What's New
Advancing Health Center Excellence
The Advancing Health Center Excellence Framework aims to help HRSA and health centers advance health center maturity and innovation in key domain areas that align with HRSA’s mission and the mission of the Health Center Program.
The seven domains are: Access and Affordability; Patient Experience; Quality, Patient Care and Safety; Population Health and Social Determinants of Health; Financial Sustainability; Workforce; and Governance and Management.
The basic level of performance builds on Health Center Program requirements, while integrating meaningful activities to assess performance along a four-level continuum of health center maturity within each domain. The framework will assist health centers to:
- Self-assess their current state of performance across the seven domains.
- Identify a desired future state of performance.
- Identify data-driven and evidence-based capabilities, activities, behaviors, and resources needed to reach and sustain a higher level of domain performance.
The framework will also help HRSA make decisions about deploying resources, including providing technical assistance (TA) and funding, with more intention and transparency.
Join a webinar to learn more:
Wednesday, August 26
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Join the webcast the day of the session
Call-in: 888-989-6520
Passcode: 3855256
2019 Uniform Data System Reports Now Available
2019 Uniform Data System (UDS) data are now available. This includes national, state/territory, and health center-level data, summary comparison data, and special population program data. This year, we’ve moved UDS data to the HRSA Data Warehouse, modernizing how it appears and improving the user experience. 2019 UDS data displays across fewer webpages, with filters and dropdown menus to guide navigation.
Newly Updated Look-Alike Initial Designation Resources
We recently updated our Look-Alike (LAL) Initial Designation application instructions, as well as the HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) application module. Organizations seeking LAL designation should apply in EHBs using the new instructions. For a summary of changes from the previous LAL ID Instructions, see page 3 of the LAL Initial Designation application instructions, available (along with other resources) on the LAL ID TA webpage. Submit questions via the BPHC Contact Form by selecting Applicant, Health Center, Look-Alike, and Look-Alike Initial Designation.
TODAY: Healthy People 2030 Launch
HHS will unveil the latest edition of Healthy People today.
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Join the session
Healthy People 2030 is a set of science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving health and well-being in the U.S. Speakers will highlight the new Healthy People 2030 goals and objectives and provide an overview of the development process. Speakers will also discuss Healthy People 2030 data, social determinants of health (SDOH), health equity, and more.
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Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program Overview
This pre-recorded webinar provides interested health centers and lenders with an overview of the HRSA Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program, the application process, and available resources.
Guidance: Sliding Coinsurance for CMS/Medicare Care Management Services
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP), shares this publication. It guides health centers on managing CMS/Medicare care management services commensurate with sliding fee policies.
COVID-19
Financial Support for Millions of Health Care Providers Nationwide
Many health care providers are experiencing significant financial hardships in the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress provided $175 billion in relief funds to HHS to deliver financial relief to health care organizations, including health centers. The latest phase of funding is now available through Friday, August 28. Those who bill Medicare, Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care, CHIP, or a dental provider are eligible to apply as long as they have not already received 2% of their patient revenue from the fund. Visit HHS' Provider Relief website for more information.
Health Center COVID-19 Testing
A new dashboard compiles the data you provide in weekly surveys to deliver a high-level view of total COVID-19 tests conducted and the distribution of positive COVID-19 tests. See a breakdown by race and ethnicity as well.
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Rural Health Care Surge Readiness Clearinghouse
Developed by the Rural Surge Readiness Team, COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group, the Rural Health Surge Readiness web portal provides essential resources, tools, and trainings for rural health care systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. Join these upcoming events to learn more:
Demo: Rural Health Surge Readiness Web Portal
Wednesday, August 19
9:30-10:30 a.m. ET
Join the day of the session
#RuralHealthChat Twitter Chat: Preparing Rural Healthcare Systems for COVID-19 Surge
Wednesday, August 26
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Learn more
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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:
- TeleECHO sessions.
- 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 is in progress, but you can still get more information or register.
FAQs
We continually update our COVID-19 FAQs webpage. Other resources:
Did You Complete Your Survey?
Last week, 70% of health centers submitted data through the weekly COVID-19 survey. Let’s beat that percentage this week!
The survey you received on Friday, August 14, is due by 11:59 p.m. ET today. 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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COVID-19: Community Health Center Finance Toolkit
NACHC has compiled guidance in critical areas in order for health center leaders to guide their teams through difficult times and prepare them to come out stronger on the other side. Topics include cash flow planning, CARES Act guidance, and remote work best practices.
NIH Opportunities
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Community Interventions to Address COVID-19 Pandemic:
Grants to implement and evaluate community interventions testing the impacts of: 1) strategies to prevent COVID-19 transmission in health disparity populations and other vulnerable groups; and 2) interventions to address the adverse psychosocial, behavioral, and socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic on the health of these groups.
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Digital Healthcare Interventions to Address the Secondary Health Effects Related to Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19:
This support the use of digital intervention to improve how we identify, treat, or provide services for health conditions secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic for NIH-designated health disparity populations and those with medical or social vulnerabilities (e.g., residents of chronic care facilities, community-dwelling older adults, pregnant women, homeless, incarcerated, health care staff on the front lines of pandemic, and workers in essential business operations).
COVID-19 and Dentistry: Challenges and Opportunities for Providing Safe Care
This recent article by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality identifies patient safety challenges in infection control and prevention in the dental office setting. HRSA recommends that health centers follow CDC guidelines for dental settings.
Substance Use Disorder & Mental Health
Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic
According to CDC, U.S. adults reported considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19 during the last week of June. Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation. Read more.
Diabetes
NACHC Diabetes Scan Results
A year ago, NACHC’s Quality Center conducted an environmental scan of diabetes efforts among Primary Care Associations (PCA) and Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCN) nationally. Read the results.
Workforce
STAR2 Center High-Functioning Managers Learning Collaborative
High-functioning managers play a pivotal role in employee retention and are vital to a health center's success and growth. The Association for Clinicians for the Underserved's* STAR2 Center invites health center managers to apply for the High-Functioning Managers Learning Collaborative, which begins next month. You’ll learn the core components needed to become a high-functioning manager and develop a personalized manager training plan to enhance your skills. (*The Association for Clinicians for the Underserved is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.)
Health Leadership Webinar Series
NACHC presents a four-part webinar series provides the essential skills and tools needed to be an effective leader and not just “the boss.” Learn how to motivate employees and how to manage relationships. Learn the keys to effective communication, how to become a listening leader, and how to develop a culture ripe for curiosity and innovation. Find out dates and times or learn how to register.
Oral Health
COVID-19 and Dentistry: Challenges and Opportunities for Providing Safe Care
See announcement above.
Telehealth
Maternal Telehealth Access Project
HRSA funds will be used for new mini-grants providing time-limited funding around maternal health care services before, during, or after pregnancy. We encourage organizations delivering or interested in delivering maternal health care services via telehealth during COVID-19 to apply by 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, September 14.
Join a webinar for potential applicants:
Thursday, August 20
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Additional Resources
Social Determinants and Health Status: A Data for Decision-Making Speaker Series Webinar
Join HRSA for a webinar focused on better understanding SDOH and their impact on the health status of patients served by health centers. Many existing SDOH models are anchored around place-based constructs. Learn how we’re incorporating a population-based model and assessing the social determinants contributing most to patient health.
Tuesday, August 25
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Health Centers Are Ahead of the Game: How Patient-Centered Medical Home Aligns With HRSA Requirements
HRSA-funded health centers are ahead in the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition process: Many PCMH procedures are included in the HRSA statutory and regulatory requirements. The PCMH model is integral to ensuring the highest quality health care!
To find out more about PCMH and HRSA alignment, check out the National Committee for Quality Assurance PCMH Toolkit for Health Centers.
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New Resources from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center
The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, recently published two briefs that may be useful for health centers:
Will You Become a Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion?
To become a Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion, clinicians, practices, and health systems must demonstrate excellence in hypertension control, reaching at least an 80% control rate among their adult hypertensive patients.
How much does your health center want to become a champion? HRSA and the CDC Million Hearts® initiative have resources to support your efforts. With guidance from the newly released Second Edition, Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Change Package, you can design a patient-centered strategy to set your health center on the path to success!
The Second Edition Change Package:
- Shares tools, resources, and techniques that have worked and are used by current Hypertension Control Champions.
- Places a special focus on self-measured blood pressure (SMBP).
- Shares tools that can be used to identify undiagnosed hypertension.
- Shares NEW strategies that focus on chronic kidney disease testing and identification.
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