What's New
Important Update for Health Center Federal Tort Claims Act Volunteer Health Professionals Program in 2022
Statutory authority for the Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals (VHP) Program is currently due to sunset on Saturday, October 1, 2022, pursuant to Section 224(q)(6) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 233(q)(6)), which states: “Beginning on October 1, 2022, this subsection shall cease to have any force or effect.”
Previously issued VHP Notices of Deeming Action (NDA) are being amended to expressly reflect this statutory sunset date. Future VHP NDAs for calendar year 2022 also will reflect the statutory sunset date of Friday, September 30, 2022. Absent legislative action to continue the program beyond the statutory sunset date, HRSA will not accept VHP deeming applications submitted after Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
For more, visit the Health Center VHP FTCA webpage.
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Important Fiscal Year 2022 Health Center Controlled Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity Modifications
We’ve modified the fiscal year 2022 Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCN) Notice of Funding Opportunity (HRSA-22-009) to include the following updates:
- Extended deadlines for submission:
- Grants.gov: 11: 59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 1, 2022
- HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs): 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 2, 2022
- Eligibility requirements now include private, for-profit entities as eligible applicants.
- The Grants.gov application components now reflect submission components required in Grants.gov. Note: Information submitted in Grants.gov will transfer to EHBs where it can be edited and updated.
Updated technical assistance (TA) materials will be made available on the HCCN TA webpage.
Uniform Data System 2021 Reporting Season Begins Soon
The Uniform Data System (UDS) calendar year 2021 reporting period is just around the corner. The official reporting period begins on Saturday, January 1, 2022. All Health Center Program awardees and look-alikes are required to submit complete and accurate UDS reports by Tuesday, February 15, 2022.
The Preliminary Reporting Environment (PRE) continues to be available through EHBs. Data entered in the PRE are pushed into the live reporting environment when the reporting period officially begins.
Visit the UDS Resources webpage for the 2021 UDS Manual and other resources to help health centers submit accurate, timely, and complete UDS reports.
For additional assistance:
- UDS Support Line: Provides assistance with UDS measures and requirements. Call 866-837-4357 (866-UDS-HELP) or email udshelp330@bphcdata.net.
- EHBs Assistance: Helps with completing and submitting UDS reports via the EHBs: Call Health Center Program Support at 877-464-4772 (Option 1) or send inquiries via the BPHC Contact Form. Choose the requestor type (current award recipient, current look-alike) and question type (health center).
Open Enrollment Period on HealthCare.gov
The Marketplace Open Enrollment Period on HealthCare.gov is now open and will remain so until Saturday, January 15, 2022. Consumers who enroll by Wednesday, December 15, can get full year coverage that starts Saturday, January 1. Learn more.
NIH Listening Sessions to Inform Efforts on Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity
NIH launched the UNITE initiative in March to address structural race and ethnicity-based discrimination in NIH-supported entities and the greater scientific community. Now they are holding listening sessions to learn from external stakeholders about the full range of issues and challenges in advancing racial and ethnic equity in the biomedical research enterprise.
COVID-19
 Overlay Health Center and COVID-19 Data with New UDS Mapper Tools
New COVID-19 data mapping tools are now available on the Uniform Data System (UDS) Mapper, an online resource that allows users to view maps of health center service sites with the demographic, socioeconomic, and population health characteristics of the surrounding geographic areas. The new tools allow you to overlay COVID-19 data from CDC and the Health Center COVID-19 Survey onto the maps of health center service area data. You can also view prevalence rates of certain underlying conditions that could increase the risk of severe illness and death due to COVID-19, as well as COVID-19 data for specific demographic and socioeconomic groups.
Learn more about how to use these tools:
UDS Mapper Advanced Topic: COVID-19 Tools and Population Health
Thursday, December 16
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Visit the UDS Mapper to log in or register for a free account. After logging in, select “COVID-19 TOOLS" from the “Tutorials and Resources" menu to access the tools. For new users, introductory tutorials on the basic functions of the UDS Mapper are available under “TUTORIALS" on the same menu.
It's National Influenza
Vaccination Week
Flu vaccination isn’t as in the spotlight as other vaccination efforts, but it remains important. Vaccination of persons age ≥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:
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HIV
CDC Reports on Disparities Relating to HIV and PrEP
CDC recently released two reports which may be of interest to health center providers:
Hypertension
Prevention and Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis
December's Heart Health Office Hours will include an overview of carotid artery stenosis, including ways health center staff can help prevent, identify, and treat the disease in their patients. Participants can submit their questions for speakers during the registration process.
Dr. Richard Benson (NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Office of Global Health and Health Disparities) and Dr. Kevin Barrett (Mayo Clinic) will share their expertise with attendees.
Monday, December 13
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
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Hypertension 101: Let’s Get Hypertension Under Control!
It is more critical than ever for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and health center staff to help their patients reengage in hypertension prevention/control efforts. This two-hour training will strengthen CHWs’ coaching skills and knowledge in hypertension and cholesterol management and empower CHWs to help their communities address, prevent, and/or reduce the risk of diabetes and hypertension complications. Presented by the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH), a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Tuesday, December 14
2:30-4:30 p.m. ET
Register here
Workforce
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), a HRSA-funded NTTAP, presents several learning collaboratives:
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Frequent Users Systems Engagement
CSH’s Frequent Users Systems Engagement (FUSE) approach is a proven model identifying frequent users of hospitals, jails, shelters, and/or other crisis public services and then improving their lives through supportive housing. For health centers that are screening and documenting for social determinants of health (SDOH), FUSE provides a pathway to use health and other system data. Apply by 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, January 14, 2022.
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Understanding Non-Clinical and Housing Case Management Staff Roles in Diabetes Prevention and Diabetes Prevention Support
This opportunity is for health centers serving people experiencing homelessness to explore effective strategies for diabetes prevention and self-management in non-clinic settings. Learn what housing case managers require to support continued diabetes prevention care and management. Apply by Friday, January 14, 2022.
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Health and Housing Partnerships Capital Expansion
Health centers interested in expanding their health services in collaboration with housing partners should join this opportunity. It will bring together a peer group of health centers to exchange expertise and solutions related to health and housing capital development. Apply by Friday, January 21, 2022.
Learn more at a webinar:
Thursday, January 13, 2022
1:30-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here
2021-2022 PCA and HCCN Workforce Professional Development Series
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s (ACU) STAR2 Center invites staff from Primary Care Associations (PCAs) and HCCNs to participate in an upcoming workforce professional development series. The series aims to bolster workforce efforts internally at PCAs and HCCNs, and to help these organizations provide a robust support system for recruitment and retention at health centers. Topics include workforce action plans, using data in workforce planning, employee satisfaction and wellness, and more. ACU is a HRSA-funded NTTAP. See dates and times and register here.
Call for Podcast Interviewees to Discuss Employee Self-Care
ACU’s STAR2 Center is looking for health center clinicians, leadership, and staff interested in participating in a 20 to 30-minute interview for a podcast series focusing on the need for organizationally-supported employee self-care. If you are interested in discussing how you engage in self-care and how your organization supports self-care, please fill out the application.
Deadline Extended: Three HRSA Health Workforce Loan Repayment Programs Open
HRSA extended the deadline to apply for its three National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment programs. The new deadline is 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 3, 2022. Eligible clinicians providing primary medical, dental, behavioral health care services, or evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment can qualify for loan repayment.
Additional Resources
An Innovative Approach to Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening
Join this webinar to hear about an innovative collaboration between a health center, a non-profit organization, and a radio station to increase colorectal cancer screening rates.
Wednesday, December 15
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
HRSA’s Loan Guarantee Program: An Overview
This webinar will provide an overview of HRSA’s Health Center Facility Loan Guarantee Program (LGP). Participants will learn about the application process and recent health center projects that have benefitted from the guarantee, as well as Capital Link’s upcoming LGP Learning Collaborative. Capital Link is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Thursday, December 16
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
The SDOH Academy Innovations Showcase Competition: Helping Health Centers Build Healthier Communities
The SDOH Academy* is holding a multi-part interactive activity for health centers to improve how they address SDOH by participating in a combination of training modules and an innovations showcase. Learn more at a kick-off webinar:
Thursday, January 13, 2022
3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Register here
*The SDOH Academy was founded by the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership, a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Making the Connection: Climate Changes Health
The American Public Health Association and ecoAmerica present a recorded webinar series investigating the health impacts of climate change. The series explores the connection between climate change and key areas of health:
- Part I: Climate Changes Allergies and Asthma
- Part II: Climate Changes Children’s Health
- Part III: Changing Climate through Healthy Community Design and Transportation
- Part IV: Climate Changes Mental Health
In case you missed it:
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