What's New
Federal Tort Claims Act Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals Program Permanently Extended Congress has permanently extended the Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals (VHP) Program that was due to sunset at the end of FY 2022.
EHBs is open to allow sponsoring health centers to submit supplemental applications for continued coverage (through calendar year 2023) for currently deemed VHPs. Submit your supplemental applications by Friday, December 2. Failure to apply will result in the termination of coverage after Saturday, December 31.
Health centers can also sponsor new VHPs who do not currently have coverage. For more information, visit our Federal Tort Claims Act webpage.
FY 2021 Primary Care HIV Prevention Awardees – Program Update HRSA will host a short briefing for health centers that received a FY 2021 Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) award (HRSA-21-092). Topics will include minor updates in PCHP reporting requirements and performance period length. You’ll also be able to ask questions.
Wednesday, October 12 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET Registration page
Hurricanes Fiona and Ian If you missed it, see our September 30 bulletin with guidance for health centers in areas impacted by these recent natural disasters. In addition:
- We updated PAL 2020-05: Requesting a Change in Scope to Add Temporary Service Sites in Response to Emergency Events (PDF) to reflect the current process for contacting us, which is to use the BPHC Contact Form. Impacted health centers can also email BPHCOHCPMHCESupport@hrsa.gov or contact us by phone at 877-464-4772, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays).
- We made similar updates to the Scope of Project – The Change in Scope (CIS) Process webpage and the Requesting Temporary Service Sites in Response to Emergency Events: Resource and Submission Template webpage.
- HRSA is waiving 2022 Quarter 3 progress reports on H8C, H8D, H8E, L1C, H8F, and L2C coronavirus-related funding for health centers located within areas with a federal emergency declaration (Puerto Rico, Florida, and South Carolina). Affected health centers will instead report on Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 progress at the next quarterly report (due in January 2023). Health centers should discuss any needed changes to active projects with their Investment Oversight Advisor once they are able.
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For COVID-19 Response Program Participants: If your health center has been impacted by a disaster and needs assistance, submit a request through the BPHC Contact Form and staff from the Health Center COVID-19 Response Programs will be in touch.
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Seeking Nominations for Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines Members HRSA seeks nominations for members to serve on the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV). The HHS Secretary appoints nine voting members: three health professionals, three attorneys, and three members of the public. Read the Federal Register Notice and ACCV Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) for more information and instructions to submit a nomination. Contact Pita Gomez, Principal Staff Liaison, with any questions.
National Survey of Children’s Health Dataset Released HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) released the latest National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data on Child Health Day (Monday, October 3). Dr. Reem Ghandour, who leads the bureau’s survey initiative, spoke with LCDR Leticia Manning of MCHB’s Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs about this critical dataset, what’s new this year, and how the dataset can be used to advance health equity work. View the message, data, and data brief (with key findings) on the NSCH webpage.
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Monkeypox Updates
CMS Asks You to Make Your Voice Heard CMS seeks public input on access to health care and related challenges, understanding provider experiences, advancing health equity, and assessing the impact of waivers and flexibilities provided in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS will use the comments received to identify opportunities for improvement and efficiencies across policies, programs, and practices. Comments are due by Friday, November 4.
Sliding Fee Discount Program: Fundamentals and Evaluation The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) created resources to help health center board members and leaders understand the Sliding Fee Discount Program required by the Health Center Program.
NACHC is a HRSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Partner (NTTAP).
COVID-19
Initiative to Help Uninsured and Underinsured Access COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment HHS recently launched a bebtelovimab product replacement initiative to help those who are uninsured and underinsured access this COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment. Through this initiative, HHS may replace, for free, doses of bebtelovimab that are used to treat an uninsured or underinsured patient. Learn more on the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Bebtelovimab FAQ page. Note: Bebtelovimab is not available to order through HRSA; health centers may order this product through their state/local jurisdiction.
Recording Available: Partnerships through the Pandemic: Strategies for Promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Uptake Last week, HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, other HRSA speakers, and experts from other federal agencies led a town hall discussion of ways to promote partnerships as a key strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you missed it, register to watch the recording or view the slides (PDF).
COVID-19 Response Programs – Program Updates Health centers in our HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Response Programs should log into the Health Center Program Community to view the latest Program Updates (look for the button to the right once you have logged in). The updates include news related to ordering vaccines, therapeutics, and testing supplies through these programs.
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COVID-19 Response Programs Office Hours The October 18 session will cover bivalent ordering caps, pediatric bivalent booster updates, and the recent COVID-19 survey changes.
We reduced the frequency of office hours to once a month for November and December. If you registered previously, please remove the November 1, November 29, and December 27 sessions from your calendar. We’ll only hold office hours on Tuesday, November 15, and Tuesday, December 13.
Register one time and you’ll have access to all sessions from now until February 2023. Sessions are 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET. Though some information may be geared toward COVID-19 Response Program participants, these sessions are open to all HRSA-supported health centers.
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Behavioral Health
National AIDS Education and Training Center Program Resources for Clinicians Providing Care to People with Substance Use Disorders The National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan (2022-2025) acknowledges people who inject drugs as one of several priority populations which continue to experience disparities across various HIV-related outcomes. Substance use and HIV care integration is one approach to provide comprehensive, person-centered medical services – yet clinics encounter differing challenges and opportunities when trying to implement an integrated model of care.
Speakers from HRSA and the AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) National Clinician Consultation Center, in partnership with the AETC National Coordinating Resource Center, will share resources and opportunities.
Wednesday, October 26 Noon-1:00 p.m. ET Registration page
Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals Session leaders for this learning collaborative will present cultural competency as a data-driven method to improve patient care and health center performance in multiple domains through responsible application of scientifically validated tools and processes. Participants will take a detailed look at key concepts regarding culture as a social determinant of health (SDOH). Sessions begin on Tuesday, October 18. View the registration page for details. Hosted by the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Public Housing Speakers will review the continued impact of social isolation and loneliness on the health and well-being of an aging population, particularly for those living in public housing. Participants will be able to understand disparities in social and mental health concerns experienced by older public housing residents; identify best practices for screening and documenting risk factors related to social isolation and loneliness; and implement strategies to increase social connectedness for older public housing residents.
Thursday, November 3 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET Registration page
Hosted by NCHPH and the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders (NCECE), both HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program The U.S. Department of Education’s program provides competitive grants to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health service providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies. School-based service sites may especially be interested. Learn more.
HIV
National AETC Program Resources for Clinicians Providing Care to People with Substance Use Disorders See the announcement above.
Hypertension
Improving Blood Pressure Control for African Americans Roadmap The Improving Blood Pressure Control for African Americans Roadmap (PDF) can help health centers achieve ≥80% blood pressure control for their African American – and all – patients with hypertension. It organizes groups of interventions and activities to help organizations develop a deliberate strategy or approach to their hypertension management efforts. NACHC developed this resource with CDC funding.
Workforce
What Health Centers Can Do to Advance the Vital Role for Community Health Workers and Peers in SDOH Screening for Positive Outcomes MHP Salud, the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) will highlight the value of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Peer Specialists in health centers through SDOH community connections. Featured resources will focus on strategies identified through the voice of lived expertise and education partners.
Wednesday, November 2 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET Registration page
The three host organizations are all HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Workplace Well-being Self-Paced Modules This four-part series from NACHC explores how to foster mind, body, and sense of purpose in individuals, teams, and organizations for a more resilient workforce and improved well-being in the workplace.
Several HRSA-funded NTTAPs present learning collaboratives:
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Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals
See the announcement above.
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National Diabetes Prevention Program: Family Engagement in Public Housing Communities
Hosted by the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium (NNCC), sessions will showcase health centers implementing comprehensive and culturally competent strategies in diabetes prevention programming. Participants will explore best practices for increased patient, family, and community engagement and discuss SDOH and cultural competency in programmatic design and implementation. Content is tailored to health centers serving residents of public housing. View the registration page for more details or to apply by Friday, November 4.
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Improving Health Center Cybersecurity: Risk Assessment, Breach Defense, Mitigation, and Response
The Health Information Technology, Evaluation, and Quality (HITEQ) Center invites health centers to consider their cybersecurity strategy. Participants will engage with subject matter experts and colleagues on topics including breach mitigation tactics, operationalizing cybersecurity to better mitigate risks, telehealth risk management strategies, and incident response planning from a cybersecurity perspective. View the registration page for details and apply by TOMORROW (Wednesday, October 12).
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Advancing Health Equity: Promoting Quality of Care for IPV and Exploitation Survivors
Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation invites health center staff to focus on advancing health equity for survivors of IPV and human trafficking/exploitation. Health centers and their community-based partners can decrease barriers to care by increasing health enrollment and safety support. You’ll learn about developing partnerships, creating clinical workflows that use an evidence-based “CUES” intervention (Confidentiality, Universal Education and Empowerment, and Support), and optimizing health IT tools and UDS data collection measures. Visit the registration page to apply by Wednesday, October 19.
Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program See the announcement above.
Oral Health
Improving Oral Health Experiences for the LGBTQIA+ Community This webinar, hosted by the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) in partnership with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and the American Institute of Dental Public Health, will provide guidance on how dental team members can improve dental care experiences for the LGBTQIA+ community in health centers. Presenters will highlight oral health disparities and challenges and how dental programs can create oral health care that is more accessible and inclusive.
Thursday, October 20 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET Registration page **1.0 CDE available**
NNOHA and the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center are both HRSA-funded NTTAPs.
Additional Resources
Screening for SDOH: Overview of Tools and Resources Join the Farmworker Health Network (FHN) to learn about SDOH factors that impact medically underserved populations (including migratory and seasonal agricultural workers) and how to better identify and screen for these factors. Speakers will highlight information gained from the FHN's “Screening for SDOH" learning collaborative activities. They’ll share screening tools and additional resources.
Wednesday, October 26 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET Registration page
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).
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