Health Center Program Look-Alikes Awards, Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program, and more

A Newsletter from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)

 July 15, 2021

Biden-Harris Administration Provides Nearly $144 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support COVID-19 Response Efforts in Underserved Communities

people in line in clinic

Resources to Support COVID-19 Response of Health Centers in Disproportionately Affected Communities Across the Country

July 15 - As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded nearly $144 million in American Rescue Plan funding to 102 HRSA Health Center Program look-alikes (LALs) to respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and enhance health care services and infrastructure in communities across the country. LALs are community-based health care providers that provide essential primary health care services to underserved communities and vulnerable populations but do not otherwise receive HRSA Health Center Program funding.

Read the release.


HHS Provides $398 Million to Small Rural Hospitals for COVID-19 Testing and Mitigation

photo of a hospital sign on a rural road

July 13 - Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided $398 million in funding through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) to 1,540 small rural hospitals for COVID-19 testing and mitigation.

Read the release.


Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal Technical Assistance

photo of a woman on her laptop

The PRF Reporting Portal is now open for recipients who are required to report during Reporting Period 1. PRF recipients may use payments for eligible expenses and lost revenues to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

We will host recorded Reporting Technical Assistance Sessions to provide technical assistance on reporting requirements for PRF recipients and stakeholders:

Visit the HHS Reporting and Auditing webpage for more information.


2020 Uniform Data System Trends

graph for 2020 UDS trends

Join our webinar to learn about 2020 Uniform Data System (UDS) trends in health center patient demographics, staffing, and clinical quality measures. Gain insights on how health center awardees and look-alikes continued to deliver quality primary healthcare services to their communities during the pandemic, including expanding telehealth use and offering new lines of services such as COVID-19 screening and testing.

Register: Tuesday, August 10, 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET.

We expect to publish 2020 UDS data on Monday, August 9, on the Health Center Program Data and Reporting webpages


Healthy Grants Workshop Web Series Continues

hrsa healthy grants workshop web series

The 2021 Healthy Grants Workshop web series continues through Tuesday, August 24. Register for upcoming workshops or to view previous sessions.

There is no cost to attend. Each remaining session includes two to three topics, including grants risk management, common audit findings, and more. All HRSA award recipients are encouraged to attend the workshop.

In addition to Office of Federal Assistance Management presentations, this year’s workshop features presentations by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources and the Office of the Inspector General, as well as HRSA bureaus and offices.

For more information, contact the Healthy Grants Workshop team.


Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program Awards

physicians standing together looking over files

We awarded about $6.7 million in Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program grants to increase physician training opportunities in rural communities and focus on improving access to high quality health care providers.

All RRPD award recipients are required to collaborate with the RRPD-Technical Assistance center throughout the duration of their 3 year period of performance.

Visit the RRPD-TA center for more information.


Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Health Integration Prenatal-to-Three (ECCS) Program Awards

children lined up by height

We have awarded approximately $5.1 million through 20 cooperative agreements to states and non-profit organizations to support the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Health Integration Prenatal-to-Three (ECCS) Program. These funds will advance:

  • cross-sector collaborations and partnerships
  • health system improvements
  • state-level policy and fiscal innovation
  • equity
  • family leadership to promote early developmental health
  • family leadership to promote family well-being among prenatal populations

The ECCS Program builds state capacity and infrastructure to integrate and strengthen maternal and early childhood systems. Its particular focus on the prenatal-to-age-3 period maximizes the opportunity to reach and support families during the earliest stages of parenting. 


Expanded Coverage for Telebehavioral Health During COVID-19

telehealth.gov image

Many payors expanded coverage for telebehavioral health during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Learn about the evolving telehealth landscape and stay on top of billing rules and requirements with resources.


Healthy People 2020 Progress

Healthy People 2020 logo

The Healthy People (HP) 2020 Progress Table now has interactive pie charts highlighting the final progress of HP2020 objectives and targets. The pie charts provide a summary by objective type and final progress status of the 1,111 measurable and 985 trackable objectives. 

Explore the data.


Ending the HIV Epidemic: 40 Years of Progress

cdc hiv aids map

While biomedical advancements in HIV prevention and treatment have led to significant progress in reducing HIV/AIDS-related deaths and new infection rates, HIV/AIDS continues to persist in the United States—with significant disparities across ethnic and racial lines. 

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) published a blog post about the history of HIV, the progress that has been made in addressing the HIV epidemic, and the potential impact that the federal government’s recent investments in Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. will have.

This ASTHO blog post was supported by a cooperative agreement with HRSA.


image of a calendar

July

  • Cord Blood Awareness Month 
  • Independence Day (4) 
  • World Hepatitis Day (28) 

Funding Opportunities

 

Health Centers


FY 2022 Optimizing Virtual Care – apply by July 16

Service Area Competition (HRSA-22-003) - apply by July 19

Service Area Competition (HRSA-22-103) - apply by July 19

Service Area Competition (HRSA-22-004) - apply by August 13

Service Area Competition (HRSA-22-005) - apply by September 7

Health Workforce


Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Payment Program - apply by July 15

Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program - apply by July 22

HIV/AIDS Bureau


Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) of HIV Services in Sierra Leone - apply by July 19

Global Reach II - apply by July 21

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A HIV Emergency Relief Grant Program - apply by October 6

Maternal and Child Health


Maternal and Child Health Services - apply by September 1


View All Funding Opportunities