What's New
Applications Due Monday: American Rescue Plan UDS+ Funding
Eligible HRSA-funded health centers and Health Center Program look-alikes have until Monday, May 23, at 5:00 p.m. ET to submit their fiscal year (FY) 2022 American Rescue Plan Uniform Data System Patient-Level Submission Funding (ARP-UDS+) applications in HRSA's Electronic Handbooks (EHBs).
Visit the ARP-UDS+ technical assistance (TA) webpage for the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), health center and look-alike eligibility lists, and other resources, including the recording of the ARP-UDS+ applicant webinar.
Equipment Changes Require HRSA Prior Approval
If you are adding new equipment to your H80 or supplemental award project, per 45 CFR 75.308, you must request prior approval from HRSA. This includes increasing the number of equipment items from a previous approval (e.g., adding three vaccine refrigerators instead of one). Submit a budget modification prior approval request within EHBs to ensure all of your equipment purchases are a part of your approved award.
$5 Million in Funding to Advance Equity in Cancer Screening at Health Centers
Last week, HHS announced the availability of $5 million for HRSA-funded health centers to increase equitable access to life-saving cancer screenings.
Visit the FY 2022 Accelerating Cancer Screening (AxCS) TA webpage to access the NOFO and other resources. FY 2022 AxCS applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 15.
Healthy Grants Workshop Web Series
The 2022 Healthy Grants Workshop web series is for current HRSA award recipients and will offer multiple presentations on how to successfully manage your HRSA award. Presenters include HRSA’s Office of Federal Assistance Management, the Grants Quality Service Management Office, and the Office of the Inspector General.
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HHS Launches New Maternal Mental Health Hotline
HHS recently announced the launch of the Maternal Mental Health Hotline—a confidential, toll-free hotline for expecting and new moms experiencing mental health challenges. Access counselors by phone or text at 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746) in English and Spanish. TTY users can use a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 1-833-943-5746.
Thank you to HRSA-funded health centers for participating in the pilot phase of the hotline. Now this resource is broadly available. We encourage you to share it with everyone you serve, your colleagues, and your networks.
The Maternal Mental Health Hotline is not intended as an emergency response line. Individuals in suicidal crisis or emotional distress should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
HHS Fact Sheet: Helping Families Find Formula during the Infant Formula Shortage
To address infant formula shortages in the wake of Abbott Nutrition’s voluntary recall of certain powdered infant formulas, the Biden-Harris Administration is working to ensure that infant formula is safe and available for families across the country. Read the fact sheet. We shared background on the situation in a bulletin on Friday.
Critical Vaccines Being Missed
CDC data show national vaccination coverage (the percent of kindergarten children who completed their required vaccines during the 2020-2021 school year) dropped from 95% to below 94%, amounting to at least 35,000 more children without completed vaccinations.
HRSA encourages health centers to promote the message that now is the time to catch up on these vaccines. Use the CDC's resources to encourage routine childhood vaccinations (social media resources and a clinician toolkit) and Catch-up Immunization Schedule (for health care providers).
COVID-19
TODAY: COVID-19 Response Programs Office Hours
While these sessions are geared toward participants in our COVID-19 Response Programs, any HRSA-supported health center is welcome to attend.
Today’s session features representatives from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response providing answers to health center questions about clinical delivery of COVID-19 oral antiviral pills.
Sessions are 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.
Special and Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 Forum
HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAPs) have extended this ongoing series. Please note, however, that previous registrations will not carry over.
Join to hear discussion of how COVID-19 has impacted health centers and the special populations they serve. Suma Nair, PhD, Director of BPHC's Office of Quality Improvement, will provide up-to-date information about assistance for health centers.
Friday, May 20
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here (visit to see all dates and times)
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Mental Health Awareness Month
Adolescents and Mental Health
CDC recently published the results of an Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey from the first half of 2021. It presents data on selected issues that impacted high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other findings, the study documents increases in poor mental health and depression.
SAMHSA partner The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers tools and resources to guide medical professionals in effectively assessing and treating medical traumatic stress in children and families. Check out the Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress Toolkit for Health Care Providers.
National Cancer Research Awareness Month
Cancer prevention and screening research benefit when primary care professionals and non-oncology specialists participate.
The National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program provides access to clinical trials in communities where people live. They aim to increase health equity in clinical research—specifically, to address underrepresentation of certain populations. Health center clinicians can assist this effort.
Read about an initiative that fosters collaboration between oncologists and clinicians engaged in prevention. Then learn more at our upcoming webinar:
Building Stronger PARTNRships in Cancer Research
Thursday, May 26
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Behavioral Health
Webinar Recording Available: Commercial Tobacco Cessation for Youth
Watch a webinar featuring speakers from the Truth Initiative and the American Academy of Pediatrics sharing best practices and promising experiences, challenges and successes, and tools/resources. They addressed challenges for reaching and engaging youth commercial tobacco users with cessation interventions and treatment strategies for youth using social media.
NIDA Challenge Competition Soliciting Prototypes to Address Drug Craving and Reduce Recurrence
NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has launched a Product Prototypes to Combat Drug Craving Challenge competition. NIDA seeks working product prototypes that will help people address drug craving in a personalized, on-demand, and long-term manner. The prototypes can use anything from low- or no-tech approaches to high-tech mobile apps or augmented reality approaches that are easily accessible, available just-in-time, and suitable for use by patients at different stages of recovery.
Individuals, teams, and organizations are invited to submit their prototypes by Wednesday, August 31. Share the website above with anyone who might be interested and email NIDAChallenge@nih.gov with questions.
HHS’s New Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefit Resources Will Help People Seeking Care to Better Understand Their Rights
In partnership with the Department of Labor, HHS has developed new, free informational resources that inform Americans of their rights under law on coverage for mental health benefits. Read more.
Hypertension
Today is World Hypertension Control Day
Health centers lead the way in hypertension control! The National Association of Community Health Centers’ (NACHC) latest hypertension resource, 80% Hypertension Control: A Three-Pillar Practical Approach, is a case study on Miami Beach Community Health Center's very specific approach to managing blood pressure in their patients using a treatment protocol that emphasizes rapid intensification and short follow-up visit intervals for people with uncontrolled hypertension. Congratulations to Miami Beach Community Health Center for maintaining over 80% control for their patients with hypertension through the most difficult months of the pandemic. NACHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Optimizing Use of the Expanded Care Team for Hypertension and Cholesterol Management
Join the next session in this bi-monthly learning series focused on cardiovascular disease prevention and management topics, for a discussion on optimizing the use of the expanded care team for chronic condition management. It’s open to clinicians, quality improvement, and other interested staff, with a focus on community health centers.
Wednesday, May 18
3:00-3:45 p.m. ET
Register here
NACHC co-hosts this series (through a cooperative agreement with Million Hearts) with the American Medical Association. 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
Affirming Organizational and Human Resource Policies for an LGBTQIA+ Workforce
Building a space of equity and inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and all sexual and gender minority (LGBTQIA+) people in health care is a critical step to address health disparities faced by these communities. However, the process takes significant time, analysis, and investment at every level of leadership. This guide, developed by the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, presents strategies and considerations in driving organizational change for LGBTQIA+ inclusion and equity in health care. The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
HRSA’s New Community Health Worker Training Program
HRSA recently launched the Community Health Worker Training Program focused on education and on-the-job training to build the pipeline of Community Health Workers, who play a critical role in connecting people to health care services.
This program will support training and employment through registered apprenticeships and job placements. It aims to increase access to care, improve public health emergency response, and address the public health needs of underserved communities, thereby reducing health disparities. Apply by Tuesday, June 14.
Additional Resources
AgWorker Health 102: Supporting Agricultural Worker Health
Join a webinar presented by the Farmworker Health Network (FHN). Faculty will share information on the most relevant current agricultural worker policy issues. They will explore effective service delivery models that include recent adaptations due to COVID-19. Finally, they will highlight training and technical assistance opportunities, resources, and promising practices to help support health center staff in the implementation of service delivery changes and adaptations when serving agricultural workers.
Thursday, June 2
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here
FHN is a six-member network of HRSA-funded NTTAPs: Farmworker Justice, Migrant Clinicians Network, Health Outreach Partners, MHP Salud, and the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH).
Social Determinants of Health – Medicaid Coverage and Payment
This NACHC-developed publication describes opportunities to use social determinants of health screening tools (like PRAPARE) to improve the delivery of care through enhanced data collection and relationships with safety-net programs.
Health Policy Bulletin
Farmworker Justice’s publication summarizes policy, programs, and research developments that affect farmworker health and access to health care. The Spring 2022 issue focuses on the impact of heat and heat-related illness on farmworker health.
Strategies to Support Agricultural Workers Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence or Human Trafficking
Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation, Migrant Clinicians Network, and Farmworker Justice will co-host a webinar on health care responses to address intimate partner violence (IPV) and exploitation. Partners will share new tools and strategies developed with farmworker communities to address or prevent IPV and partnerships with community-based organizations working alongside farmworkers. It will be in English, with Spanish interpretation available.
Tuesday, May 24
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
All three co-hosts are HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Biosimilars May Offer Lower Cost Drug Option for Health Center Patients
A biosimilar is a biological product that is demonstrated to be biosimilar to or interchangeable with an FDA-approved biological product. In 2009, Congress created an abbreviated licensure pathway for these products. The intentions are to increase treatment options and access to lifesaving medications, and to potentially lower health care costs through competition. These products may especially be of interest to health center clinicians who seek lower cost or more available options for their patients.
FDA’s Biosimilar site includes definitions of related terms, as well as fact sheets, videos, and more to educate providers and patients. FDA recently posted the following fact sheets for providers:
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