What's New
Uniform Data System Preliminary Reporting Environment Opens Soon
The Uniform Data System (UDS) Preliminary Reporting Environment (PRE) will be accessible to health centers via HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) reporting portal starting Friday, October 29.
The PRE is part of our UDS Modernization Initiative to reduce reporting burden, improve the quality of data reported, and better measure program services and outcomes. Through the PRE, health center awardees and look-alikes can begin preparing their UDS reports before the official reporting period begins on Saturday, January 1, 2022. On that date, we’ll push any data entered in the PRE into the live reporting environment.
Learn more by attending upcoming UDS reporting technical assistance (TA) webinars; see the Training & TA sidebar for times and registration links:
Successful UDS Submission Strategies
Wednesday, October 20
2021 UDS PRE Training
Thursday, November 4
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Loan Guarantee Program Webinar for American Rescue Plan Capital Award Recipients
HRSA will host a health center facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP) webinar for American Rescue Plan-Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements (ARP-Capital) award recipients. Presenters will provide background on the LGP and identify how it can support securing additional financing needed for approved ARP-Capital projects.
Tuesday, October 26
3:00-4:00 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: 160 493 0137
Deadline Reminder: Service Area Competition Applications for May 1 and June 1 Starts
Service Area Competition (SAC) HRSA-22-006 applications for May 1 starts are due in EHBs by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 3.
SAC HRSA-22-007 applications for June 1 starts are due in:
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Grants.gov: by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, November 1.
- EHBs: by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 1.
TA materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
Reminder: Continue Efforts to Vaccinate Against Flu
Flu vaccination isn’t as in the spotlight as other vaccination efforts, but it remains important. Vaccination of persons aged ≥6 months to reduce prevalence of illness caused by influenza will reduce symptoms that might be confused with those of COVID-19.
These resources may be useful:
Webinar Recording: Emergency Preparedness with CMS
Recently, the CMS Rural Health Clinic/Federally Qualified Health Center office joined us for a session exploring health center emergency preparedness planning in compliance with federal, state, and local emergency preparedness requirements. If you missed it, watch the recording.
Contacted Health Center Program Support? Rate Our Service
Whether you've had a pleasant experience or feel we could do better, the Health Center Program Support team would like to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the customer service survey embedded in the auto-generated email you receive after we resolve your issue or complete your request.
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National Advisory Council on Migrant Health to Meet in November
The National Advisory Council on Migrant Health (NACMH) will hold a four-day virtual meeting Tuesday, November 2, through Friday, November 5. The event is open to the public. Visit the NACMH webpage to register, and view the agenda.
NACMH advises and makes recommendations to the HHS Secretary on policy, program development, and other topics related to Migrant Health Centers and other organizations that serve migratory and seasonal agricultural workers and their families.
For Your Reading List: HHS Briefs on Topics of Interest
HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation publishes reports on a wide range of topics including COVID-19 and health equity. Below we highlight two from the full list that may be of interest for health centers:
COVID-19
Your Health Center’s Plans for Pediatric Vaccinations
We recently sent bulletins on our effort to collect information about your health center’s plans for vaccinating children under 12 years old once a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is authorized. See yesterday's bulletin.
We’ve sent the information request to the Project Director identified in EHBs. This email came from BPHCAnswers@hrsa.gov and has subject line, “Your Health Center’s Plans for Pediatric Vaccinations.”
Please share your answer by 11:59 p.m. your local time THIS Friday, October 22.
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Health Center Testing Supply Program Update
Last week, HRSA began piloting the distribution of at-home/over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits with a group of health centers representing a cross section of populations served, size, and location. Feedback from the pilot will help us finalize operational logistics and plans to make the program available to all health centers and look-alikes by early November.
For questions, contact Health Center Program Support Online. Select “COVID-19 Testing Supply Distribution Program” as the issue type. Choose sub-category “Testing Supply Distribution Program Inquiry."
Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program: Adolescent Vaccination Strategy Update
HRSA is supporting health centers to enhance COVID-19 adolescent vaccination efforts nationwide through a broad strategy that leverages the power of partnerships with schools and youth-based community organizations.
As of September, health centers and look-alikes participating in the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program have administered over 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for adolescents (children less than 18 years). Learn more about some of these efforts.
Federal Tort Claims Act Office Hours for Clinical Leaders
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) is hosting three Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) office hours that will answer health center clinical leaders’ specific questions on topics such as COVID-19 vaccine delivery, monoclonal antibody treatment, navigating telehealth issues, FTCA coverage for virtual services, deeming of volunteer health professionals, unique aspects of a virtual site visit, and risk management in the pandemic. See dates and register now. NACHC is a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
Health Centers on the Front Lines
This podcast from NACHC chronicles the health centers that are trying to achieve equity and fairness in the historic race to vaccinate people across the U.S. The latest episode features two Mississippi health centers that worked hard to get people vaccinated as the Delta variant raged through the community.
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These COVID-19 related items ran in previous communications from the Bureau of Primary Health Care.
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Still Time to Apply for Provider Relief Funds
Health care providers can apply for $25.5 billion in new provider relief funds. This includes $8.5 billion in ARP resources for those who serve rural patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP and $17 billion for Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 for a broad range of providers experiencing changes in operating revenues and expenses. Providers may apply for both programs with a single application. Applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 26. Apply or access TA webinars.
Lessons Learned: COVID-19 Health Literacy in Special & Vulnerable Populations
Speakers will discuss lessons learned related to addressing low levels of health literacy and the spread of misinformation about COVID-19. The webinar also addresses how health centers that serve farmworker families and community-dwelling older adults can effectively support patient health care engagement.
Wednesday, November 10
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
This webinar is co-hosted by two HRSA-funded NTTAPs, the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders (NCECE) and the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH).
Behavioral Health
Treating Concurrent Substance Use among Adults
SAMHSA’s new guide educates clinicians and other stakeholders about the harms of using more than one substance and considerations for addressing concurrent substance use disorders.
HIV
Ending the HIV Epidemic: National Clinical Webinar, HIV Prevention Strategies for Health Care Providers
HRSA and the HRSA-funded National Clinician Consultation Center (NCCC) invite health center clinicians to learn about the NCCC’s approach for supporting your HIV prevention efforts. NCCC provides free, confidential, one-on-one teleconsultation to health care providers on key prevention tools, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and harm reduction approaches to address HIV-associated risk behaviors. Based on real cases, we will review the nuts and bolts of HIV prevention and share ideas on overcoming clinical, informational, and cultural challenges in building prevention capacity.
Tuesday, October 26
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
New Notices of Funding Opportunity for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Early Intervention Services Program
The fiscal year (FY) 2022 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Early Intervention Services Program: New and Limited Existing Geographic Service Areas notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) were recently released. This program’s purpose is to provide comprehensive primary health care and support services in an outpatient setting for people with low incomes and with HIV. The NOFOs correspond to the type of service area designation being funded by each announcement.
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HRSA-22-016 funds new geographic service areas, as proposed by the applicant.
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HRSA-22-017 funds a limited number of existing geographic service areas, as defined in Appendix B of the NOFO.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, December 10.
Join a TA webinar for applicants:
Thursday, October 28
2:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
Workforce
Workforce Self-Care Resource Repository
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s (ACU) STAR2 Center is excited to share a new resource bundle focused on self-care for the health center workforce. It is important to remember the importance of organizational support, community care, accessibility, and cultural differences. This resource repository is meant to serve as a starting point for organizations to grow their support of self-care for their workforce. ACU is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Several HRSA-funded NTTAPs present learning collaboratives:
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The Health Center Resource Clearinghouse: Improving the Curation and Distribution of Promising Practices
NACHC is looking for Primary Care Associations and health center training and staff development managers to inform and strengthen the Clearinghouse’s curation and sharing of promising practices. Working alongside NACHC, participants will help develop a promising practices submission form and a checklist for vetting based on new criteria. They will also help tailor the Clearinghouse submission process to align with health center practices. Register here.
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Diabetes Prevention & Best Practices for Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Workers
Participants will learn best practices and evidence-based diabetes prevention models, and will discuss challenges in addressing diabetes prevention across the lifespan. Get more information or register.
HRSA’s State Loan Repayment Program is Open
The Biden-Harris Administration’s ARP made $100 million available to fund state-run programs that support, recruit, and retain primary care clinicians through HRSA’s State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). All 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories can apply to receive between $80,000 and $1 million annually to fund their own loan repayment programs for providers serving in underserved areas.
The funding opportunity has two new flexibilities available throughout the next project period (FY 2022-2026):
- No cost-sharing requirement: States are not required to demonstrate a match for the federal funding received through the grant. However, we encourage states to secure some level of funding match through public or private entities.
- Administrative costs: States have the opportunity to dedicate 10% of the SLRP award to administrative costs. This provision increases the capacity to administer a loan repayment program across states, especially those new to the SLRP grant funding.
Apply by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, April 8, 2022. Notices of Award will be announced prior to the project start date of Sunday, May 1, 2022.
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Physician Assistants Now Eligible for National Health Service Corps Students to Service
The 2022 National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program application cycle is now open. Physician assistant students in their final year of school are eligible to apply. Additionally, final-year students studying to become a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, medical doctor, or dentist can apply for awards of up to $120,000 in exchange for a three-year commitment to provide primary care services at NHSC-approved sites in high-need underserved areas. Apply by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 4.
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Additional Resources
The Health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Patients Served at Health Centers: An Analysis of the 2019 UDS Data
Access a new report and the recording of a related webinar that share analysis of 2019 UDS data on patient demographics, use of services, and chronic and infectious diseases, with a special focus on health centers that serve Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander patients. This report includes narratives from: HOPE Clinic, Kosrae Community Health Center, and Waimānalo Health Center. The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, a HRSA-funded NTTAP, produced these resources.
Health Center Role in Housing Innovations: Pay for Success Models – Publication
Read a report from the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to learn about performance-based contracting, pay for success models, and the key roles for health centers participating in these models. CSH is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Developmental Surveillance Resources Available in Many Languages
CDC has materials and resources in many languages and formats to engage families in developmental surveillance as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program partners with the AAP to provide resources to health care providers, families, and others. Print milestone checklists or order milestone moments booklets or flyers to promote CDC’s Milestone Tracker app among families to help track their children’s progress.
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