December 16, 2021
What's New
Spread the Word About Vaccine Boosters. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services released new resources – posters, flyers, videos, and talking points – to help promote the extra protection from COVID-19 boosters. All vaccinated adults aged 18+ are eligible for a booster. Search by zip code to find nearby locations providing adult and pediatric vaccines and boosters for COVID-19 and the flu at vaccines.gov.
Federal Response to Tornado Outbreaks. The process for federal assistance begins once a state’s governor makes a request and the President declares that a major disaster exists. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individual and business owners recover from damage. HHS identifies behavioral health as a concern that may be overlooked in the days and months after a disaster. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a mobile app with immediate access to resources for first responders.
Talking About the Link Between ACEs, Overdose, and Suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) want greater awareness of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their connection to high rates of overdose and suicide. This week they announced a new training webpage, UrgentRelatedPreventable.org, designed in collaboration with the American Public Health Association to provide background and talking points. The site explains how exposure to certain events and conditions in childhood have lasting effects on health, well-being, and prosperity far into adulthood. See Funding section below for a CDC effort to research the links between ACEs and substance use.
Ongoing: HRSA Payment Program for RHC Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. In June 2021, HRSA launched an effort to improve access to substance use disorder treatment by paying for providers who are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.5 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov. There is ongoing availability of a free online course for waiver eligibility training from the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine and the Providers Clinical Support System.
COVID-19 Resources
NARHC Assistance with Federal Programs for COVID-19 Testing, Vaccine Distribution, and Provider Relief Fund. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) has background information and guidelines in its collection of technical assistance webinars for all COVID-related programs designated for Rural Health Clinics.
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Resources for COVID-19. A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from our grantees and stakeholders.
Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Distribution (RHCVD) Program. Under the program, Medicare-certified RHCs will receive direct COVID-19 vaccines in addition to their normal jurisdictions’ weekly allocation. Contact RHCVaxDistribution@hrsa.gov for more information.
New: Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation. The new resource asks for participation from individuals, teachers, school administrators, librarians, faith leaders, and health care professionals to understand, identify, and stop the spread of misinformation. The toolkit includes common types of misinformation and a checklist to help evaluate the accuracy of health-related content.
Online Resource for Licensure of Health Professionals. As telehealth usage increased during the pandemic, FORHP funded new work with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards to reduce the burden of multi-state licensure. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state for psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists assistants, and social workers.
HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund. HRSA will provide claims reimbursement at the national Medicare rate for eligible health care providers administering vaccines to underinsured individuals.
HHS Facts About COVID Care for the Uninsured. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) helps uninsured individuals find no-cost COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines. The HRSA Uninsured Program provides claims reimbursement to health care providers generally at Medicare rates for testing, treating, and administering vaccines to uninsured individuals, including undocumented immigrants. There are at-a-glance fact sheets for providers and for patients in English and Spanish.
CDC COVID-19 Updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides daily updates and guidance, including a section specific to rural health care, COVID-19 Vaccination Trainings for new and experienced providers, and Tips for Talking with Patients about COVID-19 Vaccination.
HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network. A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients and struggling with access to enough critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts. Teams of critical care clinicians are available to deliver virtual care through telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device. Hear from participating clinicians, and email to learn more and sign up.
Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the FORHP-supported Licensure Portability Grant Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities.
New: Reaching Farm Communities for Vaccine Confidence. The AgriSafe Network is a nonprofit organization that provides information and training on injury and disease related to agriculture. Their health professionals and educators created a social media toolkit that aims to provide clear messages about COVID-19 vaccination for agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers.
Funding and Opportunities
CDC Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health – Letters of Intent, December 17. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will fund 10-12 organizations with up to $1.4 million each to conduct research on improvements in worker safety in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Applicants are required to email a letter of intent by December 17. Deadline for applications is January 24.
NIHB/CDC Building Capacity for Tribal Infection Control – January 7. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent and control current and future outbreaks of infectious disease. The CDC’s Project Firstline is a diverse collaborative of public health partners that aims to provide infection control training for frontline health care workers. NIHB will provide funds of $50,000 each to create peer learning communities. An informational webinar for applicants will take place Friday, December 17 at 2:00 pm ET.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants for Climate Change and Health – January 10. Small, early-stage grants of $2,500 – $50,000 will go to projects that create new areas of research and education connecting biomedical sciences and climate change. Examples of projects from recently announced grantees include studying the effect of climate on preterm births and engaging high school students in the effects of extreme heat. Awards will be made quarterly until August 2023. The organization is interested in projects from and about rural areas. The deadline for the next round of proposals is January 10.
SAMHSA Harm Reduction Program – February 7. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make 25 awards, each up to $400,000 per year for a three-year program. The funding supports community-based harm reduction services that may include syringe services, vaccination services, sharps disposal, substance abuse testing, infectious disease testing kits, safe smoking supplies, and more. Eligible applicants are state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit community-based organizations, and primary and behavioral health organizations.
IHS Tribal Self-Governance Negotiation – February 10. The Indian Health Service (IHS) will award five cooperative agreements with funding of up to $48,000 each to help defray the costs of negotiating participation in the federal program that allows Tribes the authority to manage and tailor health care in a manner that best fits the needs of their communities. A separate program, IHS Tribal Self-Governance Planning – February 10, awards up to $120,000 to five organizations that have completed negations and are preparing to assume the transfer of IHS programs.
CDC Strengthening Infection Prevention – February 11. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make 12 awards with total funding of $100 million to strengthen infection prevention and control through training and education of health care workers. Recipient organizations must have the capacity to design and deliver training and assessment for one of two components: 1) improving the structure and design of materials and equipment, as well as practices; and 2) strengthening the training and competency assessment of health care personnel.
CDC Evaluating Substance Use Prevention Frameworks Incorporating ACEs Prevention Strategy – February 22. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will make six awards with total investment of more than $24 million for rigorous evaluation of prevention approaches to substance use and overdose that incorporate efforts to prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The strongest applications will document established relationships between the institutions designing and leading evaluation efforts and the communities already implementing ACEs-related activities and/or substance use and overdose prevention strategies.
HRSA Mobile Health Training Program for Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention – February 22. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make 35 awards, each receiving up to $1 million per year for a four-year project. The program will establish nurse-led mobile health training sites to provide care in underserved communities while training and mentoring nurse students. Eligible applicants include accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, and tribal organizations. Recent data from the Rural Health Research Gateway details the challenge of recruiting and retaining nurses in rural areas, including the cost of training, lower compensation, and a population with more complex health needs.
USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program – February 22. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make grants of up to $35 million and grants of up to $50 million to expand broadband service in rural areas without sufficient broadband access.
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Behavioral Health Care Technical Assistance (RCORP-BHCTA) – March 9. The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will award up to $10 million per year for one technical assistance provider to support Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grant recipients’ efforts to develop, implement, and sustain behavioral health, including substance use disorder, interventions in rural communities. In collaboration with HRSA, the recipient will provide customized technical assistance to grant recipients in a variety of formats and be responsive to the health care needs and priorities of rural communities. A technical assistance webinar for applicants will be held on January 11, 2022 from 2-3 p.m., ET.
Policy Updates
Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov.
No updates this week.
Learning Events and Technical Assistance
Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center Webinar – Thursday, December 16 at 1:00 pm ET . Register now for the Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center’s hour-long webinar - COVID-19’s Effect on Access to Care for Underserved Populations: An Examination of Telehealth and Provider Attrition.
CMS on Health Insurance Marketplace for AI/AN – Thursday, December 16 at 1:00 pm ET. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will speak to Marketplace Navigators and others who provide in-person assistance for health insurance enrollment in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. The session will highlight policy changes put in place to expand access to coverage during the pandemic.
Overlay Health Center and COVID-19 Data with New UDS Mapper Tools – Thursday, December 16 at 2:00 pm ET. The Uniform Data System (UDS) Mapper is 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. 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. 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.
Resources of the Week
NRTRC Telehealth Facility Finder. Created by the Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC), this interactive tool helps patients and providers determine where telehealth services are available. The NRTRC serves a seven-state region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah) to advance the development, implementation and integration of telehealth through sharing information, leveraging resources and creating a synergistic telehealth community. Providers that would like to added to this tool can submit their information online.
Value-Based Care Assessment Tool. Last week, the Rural Health Value team released a revised Value-Based Care Strategic Planning Tool (VBC Tool). This online tool helps the organization assess readiness for the shift of healthcare payments from volume to value. The resulting report may be used to guide the development of action plans. Supplemental resources, including an action planning tool and a brief guide to preparing for a value-based payment contract are also available. The Rural Health Value team is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to help improve rural health care delivery.
Approaching Deadlines
CDC Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health – Letters of Intent, December 17
FEMA Grants for Firefighters/EMS Organizations – December 17
HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program – extended to December 21
Last Day for RHCs to Spend COVID-19 Testing Funds – December 31
Department of Labor Stand Down Grants for Veterans Services – December 31
USDA Guaranteed Loans for Rural Rental Housing – December 31
COVID-19 Extension for Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Affiliation Agreement – January 1
Treasury Department New Markets Tax Credit Program – January 3
CDC Grants for New Investigators/Research for Interpersonal Violence Impacting Children/Youth – January 4
COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Workers in Medicare/Medicaid Facilities – January 4
HHS COVID-19 and Health Equity Impact Fellowship – January 4
HRSA Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) – January 5
NIHB/CDC Building Capacity for Tribal Infection Control – January 7
Nominations Sought for Indigenous Health Equity Committee – extended to January 7
NIH Research for AI/AN End-of-Life Care – January 8
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants for Climate Change and Health – January 10
USDA Farm to School Grants – January 10
HHS Grants for Family Planning Services – January 11
HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – January 13
HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – January 13
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Implementation – January 13
CDC Research on Telehealth Strategies for PrEP and ART – January 18
Comments Requested: DEA Regulation of Telepharmacy Practice – January 18
NIH Researching Behavioral Risk Factors for Cancer in Rural Populations – January 18
Department of Labor YouthBuild Program – January 21
CDC Centers for Agricultural Safety and Health – January 24
ACL Empowering Communities for Chronic Disease Self-Management – January 25
ACL Empowering Communities to Deliver and Sustain Falls Prevention Programs – January 25
CDC Seeking Public Input on Work-Related Stress for Health Workers – Extended to January 25
HRSA Delta Region Rural Health Workforce Training Program – January 25
CDC Cancer Prevention and Control for State, Territorial, and Tribal Organizations – January 26
HRSA Access to HIV Services for Women and Children – January 28
HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program – January 28
HHS Technology Challenge for Racial Equity in Postpartum Care – January 31
HRSA Centers of Excellence for Training Minorities in Health Professions – January 31
SAMHSA-American Psychiatric Association Diversity Leadership Fellowship – January 31
HRSA Leadership Education in Adolescent Health – February 1
Indian Health Service Forensic Healthcare Services for Domestic Violence Prevention – February 2
Indian Health Service Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Program – February 2
Indian Health Service Zero Suicide Initiative – February 2
National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Programs – Extended to February 3
CDC Research to Prevent Firearm-Related Violence and Injuries – February 4
RWJF Summer Health Professions Education Program for Underrepresented Minorities – February 5
HRSA Predoctoral Training in Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene – February 7
SAMHSA Harm Reduction Program – February 7
VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families – February 7
USDA Farm and Food Worker Relief Grants – February 8
IHS Tribal Self-Governance Negotiation – February 10
IHS Tribal Self-Governance Planning – February 10
CDC Strengthening Infection Prevention – February 11
CDC Evaluating Substance Use Prevention Frameworks Incorporating ACEs Prevention Strategy – February 22
HRSA Mobile Health Training Program for Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention – February 22
USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program – February 22
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Behavioral Health Care Technical Assistance (RCORP-BHCTA) – March 9
FCC/USAC Rural Health Care Connect Fund – April 1
FCC/USAC Telecommunications Program – April 1
USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Program – April 5
Ongoing Opportunities
CFPB Rental Assistance Finder
HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network
Extended Public Comment Period for FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program
FCC Emergency Broadband for Individuals and Households
FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
HRSA Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians – Until Funds Run Out
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program – March 2022
AHRQ Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grants – September 2022
AHRQ Research to Improve Patient Transitions through HIT – December 2022
American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance
ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants for Climate Change and Health – Quarterly through August 2023
CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies
CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs
Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program
Department of Commerce American Rescue Plan Funding for Indigenous Communities – September 2022
Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs
Department of Labor Dislocated Worker Grants
DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development
EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
FEMA/SAMHSA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP)
GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment
HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program
Housing Assistance Council: Housing Loans for Low-Income Rural Communities
HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program
IHS Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training
IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM)
NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course
NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications
NIH Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health – May 2022
NIH Practice-Based Research for Primary Care Suicide Prevention – June 2022
NIH Research – Alcohol and Other Substance Use – Various Dates Through August 2022
NIH Research: Intervening with Cancer Caregivers to Improve Patient Outcomes – September 8, 2022
NIH Research on Minority Health/Health Disparities – September 8, 2022
NIH Research on Palliative Care in Home/Community Settings – September 8, 2022
NIH Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health – Various Dates Until September 2023
NIH Researching the Role of Work in Health Disparities – Various Dates Until September 2024
NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024
Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Nominations for National Advisory Committee on Migrant Health
Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans
Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development
RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health
RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals
SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans
Tribal Grant Writing Training
USDA Community Facilities Program
USDA Community Food Projects Technical Assistance
USDA Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages
USDA Economic Impact Initiative Grants
USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
USDA Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance
USDA Intermediary Relending Program
USDA Rural Business Development Grants
USDA Rural Business Investment Program
USDA Rural Energy Savings Program
USDA SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects)
USDA Summer Food Program
USDA Technical Assistance for Healthy Food Financing Initiative
USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans
USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects
USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S)
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