-H80-21-001). These award recipients have a BPR submission available for completion in EHBs by the deadline of 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 8.
Reminder: Health centers that recently received a 12-month extension Notice of Award with a new project period end date will submit an FY 2021 BPR.
TA materials, as well as a listing of deadlines for all FY 2021 BPRs, are available on the BPR TA webpage. Contact the BPR Response Team with any questions.
Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates
Save the date for these upcoming sessions (all at 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET):
Tuesday, July 28
Thursday, August 20
Tuesday, September 29
Thursday, October 29
Missed our most recent Today with Macrae calls? We post the recordings, slides, and transcripts on our COVID-19 Information for Health Centers and Partners webpage as soon as we’re able.
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Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provides the first full update to hepatitis A vaccination recommendations in 14 years and now recommends hepatitis A catch-up vaccination for anyone aged 2-18 years, vaccination for anyone 1 year of age or older with HIV, and other new and updated recommendations.
COVID-19
Updated CMS Fact Sheet for Health Centers
CMS released an update to their Medicare Learning Network (MLN) fact sheet for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The update includes a section on the telehealth cost-sharing waiver and examples of submitting proper Current Procedural Technology (CPT)/Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for qualified preventive services.
Encourage Recovered Patients to Donate COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma
HHS is working to develop the vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics needed to defeat COVID-19. One recent development in treatment is the use of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP)—blood donated by recovered COVID-19 patients that contains antibodies for the virus. Prior experience with respiratory viruses and data from around the world suggest that CCP treatment has the potential to lessen the severity of COVID-19 or shorten the length of illness. More than 25,000 patients have received this treatment, and recent data show it is safe for a large, diverse population. Health centers should encourage patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to consider donating CCP. Learn more.
HHS Telemedicine Hack
HHS Telemedicine Hack (TM Hack) is a 10-week virtual, peer-to-peer learning community to accelerate telemedicine implementation for ambulatory providers. Components of TM Hack include:
- Five teleECHO sessions.
- Five virtual “office hour” discussion panels.
- Peer-to-peer learning between sessions facilitated via virtual discussion boards.
CME/CEU credits are available at no cost to participants. The series begins tomorrow at noon ET. Get more information or register now.
Considerations for Health Center Scope of Project and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
We’ve consolidated existing information about scope of project as it relates to the COVID-19 public health emergency onto a single webpage. It does not include any new guidance. Instead, it provides a single place for resources about scope of project and COVID-19.
As a reminder, we continually update our COVID-19 FAQ webpage and our page for coronavirus-related funding FAQs. Our COVID-19 Information for Health Centers and Partners webpage includes links to Provider Relief Fund FAQs/resources.
COVID-19 Survey Deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET TODAY
As a reminder, the survey you received on Friday, July 17, is due by 11:59 p.m. ET today. We encourage you to include information about emerging hot spots in your response to question 16: Please identify (by county or other local public health jurisdictions) and discuss significant increases in positive COVID‐19 tests. Questions on how to complete the survey? Check out our User Guide.
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 TA, 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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Rubber Dam Refresher for COVID-19
The CDC’s Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response states, "If aerosol-generating procedures are necessary for dental care, use four-handed dentistry, high evacuation suction and dental dams to minimize droplet spatter and aerosols.” The National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA), a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP), presents a review of the evidence for using rubber dams and techniques for rubber dam placement and use.
Monday, July 27
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
1.0 CDE is available
Addressing Challenges for Youth Experiencing Homelessness During COVID
The School-Based Health Alliance, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, presents a webinar about current challenges facing youth experiencing homelessness. The disconnect from health care, social, and educational environments—reduced access to support systems on which they depend—can negatively impact the youths’ development. Speakers will address those challenges and discuss connectivity to health care and school re-entry and access.
Thursday, August 6
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Health Center School-Based Dental Programs and COVID-19: A Listening Session
As school districts develop plans for the upcoming school year, the ability of health center school-based dental programs to deliver care is unknown. This listening session will provide a forum for health centers to listen and discuss strategies on resuming school-based dental services and share challenges and barriers.
Monday, August 10
1:30-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here
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Many federal organizations, HRSA-funded NTTAPs, and other partners are holding COVID-19-related webinars. Our TA Calendar lists more of them and includes descriptions and registration information.
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Returning to Primary Care: Diabetes Care During a Public Health Crisis
Watch the recording of this recent webinar series from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded NTTAP. Speakers discussed application of evidence-based interventions for diabetes that can be quickly implemented in the context of a changing health care environment.
COVID-19: A Framework for Health and Housing Partnership During the Pandemic
Community responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., shelter-in-place, quarantine, and testing) and management of strained resources have elevated the need and value of effective partnerships to address the needs of vulnerable populations. This brief from the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, highlights strategies for health centers and housing and community service providers in partnering to address a range of health and housing needs both during and after the COVID-19 crisis subsides.
Substance Use Disorder & Mental Health
Are We There Yet? Achieving Behavioral Health Integration
Strengthen your health center’s integration of behavioral health services by attending this webinar:
Thursday, July 30
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Subject matter experts will:
- Describe models and elements of effective behavioral health integration.
- Outline steps to become more fully integrated.
- Explain methods to measure the impact of integration.
- Identify strategies that can be used to adapt behavioral health integration to telehealth.
To register, please create an account on the HRSA Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health TA's website.
Workforce
Deadline Extended: National Health Service Corps New Site Application Open
We’ve extended the deadline for health care facilities to apply to be approved as a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) site. Applications are now due by Tuesday, August 4.
Eligible locations include health care sites that provide outpatient, ambulatory and primary health care services (medical, dental, and behavioral health) to populations residing in high-need urban and rural areas. Additional eligible site types include facilities providing general substance use disorder treatment, a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program, or an opioid treatment program. Learn more about the NHSC new site application.
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Your Input Needed!
HRSA recently published two Requests for Information (RFI). 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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Telehealth
HHS Telemedicine Hack
See announcement above.
Updated CMS Fact Sheet for Health Centers
See announcement above involving the telehealth cost-sharing waiver.
Telehealth Information for Patients Now Available in Spanish
HHS’ telehealth website now provides information in Spanish to help patients understand what types of care are available, how to prepare for a telehealth visit, and tips on finding telehealth options. Provider information will be available in Spanish soon.
Additional Resources
Attaining and Maintaining Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition
Join HRSA and the National Center for Quality Assurance (NCQA) to learn about the benefits of attaining and maintaining Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition. You’ll see a new video featuring Piedmont Health (a HRSA-funded health center in Chapel Hill, NC) and receive an introduction to NCQA’s new PCMH Recognition Toolkit.
Wednesday, July 29
2:30-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Following the video and toolkit premiere, colleagues and peers will have an opportunity to share perspectives about the value of PCMH recognition, especially during the current pandemic, and you’ll be able to ask questions.
Clinician’s Guide to EPA’s Worker Protection Standard
The EPA’s Worker Protection Standard (WPS) protects agricultural workers from the health risks associated with pesticides. Farmworker’s Justice and the Migrant Clinicians Network—both HRSA-funded NTTAPs—share a clinician’s guide to the WPS. It includes basic protections, reporting and monitoring requirements, and important considerations for migrant health clinicians.
New Fact Sheet Highlights Impact on Health Center Staff and Boards
NACHC’s training and TA program continues to be a trusted resource to health centers. Read this fact sheet to learn how NACHC’s work with federal, state and local partners supports the Health Center Program.
Key Considerations for Developing Core Competencies for Health Center Enabling Services Staff: A Guide for Health Centers
This new guide from NACHC briefly introduces enabling services and the different types of enabling service staff that may be in health centers. It also presents information on enabling services core competencies, including a list of key steps to develop these competencies, best practices, recommendations, and links to additional resources.
Top 10 Reasons to Choose PCMH Recognition
The NCQA and HRSA want you to know why PCMH recognition may be right for your health center. We’ll feature the top 10 reasons over the next few weeks. Here are reasons 4-7 (see last week’s issue for reasons 8-10):
- The PCMH model can provide a practical path to success with value-based care. The model emphasizes patient-centered care and increased access for all populations—pillars that align with value-based care standards.
- HRSA’s support allows health centers to pursue PCMH recognition and renewal at no cost.
- The PCMH model can foster a better understanding of patient and population needs. By capturing and analyzing information about their communities, health centers can deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate care specific to their populations.
- The PCMH model keeps everyone happier—even staff. The PCMH model’s systems and structures can help staff work more efficiently and, research suggests, improve staff satisfaction.
Learn more on the NCQA PCMH website.
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