What's New
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration Renewed
Effective Thursday, October 13, HHS renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration for another 90 days. The extension means that states must continue to maintain continuous coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries as a condition of receiving enhanced federal Medicaid funding. Medicare telehealth flexibilities continue as well.
National Advisory Council on Migrant Health Meeting
The National Advisory Council on Migrant Health (NACMH) will hold a two-day in-person meeting Wednesday, November 2, through Thursday, November 3. The event is open to the public. Visit the NACMH webpage to view the agenda.
NACMH advises and makes recommendations to the HHS Secretary on policy, program development, and other topics related to migrant health centers and other organizations that serve migratory and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAW) and their families.
Less Than a Month Left: Comment on the Draft Telehealth PIN
We’re asking for comments on the Draft Scope of Project and Telehealth Policy Information Notice (PIN). Access the draft PIN and instructions for commenting on the Scope of Project and Telehealth PIN Public Comments webpage. Thanks to those who have already submitted input. If you haven’t yet, comment by 11:59 p.m. your local time on Monday, November 14.
If you have technical questions or feedback submission issues, call us at 877-464-4772, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays). If you have general questions about the draft Telehealth PIN, submit them via the BPHC Contact Form.
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 fiscal year (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.
Rural Health Network Development Planning Funding Opportunity
HRSA has announced a funding opportunity that supports the planning and development of integrated health care networks seeking to expand access and improve quality of care in rural communities. HRSA plans to award 20 grants to rural communities as part of this funding opportunity. Learn more in a bulletin published by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
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).
CMS Wants Input on Establishing a National Directory of Healthcare Providers and Services
CMS seeks public input on establishing a National Directory of Healthcare Providers and Services that could serve as a “centralized data hub” for health care provider, facility, and entity information. See the Federal Register Notice for details.
COVID-19
COVID-19 Boosters for Pediatric Patients
See our bulletin from last week for updates and resources related to FDA’s authorization of and CDC’s updated guidance on bivalent boosters for pediatric patients.
TODAY: COVID-19 Response Programs Office Hours
Today’s session (1:00-2:00 p.m. ET) will highlight important updates on the pediatric bivalent boosters. Though some information may be geared toward COVID-19 Response Program participants, these sessions are open to all HRSA-supported health centers.
We will use WebEx (not Zoom, as mentioned in last week’s bulletin) for these sessions going forward. Visit the registration page to register for all remaining 2022 sessions.
NOTE: We reduced the frequency to once a month for November and December:
Tuesday, November 15
Tuesday, December 13
Behavioral Health
HEAL Initiative: Research Studies to Develop and Implement Interventions to Prevent Opioid Misuse in Community Health Centers
This NIH funding opportunity, part of the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative, is specifically for health centers. Award recipients may use funds to:
- Develop and test new or adapted interventions to prevent opioid misuse; and/or
- Develop and test implementation strategies for screening and referral to preventive interventions for misuse of opioids and other substances.
Use passcode R3?2LCj+ to access a TA webinar recording. Applications are due by Tuesday, November 8.
Tobacco Cessation Webinars
HRSA invites you to join a two-part webinar series focused on menthol products and tobacco cessation. Experts will address menthol’s harmful effects and share evidence-based strategies and resources that can be used to support menthol smokers. Health center staff will gain resources to support menthol smokers in pursuing tobacco cessation.
What’s the Deal with Menthols?
Wednesday, November 2
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page
Quitting Menthol Cigarettes: Do We Know What Works?
Wednesday, November 9
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page
TODAY! 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 TODAY (Tuesday, October 18). View the registration page for details. Hosted by the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
SAMHSA Resources
These recently released resources may be useful to health centers.
Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, January-June 2021
CDC released a report analyzing data from its 2021 survey. The data illustrates how the health care system could help address the U.S. child and adolescent mental health and suicide crisis.
Hypertension
Health IT Checklist for Blood Pressure Telemonitoring Software
The Health IT Checklist for Blood Pressure Telemonitoring Software (PDF) is a quick-reference guide that complements NACHC’s SMBP Implementation Toolkit (PDF). The checklist offers providers a way to quickly see which products meet their needs. It also highlights the specifications developers should integrate into their products to better align with provider needs.
The Public Health Informatics Institute created this checklist with CDC funding. Find other CDC-funded SMBP-related materials on their website.
Workforce
Health Center Comprehensive Workforce Plan Template
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) STAR2 Center’s updated its Retention & Recruitment Plan Template. It’s now called the Health Center Comprehensive Workforce Plan and it includes an instructions guide, a template, and an action plan. Throughout, they’ve added in-depth detail related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This plan is meant to be a working, living document that users can easily modify to stay up to date with changing workforce needs and the evolving health care environment. ACU is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
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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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Childhood Diabetes Prevention
Participants will engage in discussions on the role of structural factors and SDOH in diabetes prevention; national guidelines and best practices in clinical benchmarks for pediatric obesity and BMI assessment; and strategies for obesity and diabetes prevention for MSAW families. Visit the registration page to apply by THIS Friday, October 21. Hosted by Health Outreach Partners, School-Based Health Alliance, and Farmworker Justice.
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Motivating Healthy Habits in Older Adults
Speakers from the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders (NCECE) will highlight the importance of working with older adults to set realistic goals for chronic disease management. Participants will review special considerations for this patient population when adopting or modifying lifestyle behaviors related to diet and exercise. Visit the registration page for details or apply by Monday, November 7.
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Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals
See the announcement above.
Additional Resources
Curated SDOH Training for Health Care for the Homeless Health Centers
HRSA has released a new curated packet of training and TA materials for health centers funded under the Health Care for the Homeless Program (Section 330(h) of Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 254b)). This TA will support health centers to develop processes for collection and use of social risk factor data to improve patient-centered health care delivery. Resources are all developed by HRSA-funded NTTAPs. They are organized by format, for example, recorded sessions, publications, or combined resource types.
The Health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Patients Served at Health Centers: An Analysis of the 2020 UDS
The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) analyzed 2020 health center UDS data on patient demographics, service use, and chronic and infectious diseases. They focused on health centers that serve Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander patients. Register for free access to the report on their website. You can also watch the recording of the June webinar where they shared their findings.
The report includes narratives from three HRSA-funded health centers: Center for Pan Asian Community Services (Atlanta, Georgia), Chuuk Community Health Center (Federated States of Micronesia), and Hāmākua-Kohala Health (Hawai’i). AAPCHO is a HRSA-funded NTTAP.
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