American Rescue Plan Funding
Funding for Native Hawaiian Health Care
HRSA announced the availability of $20 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to current Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act award recipients to aid their response to COVID-19.
Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET/5:59 p.m. HDT on Friday, July 2. Review the new FAQs for applicants, which we will continue to update. Visit the ARP Funding for Native Hawaiian Health Care technical assistance (TA) webpage for application instructions, deadlines, and other resources.
Funding for Training and TA
Primary Care Associations (U5F), National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAPs) (U3F), and Health Center Controlled Networks (HQC) have until Monday, June 28 to submit information about their ARP activities and costs. Award recipients should:
Funding for Health Centers
We continue to update our American Rescue Plan Funding for Health Centers FAQs, and recently added information about vaccination incentives and child care for patients waiting to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
What's New
Service Area Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity Released for March 1 Starts
HRSA released fiscal year (FY) 2022 Service Area Competition (SAC) notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), HRSA-22-004, for service areas with a March 1, 2022, project period start date. Find details for the announced service areas on the Service Area Announcement Table.
This NOFO announces the service areas for:
- March 1 start award recipients that received a 1-year period of performance through a SAC/SAC-Additional Areas in FY 2021.
- March 1 start award recipients that were given a 1-year extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic in FY 2021.
Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, August 13, and in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, September 13. TA materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
FY 2022 Project/Designation Period Extensions
HRSA extended the project/designation periods of health centers in a 2- or 3-year project/designation period that ended in FY 2022. We released Notices of Award in late May with the extension reflected in the project period end date. Health centers receiving this extension will complete an FY 2022 Budget Period Progress Report (BPR)/Annual Certification instead of a SAC/Renewal of Designation (RD) application.
For questions about extensions and FY 2022 required applications/submissions, contact the SAC or RD TA Teams via the BPHC Contact Form.
June 1 Start Date? Review Your Patient Target
We recently updated patient targets for Health Center Program award recipients with a June 1 budget period start date. On Thursday, June 10, we sent an email message to the Authorizing Officials and Project Directors of these health centers, which indicated whether the health center would complete an FY 2022 SAC or BPR. The email also included a direct link to the updated patient target. Health centers that will complete an FY 2022 SAC for awards starting June 1, 2022, should review their patient target and take appropriate action in EHBs by Thursday, July 1.
View the recorded tutorial of the EHBs Patient Target Management Module. Other resources are available on the SAC TA webpage, including how to access your patient target in EHBs.
Submit questions using the BPHC Contact Form (select “Patient Targets” on the “BPHC Category” screen).
New Study Examines Role of Dentist Supply, Need for Care, and Long‐term Continuity in HRSA-funded Health Centers
While HRSA-funded health centers have long been an important source of oral health care for medically underserved communities across the nation, less is known about whether the existing workforce improves access to dental services.
A newly released study found that that even small increases in the health center dental workforce resulted in greater access to dental care among health center patients. Specifically, the findings suggest that adding 0.5 or 1.0 full-time employees could lead to a 5% or 10% increase in likelihood of dental visits. Study results underscore the importance of continuing to expand the health center dental health workforce and infrastructure in order to increase access to and use of oral health care in medically underserved communities.
To read the published article, and other articles about quality care delivered by health centers, visit BPHC's Health Center Library.
Service Area Status Webinar Recording Available
The Service Area Status (SAS) webinar recording and presentation slides are now available on our website. The SAS describes the health, social, and economic status of a health center's service area. Share your feedback on SAS through the BPHC Contact Form by choosing “Health Center,” then the “Strategic Initiatives” category, and then the “Service Area Status” sub-category.
2019 Public Charge Final Rule No Longer in Effect
The 2019 Public Charge Final Rule is no longer in effect. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Department of Homeland Security stopped applying it to all pending applications and petitions on Tuesday, March 9.
The 2019 rule applied to legal immigrants seeking legal permanent residence. It added enrollment in Medicaid, public housing, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as grounds that could lead to public charge inadmissibility.
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey noted changes in coverage and service use among immigrant health center patients because of the rule.
COVID-19
White House Town Hall Recording
If you missed it, watch the recording of last Friday’s White House Town Hall (speakers start at approximately 37:00). Speakers thanked primary care providers for their service and discussed the future of the vaccination rollout. The event featured conversations on innovative approaches to patient outreach and implementing vaccination programs at primary care provider offices. Each conversation was chaired by a different public health leader from the Biden Administration: Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, and Dr. Bechara Choucair.
NACHC Webpage for Door Dash Vaccination Incentive
The White House fact sheet on the Month of Action activities included a list of vaccine incentives, including Door Dash’s donation of gift cards to health centers. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has created a webpage for health centers to learn more and sign up.
School-Based Vaccines and Immunizations
Looking to start or enhance your school-based immunization efforts, including the COVID-19 vaccine? Visit the School-Based Health Alliance's School-Based Vaccines and Immunizations resource for strategies and guidance from federal, state, and school-based health center partners. The School-Based Health Alliance is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
New Toolkit from HHS and HUD
A new COVID-19 vaccination and testing toolkit, jointly developed by HHS and HUD, can help health centers and HUD-assisted housing and homeless programs to partner on COVID-19 vaccination delivery, COVID-19 testing, and health care for residents of public housing, low-income housing (including housing for older adults and people with disabilities), and people experiencing homelessness.
Vaccine Hesitancy Map
HHS recently developed an interactive map of state, county, and sub-state level predictions of hesitancy rates using the most recently available federal survey data, the Household Pulse Survey from April 14-26.
Updated CDC Guidance for People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness
Updated last week, CDC’s interim guidance includes considerations for developing a long-term strategy related to COVID-19 prevention among people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
CDC also updated the guidance specific to children and teens experiencing homelessness—both vaccinated and unvaccinated.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to Insurers and Providers: COVID-19 Vaccines and Testing Must be Free for Patients
Secretary Becerra issued a letter last week reminding health care providers of their signed agreements to cover the administration of COVID-19 vaccines free-of-charge to patients, and reminding group health plans and health insurers of their legal requirement to provide coverage of COVID-19 vaccinations and diagnostic testing without patient cost-sharing. Find out how you can get reimbursed for testing, treatment, and vaccine administration for the uninsured or the underinsured.
Provider Relief Fund: Revised Notice of Reporting Requirements and Reporting Timeline
HRSA recently released revised reporting requirements for recipients of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) funding. These revisions mean more flexibility for providers, and include expanding the amount of time providers will have to report information, reducing burdens for smaller providers, and extending key deadlines for expending PRF payments for recipients who received payments after Wednesday, June 30. The revised reporting requirements are applicable to providers who received one or more payments exceeding, in the aggregate, $10,000 during a single Payment Received Period. We encourage health centers to register in the Reporting Portal before it opens with full reporting functionality on Thursday, July 1.
 Health centers across the nation have distinguished themselves in responding to the current pandemic. Here’s a recent example:
Herald Christian Health Center Expands Reach through Bilingual Call Center
Focusing on equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Herald Christian Health Center (HCHC, in San Diego, CA) has launched multiple successful strategies to reach seniors and others who cannot register online or visit large vaccination sites due to language, technology, or transportation barriers.
The center set up a bilingual call center and recruited over 100 volunteers to help people register by phone. In partnership with five cities and five school districts, HCHC has vaccinated seniors, school staff, and other residents in community centers, high schools, and public parks via drive-through and walk-up models.
As of Monday, June 7, HCHC had administered more than 32,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, with more than 25,000 doses administered to Asian patients. Read more about their program.
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How is your health center helping your community address COVID-19? Send your story 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, on Today with Macrae webcasts, or via HRSA social media.
If sharing a photo, please include a high-resolution image along with the names of everyone in the picture, and make sure each person has signed a HRSA Photo Release Form.
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Health Center COVID-19 Weekly Survey
The current survey is due TODAY at 11:59 p.m. your local time. Need guidance on how to answer the questions? Check out our Survey User Guide.
Health Center COVID-19 FAQs
We continue to update our COVID-19 FAQs webpage, including recently updated guidance about transferring vaccines allocated through the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program to other organizations.
Other resources:
LGBTQ Pride Month
The Evolution of LGBTQ Care: A Historic Look at Health Centers' Impact on LGBTQ Health
For 55 years, health centers have provided high-quality health care for LGBTQ people, yet significant disparities in access to health care, chronic disease, health outcomes, and social determinants of health (SDOH) still exist in this community. NACHC recognizes the essential voices and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and welcomes national advocates and leaders for a discussion on their organizations’ historic and continued efforts to ensure quality, affordable, and accessible health care to all. NACHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Tuesday, June 29
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Behavioral Health
Reducing Health Disparities by Addressing Integrated Behavioral Health in a Maternal Child Health Care Setting
Recent CDC data show the top three pregnancy-associated deaths are homicide, suicide, and drug overdoses, all of which relate to health disparities. Explore the intersection of SDOH and treatment for substance/opioid use disorders within health center maternal and child health programs.
Thursday, July 29
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Speakers will:
- Review statistics and risk factors (e.g., inequalities in access to treatment and services, intimate partner violence, and stigma).
- Outline opportunities for health centers, including the need for universal screening in all health checks, as well as prevention and early intervention before and during the prenatal period and one-year post-partum. They will present best practices, focusing on a trauma-informed approach through all services.
You can receive 1 hour of Continuing Education credit for your participation.
Oral Health and Behavioral Health in Patients Experiencing Homelessness
The National Network for Oral Health Access and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council developed a publication to bring awareness to the intersection of oral health and behavioral health concerns or cognitive impairment in people experiencing homelessness. It highlights the impact of behavioral health illness on oral health and how behavioral health and dental providers can work together to address this intersection in their practices. Both organizations are HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Guide to Migratory and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Mental Health Equity
This guide from MHP Salud provides health center staff with important resources, information, and tools to address the unique mental health needs of their migratory and seasonal agricultural worker (MSAW) patients. One of the most crucial resources the guide explores is the active role of Community Health Workers to bridge the gap between MSAWs and clinical care. MHP Salud is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Study Finds Telehealth Effective for Older Adults with Depressive Symptoms
In a recent trial supported by NIH, researchers compared different types of remote mental health services for older, homebound adults with symptoms of depression. The study found that counselors with training at the bachelor’s degree level may play a role in improving the mental and social well-being of this population through videoconferencing.
HIV
National HIV Testing Day
Sunday, June 27, is National HIV Testing Day. This year's theme is “My Test, My Way." This is a chance to emphasize for your patients the importance of knowing their HIV status. If a patient is positive, it is an opportunity to link them to care and discuss treatments that can lower their viral load. Remind them that undetectable = untransmittable. These are major steps for Ending the HIV Epidemic.
Get #HIVTestingDay resources to spread the word on CDC’s National HIV Testing Day page and HIV.gov’s National HIV Testing Day webpage.
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40 Years of HIV/AIDS Research
Saturday, June 5, marked the 40th anniversary of the CDC’s release of the first Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) acknowledging the syndrome that we know as AIDS. A lot has happened since 1981, but we still have more to do to end the HIV epidemic. Find additional resources on HRSA’s HIV and Health Centers website.
Workforce
Evaluating a Course on Implicit Bias in the Clinical and Learning Environment: Provider Bias-Awareness, Patient-Centeredness and Reflections
Join HRSA’s Health Workforce TA Center to learn about the implicit race bias that has been associated with poor patient/provider communication, less trust and confidence in the provider, and poor patient-centered communication. These issues are particularly common with Black patients.
Speakers will discuss an online course on implicit bias for academic teaching faculty and others developed by the University of Washington. They will discuss providers’ pre- and post-course bias awareness, pre- and post-patient centered communication, and their reflections on the impact of the course on teaching and clinical practice.
Thursday, June 24
1:00-1:45 p.m. ET
Register here
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