What's New
Updated Patient Targets Releasing Soon
This month, HRSA will begin a staggered release of updated patient targets for Health Center Program (H80) award recipients.
HRSA will notify funded health centers of the availability of the updated patient targets through tailored email messages to Authorizing Officials and Project Directors, beginning with award recipients with January budget period start dates. The message will include a direct link to the updated patient target and a deadline for confirmations, questions, and adjustment requests. It will also communicate whether the health center will complete a fiscal year (FY) 2023 Service Area Competition (SAC) or a Budget Period Progress Report (BPR).
Health centers that will complete an FY 2023 SAC are requested to confirm or request adjustment to their patient target by the deadline in their email to ensure that the SAC Service Area Announcement Table is accurate. Response is optional for health centers that will submit an FY 2023 BPR.
Submit questions using the BPHC Contact Form (select “Patient Targets” under the Health Center Program heading).
Health Center Volunteer Applications Due by Monday, May 9
Due to statutory language, the Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals (VHP) program will sunset on Saturday, October 1. Therefore, VHP applications will no longer be accepted after Monday, May 9. If Congress extends the VHP program, Federal Tort Claims Act staff will provide guidance on how to apply for continued or new VHP coverage.
Please note: This sunset date does NOT apply to regular health center deeming.
Live Q&A for FY 2020 Primary Care HIV Prevention Awardees
HRSA will host a question and answer session on required tri-annual progress reporting and closeout activities for health centers that received a FY 2020 Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) award (HRSA-20-091).
Thursday, April 7
3:30-4:30 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: 161 605 0021
For more information, visit the PCHP technical assistance (TA) webpage.
HRSA’s March Roundup
In March, HRSA:
- Recognized the anniversaries of the American Rescue Plan, Affordable Care Act, and Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program;
- Worked to implement President Biden’s National Mental Health Strategy;
- Promoted access to gender affirming care and treatment; and
- Distributed an additional $413 million in Provider Relief Fund payments.
Read more March highlights.
Transforming Pediatrics for Early Childhood Funding Now Available
HRSA released the FY 2022 Transforming Pediatrics for Early Childhood (TPEC) notice of funding opportunity (HRSA-22-141). HRSA will invest approximately $4 million for up to four cooperative agreements. FY 2022 TPEC applications are due in Grants.gov on Monday, May 23.
FY 2022 TPEC will establish resource hubs that support the placement of early childhood development experts into pediatric practices, with a focus on Patient-Centered Medical Homes and similar settings. The priority service population is young children (prenatal through five years old) and their families who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP or are uninsured.
HRSA will host a TA webinar for applicants:
Thursday, April 7
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Tools for Health Centers to Promote Continuity of Coverage in Medicaid and CHIP upon Conclusion of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
In March 2020, CMS temporarily waived certain Medicaid and CHIP requirements and conditions to help prevent people from losing their health coverage. States will soon be required to restart eligibility reviews. According to some estimates, up to 15 million people could lose their current Medicaid or CHIP coverage through a process called “unwinding.”
In an effort to minimize this number, CMS is working to inform people about renewing their coverage and exploring other available health insurance options if they no longer qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. We encourage health centers to explore resources and toolkits available on CMS’ website to promote awareness and provide assistance with re-enrollment for Medicaid, CHIP, and other affordable insurance options.
NIH-Funded Study Highlights Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Pediatric Asthma Care
An NIH-funded study found that Black children with asthma accessed community health centers less than white children, while Latino children were more likely to visit health centers for acute, chronic, and preventive care overall.
Learn about a CMS Request for Applications for Safety Net Providers
CMS recently released a request for applications to solicit a cohort of participants for the Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model. We encourage health centers to join one of three webinars this week to learn more about the ACO REACH model and how to participate in performance year 2023. Visit to see webinar dates and times and to register.
COVID-19
COVID.gov
As we shared in a bulletin last week, the Biden Administration launched COVID.gov—a one-stop website for people to get place-based guidance on COVID-19 as well as access to lifesaving tools. These tools directly align with materials available to your health center through our COVID-19 Response Programs:
We encourage you to review this new guidance tool and prepare now, given the cyclical nature of COVID-19 surges.
Learn more about these programs at TODAY’s COVID-19 Response Programs Office Hours, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET.
Register one time and you’ll have access to all Office Hour sessions from now until February 2023. Sessions are geared toward participants, but any HRSA-supported health center is welcome to attend. You can also submit questions prior to each session.
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CDC Recommends Additional Boosters for Certain Individuals
Our March 30 bulletin also shared CDC's statement about additional boosters.
HHS’ We Can Do This website offers materials you can use to encourage your community to get boosted, including social media posts, print materials, and more.
COVID-19 ECHO Spring 2022 Webinar Series
Join Community Health Center, Inc., (CHC) for updates on the pandemic, best practices for using and dispensing Paxlovid, workforce retention and engagement strategies, and what is known about long COVID. Each session will include COVID-19 (and variant) updates at the beginning, and expert panelists will answer audience questions. Join to engage with a panel of experts and to hear from peers across the country. Visit to see dates and times and to register. CHC is a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
Hypertension
Million Hearts® Learning Lab: Optimizing Use of the Expanded Care Team for Hypertension and Cholesterol Management
The Million Hearts® Learning Lab is a bi-monthly learning series focused on cardiovascular disease prevention and management topics. The series is open to clinicians, quality improvement, and other interested staff across the country, but with a focus on community health centers. The next session is:
Optimizing Use of the Expanded Care Team
for Hypertension and Cholesterol Management
Wednesday, May 18
3:00-3:45 p.m. ET
Register here
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) (through a cooperative agreement with Million Hearts®) and the American Medical Association co-host this series. CDC and CMS fund Million Hearts®.
**Clinicians may earn 1.0 CME credit per session and up to 5.0 credits for attending the full series through the American Medical Association's EdHub.**
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Workforce
Developing Workforce Retention and Resiliency within an Integrated Care Setting
The impact of COVID-19 on health care worker retention and burnout has been staggering. According to the American Medical Association, nearly half of health care workers reported experiencing burnout. This webinar will cover strategies to bolster health care workforce retention and prevent workforce burnout.
Wednesday, April 20
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
**1.0 CE available**
Virtual Workshops for Health Centers Interested in School-Based Care
NACHC and the School-Based Health Alliance (SBHA) offer two virtual workshops for health centers on the key elements of providing school-based health care. Topics include enhancing school-based partnerships and the distinct operational considerations for providing school-based health care. Get details and register to attend.
NACHC and SBHA are both HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Workforce Symposium and Retention & Recruitment Workshop
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s (ACU) STAR2 Center invites health center staff to Nashville, TN, for a deep dive into promoting resilience and transformations in care to effectively support health center teams. Following the Workforce Symposium, the STAR2 Center offers a Retention & Recruitment Planning Workshop. This interactive training will jump-start health center teams’ creation or revamping of a plan. Sessions take place on Monday, May 2, through Thursday, May 5.
ACU is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
HRSA-funded NTTAPs present learning collaboratives:
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Outreach and Enrollment Assisters: Designing Your Workflow and Collecting Data
NACHC invites health center Outreach and Enrollment (O&E) staff to focus on designing and refining O&E workflows for in-person and virtual encounters and identifying barriers and solutions to data collection. Apply by Wednesday, April 6.
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Strategies to Empower Asian American Patients with Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes
The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations invites health center staff to gain in-depth knowledge about empowering Asian American patients through strategies that effectively address diabetes disparities in the Asian American community. Participants will share challenges and promising practices. Apply by 5:00 p.m. your local time on Tuesday, April 19.
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All-Hazards Emergency Preparedness & Response
NACHC invites health center staff to discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that can inform emergency preparedness efforts. Speakers will highlight the efficacy of an all-hazards, multidisciplinary preparedness approach, as well as specific measures health centers should take to comply with the CMS Rule for Emergency Preparedness. Topics will range from planning for and responding to natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, active shooters, and other emergencies. Register to attend.
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Revenue Cycle
NACHC will host this peer-to-peer learning series. Participants will use real-life challenges and apply strategies to ensure productive revenue cycle functions. Apply now.
Find other NTTAP learning collaboratives in the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse.
National Health Service Corps Scholarship New Site Application Open
Eligible health care facilities can now apply for approval as a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholarship site. NHSC-approved sites with an inactive status may also apply to recertify their approved status during the open cycle. Learn about eligibility or apply by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 10.
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NHSC Scholarship Program Accepting Applications
HRSA’s 2022 NHSC Scholarship Program application cycle is open to eligible medical, dental, nursing, and physician assistant students. In exchange for two years of service in a community in need, scholars receive tuition assistance and more. With additional funds available, HRSA expects to award a significant number of scholars in 2022. Learn more or apply by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 5.
Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Application Open
Eligible nurses can apply to HRSA’s Nurse Corps Scholarship Program by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 5. In exchange for two years of service in a critical shortage facility, scholars receive tuition assistance and more. If you need help with your application, join a TA webinar:
Thursday, April 14
3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
Additional Resources
Collaborating to Address the Health and Legal Needs of Patients Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Exploitation
Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation and the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnerships (NCMLP) are co-hosting a webinar on collaborations between health care providers and legal services providers to address intimate partner violence (IPV) and exploitation and promote prevention.
Thursday, April 21
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Register here
The intended audience is both medical-legal partnerships and other health and legal services partners. Both hosts are HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
The Unique Role of Medical-Legal Partnerships in Helping Health Centers Address Disability and Chronic Disease Discrimination
NCMLP, in collaboration with Health Outreach Partners (also a HRSA-funded NTTAP), is offering a webinar series designed to help health centers address and redress discrimination against people living with disabilities or chronic disease. Health centers play a key role in identifying discrimination at its earliest stages and will learn how to mitigate it by leveraging their own medical authority and resources within the community. Visit to see dates and times and to register.
Eyes on Access: Comprehensive Vision Services in Health Centers
Join NACHC, Prevent Blindness, and ACU for a two-part webinar series to learn strategies and models of investment from vision care experts and peers from health centers across the country. Visit to see dates and times and to register.
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