What's New
Fiscal Year 2021 American Rescue Plan Minor A/R Question and Answer Session
Join HRSA staff for a question and answer session to learn about minor A/R requirements, allowable costs, and other topics related to fiscal year (FY) 2021 American Rescue Plan Funding for Health Centers (H8F) and Look-Alikes (L2C). Bring your minor A/R questions to this interactive session.
Thursday, August 12
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: 161 690 2388
and passcode: 22993166
Health Center Notifications of H8F Submission Approvals
Please be aware that a Notice of Award will not be issued when your H8F initial submission is approved by HRSA. Health centers will receive an email within HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) from the Grants Management Specialist indicating that HRSA has approved their H8F submission.
American Rescue Plan Funding for Health Center Program Look-Alikes
Last month, HRSA awarded nearly $144 million in American Rescue Plan funding to 102 HRSA Health Center Program look-alikes to respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to enhance health care services and infrastructure in communities across the country. Read our July 15 bulletin for more information.
Visit the TA webpage or frequently asked questions for resources and answers.
Join the question and answer session for L2C award recipients:
Wednesday, August 11
11:00 a.m.-noon ET
Join the day of the session
If you prefer to join by phone: 833-568-8864
When prompted, enter meeting/webinar ID: 161 224 8115
and passcode: 86459703
Deadline Reminder: Service Area Competition Applications for February 1 Starts
Service Area Competition (SAC) HRSA-22-003 applications are due in EHBs on Wednesday, August 18, by 5:00 p.m. ET. TA materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
Update: Available Funding for SAC Increased
Funding listed on the Service Area Announcement Table (SAAT) has been updated for many announced service areas under SAC notices of funding opportunity HRSA-22-002, HRSA-22-003, HRSA-22-004, HRSA-22-005, and HRSA-22-103. The updates are due to FY 2021 funding actions related to Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) supplemental funding rolling into base funding.
To ensure your SAC budget request is accurate, check the Total Funding column in the SAAT to confirm the final FY 2022 funding amount prior to submitting your application in EHBs. Notices of Award detailing IBHS-related funding actions will follow in the coming weeks.
Help Spread #WellChildWednesdays to Encourage Parents to Keep Up with Pediatric Checkups and Immunizations
To encourage parents and stakeholders to keep up with important well-child visits and immunizations, HRSA is again conducting a #WellChildWednesdays social media campaign in observance of National Immunization Awareness Month. Each Wednesday in August, messages will address adolescent and young adult care, nutrition, safety, and mental health as topics for parents to discuss with pediatric providers.
Consider amplifying these messages to encourage families to maintain well-child visits and immunizations. Messages will appear on Twitter and Facebook with the handle @HRSAgov and #WellChildWednesdays.
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Jim Macrae on Health Disparities in Viral Hepatitis Elimination
For World Hepatitis Day, HepVu spoke with Associate Administrator Jim Macrae about the impact of health disparities in viral hepatitis elimination. Read the interview.
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Rural Healthy People 2030 Survey
The Southwest Rural Health Research Center at Texas A&M University wants to hear from individuals who live or work in rural communities via a 20-minute survey on the most important Healthy People 2030 objectives for rural health. The project is supported by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy through its Rural Health Research Centers program.
NIH Workshop Explores the Impact of Work on Health Disparities
NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities hosted a two-day online workshop, “The Role of Work in Health Disparities in the United States,” to understand and address the role of work as a social determinant that contributes to health disparities. Read about the workshop.
COVID-19
Disability Nondiscrimination Laws Apply to People with “Long COVID”
HHS and the Department of Justice jointly published guidance on how disability nondiscrimination laws apply to people with “long COVID” who may be newly covered because of the impact of the COVID-19 infection. The guidance discusses when long COVID may be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal civil rights laws. The White House shared the guidance, along with a directory of resources available through programs funded by the Administration for Community Living, as part of a comprehensive package of resources for people with disabilities, including those with long COVID and other post-COVID conditions.
Recent Funding Awards to Boost COVID-19 Vaccination
Two recent funding awards may present opportunities for health centers to partner with awardees (local or national community-based organizations) to boost COVID-19 vaccination activities.
Risk-Benefit Assessment of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine after Reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Vaccine Recipients
After a review of evidence, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently reinforced that the use of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccination outweighs the risk of Gullain-Barré Syndrome. ACIP reaffirmed the vaccine’s interim recommendation under FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization.
Rental Assistance is Available to Help Renters and Landlords
The federal moratorium on evictions expired at the end of last week. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has published a Rental Assistance Finder to help renters and landlords avoid eviction. It can help them understand resources available to help navigate various financial hardships related to the pandemic.
Please help get the word out to your patients. CFPB has promotional materials (like flyers) and sample social media messages/graphics you can easily use.
OSHA's COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard: Clinical, Operational and Compliance Impacts for Health Centers
This webinar will provide an overview of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), including scope and application to health centers, and conducting a workplace-specific hazard risk assessment to meet ETS requirements for patient and employee screening and management, PPE, training, and physical distancing and barriers. In addition, it will discuss resources and technical support provided by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
Thursday, August 5
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Community Health Centers Telehealth Promising Practices Case Studies
A collection of case studies developed by NACHC highlights 10 community health centers' promising practices and lessons learned in adoption or expansion of telehealth delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trust Inspires Rapid Vaccine Response: How a Primary Care Association Leverages Its Partnerships
A new article from 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.
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM)! The need for donations and transplants is more pronounced in minority communities, where disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease contribute to organ failure, especially kidney failure. African Americans are three times more likely than white Americans to have kidney failure, and Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.
We invite health centers to join HRSA in:
- Amplifying the need for more organ, eye, and tissue donors within minority communities.
- Educating potential organ donors and encouraging donor registration.
Find resources in English and Spanish on our website. Please use hashtag #NMDAM when sharing and supporting NMDAM messages on social media.
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Behavioral Health
Intersection of Substance Use, HIV, and HCV: What Behavioral Health Providers Need to Know
Research shows that patients who are co-diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and substance use disorders pose unique challenges for health care providers and patients. We have partnered with the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs and the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center for a webinar series that will help you increase HIV testing and prevention, and improve the management of these co-morbidities.
HIV
TODAY AND TOMORROW: 71st Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS Full Council Meeting
This meeting will livestream on HHS’ website. Access the agenda to learn more.
Tuesday, August 3, and
Wednesday, August 4
1:00-5:00 p.m. ET
Watch the livestream
Workforce
HRSA Expands Community-Based Residency Programs in Rural and Underserved Communities
HRSA recently announced a major effort to strengthen and expand community-based primary care medical and dental residency programs in rural and underserved communities thanks to the American Rescue Plan. This includes an $8 million investment for current Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program residents and the availability of an additional $76 million for three new funding opportunities. Check availability and application deadlines in Grants.gov!
Additional Resources
Considerations for Health Center Boards: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Governance Self-Paced Module
NACHC developed this short introductory module intended as a resource for health center boards starting to explore or reevaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion in health center governance.
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