What's New
Deadline Reminder: Service Area Competition Applications for January 1 and March 1 Starts
Service Area Competition (SAC) HRSA-22-002 applications for January 1 starts are due in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) on Wednesday, August 11, by 5:00 p.m. ET.
Service Area Competition (SAC) HRSA-22-004 applications for March 1 starts are due in:
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Grants.gov: Friday, August 13, by 11:59 p.m. ET.
- EHBs: Monday, September 13, by 5:00 p.m. ET.
Technical assistance (TA) materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
Available Funding for SAC Increased
Funding for many announced service areas under SAC notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) HRSA-22-002, HRSA-22-003, HRSA-22-004, HRSA-22-005, and HRSA-22-103 has increased due to fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding actions. To ensure your budget request is accurate, check the Total Funding column in the Service Area Announcement Table to confirm the final FY 2022 funding amount prior to submitting your application in EHBs.
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Less Than Three Weeks Left to Sprint to Coverage
The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a “Summer Sprint to Coverage” for the remaining weeks of the Special Enrollment Period for individuals and families to enroll in health insurance coverage through the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (FFM). The Special Enrollment Period ends on Sunday, August 15.
CMS offers technical guidance for Marketplace stakeholders. The following resources may also be useful for assisters:
Organizations operating in an FFM state that want to provide enrollment assistance to consumers for plan year 2022 must apply to CMS to become a certified application counselor designated organization (CDO), if they are not already a CDO. Open season for CDO applications ends on Tuesday, August 31. CDOs oversee certified application counselors, who are trained and able to help consumers seeking health coverage options through the Marketplace. Learn more.
Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021
CDC has updated treatment guidelines for people who have or are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The report includes diagnostic recommendations and prevention strategies for HIV and other STIs.
Apply to Become a Healthy People 2030 Champion
HHS invites your health center to become a Healthy People 2030 Champion. These are organizations committed to working toward Healthy People's overarching goals and objectives. HHS will recognize Champions on health.gov, and Champions will receive a digital badge to highlight their participation on their own websites. Champions will also get information, tools, and resources to help them promote Healthy People 2030 among their communities, partners, and others. Interested?
Learn more at an informational webinar:
Wednesday, July 28
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
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Uniform Data System Quick Guide for Health Centers
As part of the 2019 Uniform Data System (UDS) Data Standard Updates, HRSA introduced a requirement that certain health centers track those patients who report living in permanent supportive housing. This UDS Quick Guide, created by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), describes how the UDS offers insight into the important operations of health centers. CSH is a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
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COVID-19
Trust Inspires Rapid Vaccine Response: How a Primary Care Association Leverages Its Partnerships
A new article from The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) describes the real-time efforts of a Primary Care Association (PCA) to secure COVID-19 vaccines for health centers from a local hospital system when the state supply did not arrive. It outlines several key organizational practices that enabled the PCA to leverage trust, relationships, and coordination for a successful outcome during the emergency. NACHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
TOMORROW! Building Health Center Partnerships with Youth-Based Organizations to Advance Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination
Learn how health centers are galvanizing on-the-ground partnerships with community-based youth organizations to enhance adolescent COVID-19 vaccination efforts nationwide. Panelists from the Boys & Girls Club of America, the YMCA, and a school-based health center will share steps they have taken to increase adolescent vaccinations in their communities and will explore opportunities to partner with health centers.
Wednesday, July 28
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
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Renters Assistance Resources
The federal moratorium on evictions expires at the end of July. This rental assistance handout (also available in Spanish) from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) can help your patients who are renters. CFPB’s Housing Insecurity Media Toolkit offers other resources that may be useful.
 Health centers across the nation have distinguished themselves in responding to the current pandemic. Here’s a recent example:
Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines within Rural South Carolina
CareSouth Carolina, Inc. (Hartsville, SC) provides affordable, accessible, quality primary health care services to nearly 39,000 patients throughout rural South Carolina. More than 55% of their patients are African American. Center staff have worked tirelessly to increase access to—and confidence in—the COVID-19 vaccines.
They began by purchasing a fleet of mobile units, which they call the Moby Outreach Program. These units enabled them to bring single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines to rural, underserved areas that would otherwise lack access. Recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control awarded them a Community Hero award for these efforts.
To promote vaccine confidence, CareSouth conducted a “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign, answering questions and clearing up misconceptions about the vaccines. They launched a video campaign featuring trusted community leaders (such as local pastors, health care providers, and community advocates) sharing messages about why they got vaccinated. In this example a local pastor shares his story.
CareSouth’s community outreach team seeks to increase awareness of vaccination benefits by passing out flyers, knocking on doors, and partnering with community groups. Their goal is to distribute as many COVID-19 vaccines as possible to protect the patients they serve. As of Tuesday, July 20, they had provided nearly 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines!
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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.
- Address behavioral and mental health issues associated with the pandemic.
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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World Hepatitis Day
Tomorrow, July 28, is World Hepatitis Day. This is a chance to emphasize for your patients the importance of getting tested for hepatitis B and C. With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness—even in the current COVID-19 crisis—we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis.
HRSA continues to offer health centers training and TA to improve the prevention, testing, and treatment for viral hepatitis. Check out these resources to boost your efforts:
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HIV
71st Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS Full Council Meeting
This meeting will livestream on HHS’ website next week. Access the agenda to learn more.
Tuesday, August 3, and Wednesday, August 4
1:00-5:00 p.m. ET
Watch the livestream the days of the meeting
Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021
See the announcement above.
Workforce
Teaching Health Center Planning and Development Funding Available
HRSA, through the American Rescue Plan, released two new NOFOs to support primary care residency programs in rural and underserved communities and create new community-based residency programs. Applications are due by Monday, August 30. Read more.
Provider Workforce Resiliency Training Funding Available
HRSA announced the availability of approximately $103 million from the American Rescue Plan to reduce burnout and promote mental health among the health workforce. Applications are due by Monday, August 30, in Grants.gov.
Community Health Worker/Peer Workforce: Recruiting and Hiring for SDOH Screening
Draw upon lessons learned from health centers that have successfully hired, trained, integrated, and retained Community Health Workers (CHWs) and peers with lived experience. This guide provides best practices developed through interviews and research, focused on the CHW and peer role in social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and addressing related disparities, like the impacts of COVID-19. These lessons can inform your health center’s work to address and eliminate SDOH-associated health disparities that impact the most vulnerable communities. The guide is a joint effort of several HRSA-funded NTTAPs: MHP Salud, CSH, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
CHW TA on Emerging Issues Affecting Latino and Migratory and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Communities
MHP Salud is hosting a series of TA trainings for CHWs, program managers, and health center leadership on emerging issues for the Latino and migratory and seasonal agricultural worker communities (e.g., mental health, vaccinations, diabetes, transportation, etc.). These sessions will take place from 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET on the third Thursday of every other month, beginning in August. If you register once, you can attend as many sessions as you’d like.
Additional Resources
Becoming a Health Center Program Look-Alike
This four-module, self-paced online course developed by NACHC can help organizations determine if becoming a Health Center Program look-alike is the right path. Participants will learn how to define eligibility, application requirements, and timeline for look-alike initial designation, and how to demonstrate organizational and operational readiness in their applications.
Being a Leader vs. Being a Boss
These self-paced eLearning modules developed by NACHC examine the key differences between serving as a leader and operating as a boss. The modules focus on strategy, communication styles, delegation, and other key areas of leadership. This updated resource allows participants to learn at their own pace and brainstorm ideas with peers.
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