What's New
Final Week to Vote for Suma Nair!
Office of Quality Improvement Director Suma Nair is a finalist for a 2022 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal by the Partnership for Public Service. This award recognizes her leadership of BPHC’s COVID-19 Response Programs.
This is the final week to vote (daily!) for Suma for the People's Choice Service to America Medal.
|
HRSA-Sponsored Health Center Coaching Pilot
We are piloting a new HRSA Health Center Coaching program to assist health centers in gaining Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition. Participating health centers have access to short-term technical assistance (TA) from National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) experts focused on initiating the PCMH recognition process. During the pilot, this opportunity is available to only a limited number of health centers and only to health centers that do not currently have PCMH recognition or ambulatory health care accreditation. Learn more or find out how to apply.
If you have questions about HRSA’s Accreditation and PCMH Recognition Initiative or the pilot, contact us through the BPHC Contact Form (Health Center Program > Accreditation and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition (APCMH) – H80) or contact NCQA directly.
Corrections to Service Type Information in the Service Area Announcement Table
Information listed in the Service Type column for several announced service areas under Service Area Competition (SAC) notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) HRSA-23-018, HRSA-23-019, and HRSA-23-020 will be updated to correct data errors. These updates are expected by the end of this week.
Check the Service Type column in the Service Area Announcement Table (SAAT) prior to submitting your application in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) to confirm the services align with projected patients on Form 1A: General Information Worksheet. This is important to ensure you meet eligibility requirements outlined in the SAC NOFO.
TOMORROW: Building Bridges Webinar
HHS, through HRSA, recently announced the launch of Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge. This is a national competition with a total of $1 million in cash prizes to encourage innovation through TA to health centers. Read our bulletin.
Join tomorrow’s webinar for more information:
Wednesday, June 29
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
|
Complete the Census of School-Based Health Centers Today
The School-Based Health Alliance (SBHA), in partnership with researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, invites the entire school-based health care field to complete the 2022 census of school-based health centers (SBHCs)! The information will provide SBHA with the most accurate picture of the current status of SBHCs across the country. SBHA is a National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP), and the census is also supported by HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Learn more and complete your census today.
|
Quarterly 340B Program Registration
Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open from July 1 to 15. Health centers will be able to register a site that has been verified as implemented and with a site status reflected as “active” in EHBs Form 5B through Friday, August 26. After that date, the system will close to prepare for the October 1 start.
Email the 340B Prime Vendor Program or call 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET) to register a new site or ask questions. You will need to provide the following information when calling:
- Health center name.
- Site/clinic name.
- Site IDs for all sites.
- HRSA/BPHC grant number.
- Contact name and email address.
- Authorizing official name and email address.
The authorizing official will receive an email message that the account is unlocked and a registration may be submitted.
HUD Funding to Address Unsheltered Homelessness and Homeless Encampments
If you missed it, see our bulletin from last week about a first-of-its-kind HUD package of resources to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments, including funds set aside specifically to address homelessness in rural communities.
COVID-19
Expanding COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices now recommends COVID-19 vaccination for patients ages 6 months and older. They recently recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for young children and Moderna for children 6 months and older. These recommendations align with FDA’s Emergency Use Authorizations of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for these age groups.
For information about ordering pediatric vaccines through the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program, see our bulletins from last week: June 20 and June 24.
For information on promoting the vaccine for children and teens, visit CDC’s website. HHS’ We Can Do This website also includes resources to help educate your community about pediatric vaccination and the importance of boosters.
|
Billing and Cost Sharing Overview for COVID-19 Vaccination, Testing, and Treatment
A new webpage provides health centers with a summary of considerations for billing and patient cost-sharing for COVID-19 related services and supplies. Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Health centers should still refer to the specific and most recent requirements or restrictions for each payor source or program. For additional questions, health centers should use the BPHC Contact Form.
CDC Reports on Oral Antiviral Drugs for COVID-19
CDC released two reports related to the use of oral antiviral drugs (therapeutics) for COVID-19.
As a reminder, all HRSA-supported health centers with pharmacy capacity may join the HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Therapeutics Program by submitting a ticket through the BPHC Contact Form (COVID-19 > COVID-19 Therapeutics Program).
Dealing with Ongoing Pandemic Challenges and Shifting to Endemic COVID-19
NCQA’s PCMH Office Hours session will focus on pandemic-related challenges facing health centers. You’ll hear from health centers about best practices around staff/resource shortages and site closures.
Tuesday, July 5
11:00 a.m.-noon ET
Register here
Special and Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 Forum
HRSA-funded 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, July 22
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Register here (visit to see all dates and times)
|
Behavioral Health
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program: Medication-Assisted Treatment Access
The goal of this HRSA funding opportunity is to improve health care in rural areas by establishing new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) access points and increasing the capacity for sustainable MAT service provision in rural areas.
STAR Loan Repayment Program Accepting Applications
HRSA recognizes the importance of all members of integrated substance use disorder (SUD) treatment teams. Our SUD Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) expands access to treatment by extending loan repayment opportunities to providers such as bachelor’s-level SUD counselors, behavioral health paraprofessionals, and clinical support staff. The STAR LRP provides up to $250,000 to eligible health professionals in exchange for a six-year, full-time service commitment. Find out if you’re eligible and apply by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 7.
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.
Workforce
STAR Loan Repayment Program Accepting Applications
See the announcement above.
Self-Care for the Health Center Workforce
Self-care involves a combination of tools and activities individuals use to manage and resolve stress. A critical, but often overlooked, aspect of self-care is the need for organizations to take the lead in creating an environment that lessens stressors and is conducive to practicing these individual techniques.
This new publication by the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved's (ACU) STAR2 Center offers a starting point for health center leadership and staff to understand and implement techniques, tools, and practices for self-care. ACU is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
|
Telehealth
Additional Resources
2022 Well-Woman Chart
Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) has released the 2022 Well-Woman Chart—a comprehensive tool that summarizes preventive services recommendations from WPSI, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and Bright Futures based on age, health status, and risk factors. It includes WPSI’s recommendations for preventing obesity in midlife women and recently released USPSTF recommendations, such as healthy weight gain during pregnancy and colorectal cancer screening. Use this tool to address health center patients’ preventive health needs at every age, and share it with your networks. WPSI is a HRSA-funded initiative.
New Publications in the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse
See three new publications from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). NACHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
-
Social Determinants of Health – Medicaid Coverage and Payment
Demonstrates opportunities to use social determinants of health (SDOH) screening tools such as PRAPARE to improve the delivery of care through enhanced data collection and relationships with safety-net programs.
-
Health Centers are Addressing America's Mental Health Crisis
Summarizes health centers’ behavioral health services, including the growth in patients and staff over the last decade and the expansion of telebehavioral health services during the pandemic, and offers policy suggestions to support behavioral health services going forward.
-
HR Bulletins
Updated issue briefs on recent trends and human resources issues in the health center operating environment.
|
SBHC Health Care Transition Playbook
SBHA and Got Transition, in collaboration with an advisory group of SBHC clinicians, administrators, and young adults, created the SBHC Playbook on Health Care Transition. The Playbook guides SBHCs and other school staff on assisting students with their preparation for the transition from pediatric care to adult health care.
Extreme Heat Report from HHS’ Office of Climate Change and Health Equity
HHS released an updated Climate and Health Outlook on extreme heat. The series connects weather forecasts to health resources that can be used to save lives and reduce illness and health risks associated with climate-related hazards like extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and vector-borne diseases that impact human health. Subscribe to future Outlooks.
In case you missed it:
Visit the Primary Health Care Digest archive.
Do you forward the Digest to others?
Encourage them to subscribe.
|
Sign up for eNews
Connect with HRSA
