What's New
Service Area Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity Released for April 1 Starts
HRSA released the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Service Area Competition (SAC) notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), HRSA-23-021, for service areas with an April 1, 2023, project period start date. Find details for each of the announced service areas on the Service Area Announcement Table.
This NOFO announces the service areas for:
- April 1 start award recipients that received a 1-year period of performance through a SAC/SAC-Additional Areas in FY 2022.
- April 1 start award recipients that were given a 1-year extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic in FY 2022.
Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, September 12, and in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 12. TA materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
Deadline Reminder: SAC Applications for January 1 Starts
SAC HRSA-23-018 applications for January 1 starts are due in EHBs on Thursday, August 4, by 5:00 p.m. ET. TA materials are available on the SAC TA webpage.
Does your Health Center Have a May 1 Start Date? Review Your Patient Target
We recently updated patient targets for Health Center Program award recipients with a May 1 budget period start date. On Tuesday, July 12, we sent an email message to the Authorizing Officials and Project Directors of these health centers. The email indicated whether the health center would complete a FY 2023 SAC or Budget Period Progress Report. It also included a direct link to the updated patient target. Health centers that will complete an FY 2023 SAC for awards starting May 1, 2023, should review their patient target and take appropriate action in EHBs by Thursday, July 28.
View the Patient Target Quick Reference Guide on the SAC TA webpage to learn how to access your patient target in EHBs.
Submit questions using the BPHC Contact Form (select “Patient Targets” under the Health Center Program heading).
Recruitment for BPHC Deputy Associate Administrator
BPHC is recruiting for a second Deputy Associate Administrator position through two postings:
This senior executive level position is open to the public. Both postings close on Thursday, August 11.
HRSA Associate Administrator Jim Macrae will host an informational session for this position:
Wednesday, July 27
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
If you prefer to join by phone: 833-568-8864
Webinar ID: 160 996 7173
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Recruitment for FORHP Deputy Associate Administrator
HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy is recruiting for a Deputy Associate Administrator. This senior executive level position is open to the public and closes on Monday, August 1.
Thank You for Voting
Thank you to everyone who voted for Suma Nair, BPHC’s Director of the Office of Quality Improvement, for the People’s Choice Award from the Partnership for Public Service! Although she was not selected as the winner, we celebrate the honor of her nomination and progress as a finalist.
The prize recognizes excellence in the federal workforce. A nearly 20-year veteran of HRSA, Suma was instrumental in launching our COVID-19 Response Programs. These efforts funneled thousands of testing supplies, masks, therapeutics, and vaccine doses to the nation's most remote, exposed, and medically underserved populations.
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Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposes Changes to Shared Savings Program to Advance Health Equity
CMS recently released the Calendar Year 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for public comment. CMS encourages all interested members of the public, including accountable care organizations, providers, suppliers, and Medicare beneficiaries, to submit comments so that CMS can consider them as they develop the final rule. Submit a comment on the Regulations.gov website.
The rule proposes a number of changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to increase participation in accountable care models in underserved communities, such as providing an option for advance investment payments and smoothing the transition to performance-based risk, among other changes. CMS published materials to help you understand these changes:
Executive Order Clarifies Guidance for Emergency Reproductive Health Services
Last week, HHS announced new guidance on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act that protects providers when offering life- or health-saving abortion services in emergency situations. The statute requires Medicare hospitals to provide all patients an appropriate medical screening, examination, stabilizing treatment, and transfer, if necessary, irrespective of any state laws or mandates that apply to specific procedures.
CMS Establishes a Framework for Health Equity
CMS recently released its Framework for Health Equity. Using five priority areas, CMS will create policies and programs to support health for all people served by its programs.
COVID-19
Paxlovid Update
Attention pharmacists! FDA recently revised the Paxlovid emergency use authorization (EUA) to authorize state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe it to eligible patients. Review the Paxlovid Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers to see assessment guidance. This EUA update also includes the addition of new drug contraindications, new adverse reactions, new drug interactions, and information on viral RNA rebound.
DUE TOMORROW: Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program Participants
HRSA is conducting a review of the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program to support preparedness for future public health emergency response and programmatic planning. We would like to hear from program participants and supporting organizations throughout the health center network. Feedback is due by 11:59 p.m. your local time on Wednesday, July 20. See our bulletin for more information.
FRIDAY: Special and Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 Forum
HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAPs) host this ongoing series. Join to hear discussion of how COVID-19 has impacted health centers and the special populations they serve. Suma Nair 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)
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COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Children
Join speakers from the White House, CDC, HUD, the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), and Zufall Health (a HRSA-funded health center).
Wednesday, July 27
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Presenters will:
- Address common questions and concerns about vaccinating young children.
- Present relevant data on vaccine safety, efficacy, uptake, and confidence in HUD-assisted communities.
- Share promising practices for how health centers can support this effort.
NCHPH is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
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NIH RECOVER | Long COVID Study
The RECOVER Initiative is a national, multidisciplinary effort that seeks to understand, treat, and prevent the post-acute impact of COVID-19, including Long COVID. RECOVER is actively enrolling a diverse population of adults, children and their caregivers, and pregnant participants at study sites across the country. NIH looks forward to connecting with health centers.
Friday, July 29
2:30-3:15 p.m. ET
RSVP by Wednesday, July 27
Speakers will:
- Overview the RECOVER Initiative.
- Share opportunities for learning and updates on findings related to Long COVID.
- Introduce the RECOVER Enrollment and Recruitment Toolkit. It contains materials to help refer patients and promote enrollment in RECOVER studies.
- Answer questions regarding and coordinate any desired future discussions and engagement.
Behavioral Health
988 Lifeline
The U.S. transition to 988 began last week. 988 is the easy-to-remember number to reach the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This transition is an important step to strengthening and transforming the crisis care continuum in the U.S.
SAMHSA’s 988 Partner Toolkit includes new materials, like social media tools, to educate your community. New 988 products — wallet cards, magnets, safety plan pad, and posters — are available now or soon in the SAMHSA Store.
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Hypertension
Fixed-Dosed Combination Antihypertensive Medications Coverage: A Review of Resources for Health Centers
Clinicians, join to learn about the effectiveness and availability of covered fixed-dose combination (FDC) medications for managing patients with hypertension.
Thursday September 1
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Register here
Speakers from CDC, HRSA, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), the American Medical Association, and a HRSA-funded health center will cover:
- The role these medications play in hypertension control.
- A summary of the recently released policy analysis for FDC antihypertensive medications for Medicaid agencies and Medicaid Managed Care organizations.
- A use case scenario on how the summaries can be used in health center and other Medicaid formularies.
- An overview of measures used to assess efforts to increase FDC use.
Prepare for the webinar by reviewing the FDC antihypertensive medication Medicaid coverage guide. NACHC is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Workforce
Screening Methods and Strategies for Acting on Social Needs Data Learning Collaborative
Health centers should join this learning collaborative to:
- Learn best practices for screening special and medically underserved populations for social determinants of health (SDOH).
- Build effective practices to begin addressing SDOH through outreach and enabling services.
This four-session learning collaborative will facilitate interactions among participants to share strategies, challenges, and successes. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. your local time on Monday, August 1.
This opportunity is presented by four HRSA-funded NTTAPs: the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, MHP Salud, Health Outreach Partners, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
These organizations are also collaborating on this related webinar:
Acting on SDOH Screening Data to Address Barriers to Health
Explore strategies to screen special and medically underserved populations for SDOH and build effective practices to begin addressing SDOH through outreach and enabling services. The ability to track and evaluate these services is an important tool for health centers to demonstrate their value in addressing patients’ SDOH. Of equal importance is the ability to make this data actionable in order to address patients’ barriers to access.
Thursday, July 28
3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Register here
Telehealth
Guidance on HIPAA Rules and Using Remote Communication Technologies for Audio-Only Telehealth
This HIPAA guidance will help health care providers understand how they can use remote communication technologies for audio-only telehealth after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
Additional Resources
Establishing an Administrative Fellowship Program – A Practical Toolkit to Support and Develop Future Community Health Center Leaders
A new toolkit from NACHC examines administrative fellowships. It covers:
- Items to consider prior to implementation.
- Practical tools to recruit, train, and place fellows into permanent roles in a health center.
Administrative fellowship programs offer a pipeline for administrative and operations leaders who come from a health systems, health management, and advanced administration backgrounds. NACHC and Community Health Center, Inc., developed this resource; both are HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
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