What's New
Next Week: Today with Macrae
Join Jim to hear the latest information on funding, the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program, and more.
Thursday, April 15
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
If you prefer to join by phone: 833-568-8864
When prompted, enter meeting/webinar ID: 161 428 2889
As a reminder, we post the slides and recordings for recent Today with Macrae sessions on the COVID-19 Information for Health Centers and Partners webpage.
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Updated Patient Targets Releasing Soon
This month, HRSA will begin a staggered release of updated patient targets for Health Center Program (H80) award recipients.
In early April, HRSA will notify funded health centers of the updated patient targets through tailored email messages to Authorizing Officials and Project Directors, beginning with the January 1 start awardees. The message will include a direct link to the updated patient target and a deadline for confirmations, questions, and adjustment requests. It will also communicate whether you will complete a fiscal year (FY) 2022 Service Area Competition (SAC) or Budget Period Progress Report (BPR).
Health centers that will complete an FY 2022 SAC are requested to confirm their updated patient target or request an adjustment by the deadline via email to ensure that the SAC Service Area Announcement Table is accurate. Responding is optional for health centers that will submit an FY 2022 BPR.
For additional questions, use the BPHC Contact Form and select “Patient Targets” on the “BPHC Category” screen.
FY 2022 Project/Designation Period Extensions
HRSA will extend the project/designation periods of health centers in a 2- or 3-year project/designation period that ends in FY 2022. Health centers receiving this extension will complete an FY 2022 BPR/Annual Certification instead of a SAC/Renewal of Designation (RD) application.
Your health center will soon receive an extension if:
- Your project/designation period ends between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022, AND
- You did not receive an extension last year, AND
- You are not currently in a 1-year project/designation period.
For questions about extensions and FY 2022 required applications/submissions, contact the SAC or RD Technical Assistance Teams via the BPHC Contact Form.
COVID Awards – Project Periods Ended or Ending Soon
Project periods for FY 2020 awards provided to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency have either ended or will end soon:
- COVID-19 (H8C) ended on Sunday, March 14.
- CARES (H8D) PP ended on Wednesday, March 31.
- Expanding Capacity for Coronavirus Testing (ECT) (H8E) ends on Tuesday, April 30.
- Look-Alikes ECT (L1C) ends on Wednesday, June 30.
If your health center has already completed award activity—and reported this in your quarterly progress reports—we may shorten your project period to complete a timely closeout of these grants. In that case, you will receive a Notice of Award shortening the project period. It will include a revised Federal Financial Report due date.
If you think your health center will not complete award activity by the project period end dates noted above and you have funds remaining, you may request an extension without funds (also known as a no-cost extension) for up to 12 additional months. You will be able to complete approved, in-scope activities during the extension period using the remaining funds.
Health centers have 90 days after the project period end date to liquidate obligations, which are costs incurred through that date. Any new costs incurred after the end date are unallowable and subject to repayment to HRSA. If you expect to need such an extension, please contact your Grants Management Specialist and Project Officer to discuss the requirements for submitting the request in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks.
2021 Uniform Data System Reporting Changes
Stay informed about 2021 Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting requirements by joining an upcoming webinar We will provide a detailed overview of reporting changes, including an update on the latest COVID-19 testing and diagnostic codes, the addition of a COVID-19 vaccination line, and alignment of UDS clinical quality measures with current CMS electronic-specified clinical quality measures.
Thursday, May 6
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here
Visit the UDS Resources webpage for the 2021 UDS Program Assistance Letter and other technical resources to support complete, accurate, and timely UDS reporting.
2021 Special Enrollment Period Access Extended to August 15 on HealthCare.gov for Marketplace Coverage
President Biden recently announced that CMS is extending access to the Special Enrollment Period until Sunday, August 15—giving consumers additional time to take advantage of new savings through the American Rescue Plan. This action provides new and current enrollees an additional three months to enroll or re-evaluate their coverage needs, with increased tax credits available to reduce premiums. See last week's Digest for resources that health centers can use to help patients enroll.
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Social Media Campaign on HRSA Health Center Program Launches
HRSA recently began a social media campaign to highlight and promote the Health Center Program. The weekly Monday and Wednesday posts demonstrate the positive impact that health centers have on local and regional communities. We encourage you to amplify these posts, which also will drive audiences to the Find a Health Center website, where people can find a health center location near them.
Follow the campaign on our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
American Rescue Plan Funding for Health Centers Announced
Last week, HRSA awarded more than $6 billion in American Rescue Plan funding to 1,376 HRSA-funded health centers nationwide. See last week’s bulletin for more information on this historic investment. Visit the American Rescue Plan Funding for Health Centers technical assistance page for award submission guidance, information about upcoming question and answer sessions for recipients, and more.
Join the first of two question and answer sessions for award recipients:
Thursday, April 8
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
If you prefer to join by phone: 833-568-8864
When prompted, enter meeting/webinar ID: 160 299 2757
COVID-19
UPDATE: Health Center and Look-Alike COVID-19 Survey
The survey you received on Friday, April 2, is due by 11:59 p.m. your local time today. If you have questions about how to complete the survey, visit our Survey User Guide.
We continually look for ways to improve the COVID-19 Health Center/Look-Alike Survey and to better align it with shifting data needs. We are making changes to this week’s survey (beginning Friday, April 9), which were described in a bulletin last week.
We’re adding two new questions. The following language is updated from what appeared in the bulletin:
- Did your health center utilize mobile vans and/or host pop-up clinics to enhance access to COVID-19 vaccination sites in the last week?
If you reply “Yes” to this question, you will be asked:
- How many mobile van and/or pop-up clinics did you host in the last week for COVID-19 vaccinations?
We’re also removing these questions:
- Question 5: Does your health center currently have walk-up/drive-up COVID-19 testing sites?
- Question 10: What percentage of health center staff members were unable to work due to COVID-19 (e.g., due to site/service closure, exposure, family/home obligations, lack of PPE, etc.) in the last week?
And changing one question:
- Question 14
OLD version: How long will your health center have an adequate supply of PPE (e.g., masks, gloves, gowns, etc.) to serve your patients?
NEW version: Does your health center have an adequate supply of PPE (e.g., masks, gloves, gowns, etc.) to serve your patients? [Yes/No (Free text optional)]
See the current version of the survey. We will update both that page and our Survey User Guide by Friday, April 9.
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FDA Fact Sheets Address Variants for Monoclonal Antibody Products
FDA recently released revised fact sheets for health care providers that include additional information on susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 variants to each monoclonal antibody therapy available through an Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 treatment. The fact sheets contain details regarding specific variants and potential resistance. Download revised fact sheets for: Bamlanivimab; Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab; and REGEN-COV™ (Casirivimab with Imdevimab).
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
This 2021 publication from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center details how the COVID-19 pandemic affects LGBTQIA+ subpopulations. It provides strategies and resources to improve the capacity of health centers to meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ patients during the pandemic. The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center is a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
Clinical Leaders Forum: Building COVID-19 Vaccine Trust for Community Health Center Patients
CDC and HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce invite you to participate in an important conversation around building trust in COVID-19 vaccines. Attendees can adapt and learn best practices from one another.
Wednesday, April 7
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
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Increasing Access to COVID-19 Vaccines among Homeless Populations: Successful Partnerships Series
The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) offers a three-part webinar series highlighting successful partnerships between Health Care for the Homeless facilities and local governments in their efforts to effectively get vaccines to people experiencing homelessness. The series kicks off this week:
Wednesday, April 7
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
See the other dates and times and register now. NHCHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Agricultural Communities: A Training for CHWs/Promotores de Salud
Please join The National Center for Farmworker Health and MHP Salud to gain insights on the development of COVID-19 vaccines and side-effects associated with the current vaccines available. Participants will learn about the benefits of getting vaccinated, common myths and misconceptions, and strategies to engage communities and individuals in discussions to build confidence about the vaccine. This 90-minute webinar will be conducted in Spanish with English interpretation. Both host organizations are HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Thursday, April 8
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Register here
Special Populations Roundtable – Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program
Join several HRSA-funded NTTAPs for a bi-weekly roundtable discussion about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout for special populations. Subject matter experts will convene every other Friday to provide health centers with updated information about the COVID-19 vaccine and respond to your questions.
Friday, April 9 | Friday, April 23 |
Friday, May 7 | Friday, May 21 |
Friday, June 4
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
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Supporting Peer Work during a Pandemic
Peers are an important component of supporting people experiencing homelessness in accessing health care and navigating complex support systems. This NHCHC webinar will feature peer staff and individuals who supervise peers speaking on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peer support work and behavioral health. Speakers will also discuss the challenges and strategies for recruiting and orienting peers.
Monday, April 12
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Trust or Trustworthiness: Which Comes First? Webinar Series
As health centers embark on vaccinating people in their communities against COVID-19, conversations regarding vaccine confidence versus access, and how to build vaccine confidence and trust are necessary. NHCHC presents a two-part webinar series on trustworthiness. The first webinar will focus on the historical background of how trust has been broken among marginalized populations. The second webinar will highlight the principles of trustworthiness.
Wednesday, April 21 | Wednesday, April 28
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Dental Providers Administering the COVID-19 Vaccine: Strategies from Early Adopter Health Centers
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have created emergency orders to allow dentists and dental hygienists to administer vaccinations. This webinar from the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) will feature three health centers that are using dental providers to administer vaccines. The health centers will describe their vaccination program models, including training, staffing, operations, and compliance. 1.0 CDE will be offered. NNOHA is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Thursday, April 29
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Health Center COVID-19 FAQs
We recently added and updated some questions on our COVID-19 FAQs webpage. Other resources:
Health Centered on COVID-19
Health centers across the nation have distinguished themselves in responding to the current pandemic. Here’s a recent example:
Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Inc. (ACHS) held their first COVID-19 vaccine clinic in early March. The event marked the first of a planned series of ACHS vaccine clinics made possible through the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program.
ACHS spans five primary care delivery sites in northern New Hampshire, serving approximately 11,000 residents in 26 rural towns. Among their patients, roughly 40% are on Medicare, 20% are on Medicaid, and 20% are uninsured or under-insured.
By the end of April, thanks to HRSA support, ACHS expects to have vaccinated more than 1,000 people. Since many of their patients do not have internet, ACHS staff have reached out to eligible patients to help them register and make vaccine appointments.
ACHS recently published a video featuring interviews with several patients and health care providers about the positive impact of the clinic. “To do something so impactful after such a rough year has been super rewarding for all of us. Standing up this vaccine clinic has given us an incredible amount of hope,” said ACHS Community Relations Director Jill Kimball.
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How is your health center helping your community address COVID-19? Send your stories to our Health Center Stories inbox. We are especially interested in hearing about efforts to promote equity in vaccine distribution and boost vaccine confidence. We may share your story in future issues of the Digest, in Today with Macrae webcasts, or on HRSA social media.
If sharing a photo, please include a high-resolution image along with names of everyone in the picture and make sure each person featured has signed a HRSA Photo Release Form.
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Behavioral Health
Two Sides of the Sustainability Coin: Value-Based Reimbursement and Integrated Behavioral Health Community of Practice
Transitioning to value-based reimbursement (VBR) or other alternative payment models is a huge undertaking, particularly for integrated health. VBR offers a more equitable, integrated, and person-centered approach, but health centers may need support to navigate this complex process.
HRSA invites health center staff to join an upcoming community of practice to learn VBR basics and what providers need to know and do as they work toward health care that is viable and sustainable for all. Because VBR cuts across all areas of a health center, participating teams can include managers in integration, quality improvement/quality assurance, health information technology (HIT), population health/data analysis, finance/billing, and, senior staff responsible for strategic planning.
Participants can earn 1.5 CE credits for each session they attend, with a maximum of 9 CEs for participation in all six sessions.
Registration is now open for two cohorts:
Register for cohort 1 (starts in April)
Register for cohort 2 (starts in June)
SDOH and Addressing Health Disparities in Integrated Care Settings
COVID-19 has exposed the myriad of ways that minority populations and chronically underserved communities experience disproportionate physical and behavioral health disparities. Speakers will present recent epidemiological data outlining these health disparities, discuss social determinants of health (SDOH) within these populations, and present strategies that you can use to simultaneously integrate behavioral health needs while working to reduce health disparities.
Wednesday, April 7
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Expanding Access to Medication-Based Treatment for OUD in Underserved Rural Areas Utilizing Telehealth
Even before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, only about 1 in 10 Americans with a substance use disorder (SUD) received needed treatment. Rural populations face additional challenges in accessing medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) due to a short supply of treatment programs and credentialed providers within a reasonable proximity. Today, the need to physically distance presents further challenges. Speakers at this webinar from HRSA’s Office of Regional Operations will discuss tips and promising strategies for addressing SUD among vulnerable populations in rural areas with a focus on individuals with OUD.
Thursday, April 15
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Register here
SAMHSA Funding Opportunities
SAMHSA is accepting applications for two new funding opportunities:
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Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
The purpose of this program is to implement SBIRT services for children, adolescents, and/or adults in primary care and community health settings with a focus on screening for underage drinking, opioid use, and other substance use. SAMHSA plans to issue approximately 10 awards of up to $995,000 per year for up to 5 years. Learn more or apply by Monday, April 19.
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Medication-Assisted Treatment – Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction
The purpose of this program is to expand and enhance access to medication-assisted treatment services for persons with OUD. SAMHSA plans to issue approximately 89-135 awards of up to $1 million per year for states and up to $525,000 per year for other domestic public or non-profit entities, for up to 5 years. Learn more or apply by Tuesday, April 27.
National Health Service Corps Receives $800 Million
See the announcement below for information on the National Health Service Corps SUD Workforce Loan Repayment Program.
Supporting Peer Work during a Pandemic
See the announcement above.
HIV
Ending the HIV Epidemic: Sexual Health in Primary Health Care Settings
Join HRSA and the Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) to discuss the importance of obtaining a detailed patient sexual history in primary care health settings for appropriate care and diagnosis of HIV. You will learn how to obtain a sexual history in primary care settings to potentially decrease the chances of a patient being lost to follow up. This will include addressing patients that have encountered barriers to care in the past and how to overcome shame and stigma that may be associated with testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), or their sexual preferences.
Thursday, April 22
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Another way to boost these skills is to watch a recorded webinar on the importance of taking an in-depth sexual history and promoting positive sexual health in clinical settings, regardless of a patient’s sexuality. Speakers from HRSA and the Pacific AETC used case presentations and real-world scenarios to illustrate their recommendations.
Diabetes
Diabetes Prevention and Best Practices
MHP Salud, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, invites health center staff to join a learning collaborative focused on the current and future landscape of diabetes among migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAW). Participants will learn recommendations for how to best support this community. The learning collaborative is designed for health center staff, community health workers, and other enabling service staff who interact with the MSAW community. Sessions begin in April. Register now.
Workforce
National Health Service Corps Receives $800 Million
HRSA’s National Health Service Corps (NHSC) opened its application for all three loan repayment programs and its NHSC Scholarship Program with an additional $800 million available for awards. The increased funds are part of the American Rescue Plan for pandemic relief and will support the largest number of NHSC clinicians in program history. Visit HRSA’s website for more information, including eligibility, site types, and service commitments:
Applications for all three are due by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 6.
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Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Now Open
The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program provides financial support to students enrolled in nursing degree programs in exchange for a commitment to serve in high-need areas across the country. This year, Nurse Corps has additional funding for awards. Scholarship support includes tuition, fees, other reasonable educational costs, and a monthly living stipend. Find out if you qualify and apply by Thursday, May 6.
Several HRSA-funded NTTAPs present learning collaboratives:
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SDOH Screening Tools for Public Housing Residents
The National Center for Health in Public Housing will guide participants through the practical aspects of identifying and implementing an SDOH screening process at their health center. The series will go beyond the basics by covering issues such as: building trust; integrating data; evaluating impact; and reimbursement for SDOH screening and referrals. Learn more or register now.
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All-Hazards Emergency Preparedness and Response for Community Health Centers
Participants and experts will discuss an all-hazards, multidisciplinary preparedness approach, as well as specific measures health centers should take to comply with the CMS Rule for Emergency Preparedness, to conduct after action reporting and business continuity planning. Topics will range from planning for and responding to natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, active shooters, and other emergencies. This is co-hosted by the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Learn more or register now.
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Diabetes Prevention and Best Practices
See the announcement above.
Additional Resources
Sexual Health Care for Older LGBTQIA+ Adults
Sexual health is an integral part of overall health, and this remains so as people age. This publication describes core terms and concepts for sexual orientation and gender identity, addresses common misperceptions about sexuality and aging, and outlines special considerations for the sexual health care of older adults, including a demonstration of how to elicit an affirming sexual history. This publication was co-produced by The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders, both HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Million Hearts Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring Forum Recording
Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring has been proven to have a positive effect on improving blood pressure control. CDC’s Million Hearts® and NACHC have partnered to provide a quarterly forum, highlighting SMBP practices.
The first forum session for this year focused on the economic case for SMBP and explored updates and opportunities for the coverage of home blood pressure monitoring devices and reimbursement for the delivery of SMBP services. Watch the recording.
Register for the 2021 Million Hearts® SMBP forum meetings.
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