What's New
Ransomware Activity Targeting the Health Care and Public Health Sector
The FBI and HHS have credible information of an increased and imminent cybercrime threat to U.S. hospitals and health care providers. HHS recently hosted a call on the topic: The intelligence community shared what they know, and others shared best practices for protection/mitigation. Notes from the call include mitigation recommendations (approximately two-thirds of the way down the page).
NEW Uniform Data System COVID-19 Reporting Guidance
Developed to provide additional information about Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting that may be impacted by COVID-19, this new guidance includes information about reporting visits and patients, staffing, clinical quality, and revenue. For additional information on other COVID-19-related reporting considerations, such as temporary sites, health center staffing (e.g., volunteers), and funding and revenue, see our COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
UDS Reporting for Bureau of Health Workforce Awardees
This UDS technical assistance (TA) session is for BHW Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) UD7 grant awardees and will assist them with their specific UDS reporting requirements:
Thursday, November 12
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here
As a reminder: HRSA collaborates with Primary Care Associations (PCAs) to host UDS TA trainings nationwide. These virtual sessions provide in-depth training for participants on preparing their 2020 UDS report. They are for individuals responsible for gathering and reporting health center data through UDS, health center management and clinical staff who need to understand the definitions and concepts used, and those who use UDS data for program management and quality improvement activities.
Contacted Health Center Program Support? Rate Our Service
Whether you've had a pleasant experience or feel we could do better, the Health Center Program Support team would like to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the customer service survey embedded in the auto-generated email you receive after we resolve your issue or complete your request.
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Opportunity to Comment on AHRQ's Draft Report on Vaccine Safety
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality invites the public to comment on their draft Safety of Vaccines Used for Routine Immunization in the United States: An Update. Based on a systematic review of the evidence, this report assesses the safety of vaccines recommended for children, adults, and pregnant women. The list of vaccines is based on CDC’s immunization schedules and includes only those currently licensed for use in the U.S. by the FDA. The review addresses both individual and combination vaccines in use. Comment by Monday, November 23.
Proposed Updates to the Service Area Needs Assessment Methodology and Unmet Need Score: Webinar Recording Available
We’ve posted the recording and slides of the recent "Proposed Updates to the Service Area Needs Assessment Methodology (SANAM) and Unmet Need Score (UNS)" webinar on our Strategic Initiatives webpage. We used the initial UNS in the 2019 New Access Points funding opportunity to quantify unmet need for preventive and primary care services in proposed service areas. The webinar provides an overview of the initial UNS and proposed updates for the next version of the UNS, including possible measure additions, deletions, and other modifications based on feedback from stakeholders.
Federal Health Insurance Exchange 2021 Open Enrollment
The Federal Health Insurance Exchange 2021 Open Enrollment Period runs until Tuesday, December 15, for coverage starting on Friday, January 1, 2021. Consumers can now visit HealthCare.gov to fill out an application and enroll in a 2021 Exchange health plan.
Consumers, and those assisting consumers with enrollment (licensed brokers and navigators), can preview 2021 health care plans and prices, and compare coverage options ahead of Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov. CMS has updated and improved the website, incorporating integrated help and enhanced resources. HealthCare.gov also added a new planning resource for individuals to estimate their yearly income.
FORHP Funding Opportunities
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Rural Health Network Development Planning: HRSA released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program (HRSA-21-021). HRSA plans to award 20 grants to rural communities as part of this funding opportunity. Read more.
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Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program: HRSA released the NOFO for the Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program (HRSA-21-027). HRSA plans to award 60 grants to rural communities as part of this funding opportunity. Read more.
Nine Health Centers Recognized as 2020 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions
Congratulations to all of the 2020 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions, including nine HRSA-funded health centers! This year’s Champions achieved blood pressure control in 80% or more of their adult patients with hypertension. Collectively, the 2020 Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champions served more than 200,000 adults.
Visit the Million Hearts® website to read previous success stories, find evidence-based tools to improve blood pressure control, or apply to become a future Million Hearts® Hypertension Control Champion.
Submit Nominations to the 80% in Every Community National Achievement Awards
The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT) invites health centers to submit nominations for the 2021 80% in Every Community National Achievement Awards, a competitive recognition program that seeks to highlight colorectal cancer screening success stories. Numerous health centers have received grand prize or honoree awards in past years. Nominations for individuals or organizations and self-nominations are accepted. The grand prize winner will receive a $3,000 donation from NCCRT to support their efforts. Learn more or submit a nomination by Friday, November 20.
COVID-19
NEW Health Center Dashboard: COVID-19 Survey Operational Capacity
Interact with the most recent health center COVID-19 survey operational data through a new dashboard! Data measures include: weekly testing capacity, temporary closures, and staff ability to work. The enhanced maps on the dashboard replace the static map images previously posted weekly.
Make sure your data is included in the dashboard by completing the weekly COVID-19 survey. In response to your feedback about the recent addition of the flu questions, we are committed to giving more notice ahead of future survey changes.
The survey you received on Friday, November 6, is due by 11:59 p.m. your local time today. Last week, 67% of health centers and 52% of Health Center Program look-alikes submitted data through the weekly COVID-19 survey.
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Attention PCAs!
Due to the Veterans Day holiday, you will receive your survey on Thursday, November 12 (with a deadline of Friday, November 13). |
Let Us Know about Your Efforts to Respond to COVID-19
Please share how your health center is helping your community address COVID-19 through use of HRSA funding. Here’s how you can tell us about your successes and innovative efforts:
- Send a brief description of your health center’s COVID-19 response to our Health Center Stories inbox.
- You’re welcome to include a photo of the staff involved. Please include names of everyone in the picture and make sure each person featured in your photo has signed a HRSA Photo Release Form. Include the signed forms in your email. NOTE: Picture should include ONLY health center staff—not patients!
We may share your photo or story in future editions of the Digest or on HRSA social media.
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FAQs
We continually update our COVID-19 FAQs webpage. Other resources:
COVID-19 Learning Series
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP), is also offering a multi-session learning series on COVID-19. Each webinar will dive into different challenges and explore opportunities around business contingency planning and data fundamentals while sharing lessons learned, models, and workflows from health centers who mobilized early during the first phase of COVID-19. Register for the series. Sessions take place from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET on these dates:
Securing Your Path Forward
Wednesday, November 18
Looking Over the Horizon
Wednesday, December 16
Substance Use Disorder & Mental Health
Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among People Living with Substance Use and/or Mental Disorders
A new guide from SAMHSA reviews interventions for people living with substance use and mental disorders who are at risk for or living with HIV. Selected interventions are in alignment with goals of the federal “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” initiative.
Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Care for Children Affected by Them
Join a HRSA-funded, 10-session prenatal and/or pediatric ECHO® SAFEST Choice learning collaborative, which begins in March 2021. The prenatal cohort will learn how to screen for and counsel women about the risks of alcohol use during pregnancy. The pediatric cohort will learn how to identify and care for children and adolescents with suspected or diagnosed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Participating health centers will receive a stipend, TA, and free CE credits. Priority areas: New England (MA, VT, ME, RI, NH, CT) & Upper Midwest (MN, ND, SD, WI, IA, MI). Get more information about how to participate.
HIV
New Oral Health and HIV Webpage
The HRSA-funded Target HIV site includes a new page focused on the intersection of HIV and oral health. It includes:
- The Oral Health and Primary Care Integration Technical Assistance Toolkit: A compilation of best practices used by Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part C and D recipients to integrate oral health care.
- Webinars and videos.
- Presentations from the 2020 National Ryan White HIV/AIDS Conference Oral Health Institute.
Learn more about RWHAP Oral Health Care Services in a blog entry.
Improving PrEP Access through Monitoring and Engagement
In support of Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America, HRSA is collaborating with health center experts in the field to discuss how to improve access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through monitoring and patient engagement. Speakers will address real-time challenges and solutions that health centers face daily as they integrate HIV care and testing into primary care settings.
Thursday, November 12
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Topics will include:
- Training providers to interact with patients, including taking a sexual history.
- How the clinic has maintained patient engagement during COVID-19.
- Overcoming barriers with getting patients on PrEP.
- Patient education and support when prescribing PrEP.
- Monitoring medication adherence.
Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among People Living with Substance Use and/or Mental Disorders
See the announcement above.
Diabetes
Diabetes in Special & Vulnerable Populations: A National Learning Series
To continue the national conversation around diabetes and health centers, 14 NTTAPs are collaborating on a four-part national learning series to engage health centers, PCAs, and Health Center Controlled Networks. The goal is to increase foundational knowledge of effective strategies to prevent, treat, and manage diabetes among special and vulnerable populations.
Today’s session is about raising the pillars for community engagement. See a schedule and register for sessions.
Workforce
Deadline Extended for Students to Service Loan Repayment Program
HRSA extended the National Health Service Corps’ Students to Service Loan Repayment Program application cycle through 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 3. The program awards up to $120,000 in loan repayment to medical, dental, and nursing students in their final year of health professional school.
Interested clinicians should check their eligibility and apply.
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Oral Health
Sealant Learning Communities Collaborative
The National Network for Oral Health Access, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, invites health centers to participate in the sealant learning communities collaborative. The collaborative commences in January 2021. Participants will engage in activities that will improve their UDS Sealants Measure outcomes. Learn more or apply by 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 20.
New Oral Health and HIV Webpage
See the announcement above.
Telehealth
#TelehealthTuesday
HRSA recently kicked off a #TelehealthTuesday social media campaign to spotlight Telehealth.HHS.gov as the trusted place for telehealth information for patients and providers. On this site, providers can find policy and reimbursement updates, “how to” information, and implementation resources. Patients can get tips and information about the types of services they can receive via telehealth and what to expect from a telehealth appointment. Join HRSA and follow #TelehealthTuesday on social media as we highlight tips, best practices, and other resources to ensure telehealth success.
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Additional Resources
Women’s Health Challenges
HHS is conducting two Challenge.gov challenges to reward innovations in women’s health. Submissions for both are open now through Monday, November 16.
- Through the HHS Hypertension Innovator Award Competition, HHS seeks innovative ways to ensure women with hypertension during pregnancy and/or postpartum receive appropriate monitoring and follow-up. The competition is offering $3,325,000 in cash prizes.
- Through the Reducing Disparities in Breastfeeding Innovation Challenge, HHS seeks innovative ways to increase breastfeeding initiation and/or continuation rates and decrease disparities among breastfeeding mothers in the United States. The competition is offering $800,000 in cash prizes.
Adopting the Patient-Centered Medical Home Model Helps Your Health Center Align With Medicaid
Medicaid is a principal third-party payer for almost half of all health center patients. Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition can help health centers align with Medicaid requirements that are designed to monitor and improve patient access, utilization, health care costs, clinical quality outcomes and the patient experience—domains found in key PCMH competencies. For more on overlapping requirements between PCMH and Medicaid, check out the National Committee for Quality Assurance PCMH Toolkit for Health Centers.
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