What's New

Biden-Harris Administration Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for HRSA

The President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget proposal for HRSA addresses head-on many of the most pressing health care challenges facing American families. Find out how in the press release on HRSA’s website.

Recording Available: Missed Opportunities for Preventing Congenital Syphilis

Last month, we collaborated with CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention on a webinar about congenital syphilis for clinicians and other health care providers. If you missed it, watch the recording.

Relaunching Our PCHP Peer2Peer Community

The Health Center Program Community (HCPC) is an online platform for participants in specific BPHC programs to get timely updates, interact with other health centers, and access training and TA resources. Nearly a year ago, we introduced the Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) Community (or “PCHP Community of Practice”) within the HCPC. This space is for all health centers that receive Ending the HIV Epidemic – PCHP funding.

We’re relaunching this space as the PCHP Peer2Peer (P2P) Community: a virtual peer-to-peer space for awardees to ask each other questions and share promising practices and valuable lessons learned in implementing their HIV prevention programs. Join our webinar to learn more:

Tuesday, March 19
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Visit the PCHP TA page and Training and TA Resources for PCHP Awardees in the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse for other resources.

Key Patient Safety Concepts for Health Center Performance Improvement Goals

A white paper by Renaye James Healthcare Advisors (RJHA) summarizes quality expectations from regulatory bodies. It also illustrates how the Health Center Program Compliance Manual and other regulatory standards align with patient safety measures and expectations. Read it to understand how to apply Compliance Manual chapters as you develop a continuous quality improvement and patient safety program.

Quarterly 340B Program Registration

Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open from April 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 Sunday, May 26. After that date, the system will close to prepare for the July 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.

Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 6

The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal is open until 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 31. Providers who received one or more PRF (General or Targeted) and/or American Rescue Plan Rural payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, from July 1 to December 31, 2022, must report on their use of funds during Reporting Period 6 to comply with PRF Reporting Requirements (PDF). See resources and more information on the PRF Reporting webpage.

White House: Insurers to Cover Navigation Services for Cancer Patients

The Biden Cancer Moonshot announced new commitments from seven leading health insurance companies to begin paying for navigation services to help patients and their families navigate health care treatments for cancer and other serious illnesses. Read the White House fact sheet.

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance

CDC’s new Respiratory Virus Guidance website provides practical recommendations and information to help people lower their risk from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, including COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Executive Summary page presents useful background.

Advancing Health Equity in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities This CMS annual report (PDF) outlines the agency’s recent actions and initiatives to enhance health care access and quality. It ties their work to the priorities they established in 2022 to advance health care in rural, tribal, and isolated communities. The Making Care Primary Model is among the achievements covered.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Congratulations, Family Health Services! The American Cancer Society National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable announced the 2024 80% in Every Community National Achievement Award honorees, which include the HRSA-funded Family Health Services (South Central, Idaho). Through innovation and dedication, they increased the colorectal screening rate in their community from 18% of those eligible to 56.2%. The announcement — available on the American Cancer Society website — includes details. NEXT WEEK! Don’t forget to join our March 20 webinar to hear from your colleagues about how they increased colorectal cancer screenings. Registration page.

Behavioral Health

Motivational Interviewing for Smoking Cessation

Motivational interviewing, along with other behavior change support interventions and strategies, can have a beneficial impact on the reduction of tobacco use. Join the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH) and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) for a webinar on tobacco screening and cessation promising practices.

Monday, March 25
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Collaborative Solutions: Advancing Overdose Prevention in Housing

Join this webinar, hosted by HUD, to hear about collaborations between housing providers and community organizations. Speakers, including those from NCHPH, will share innovative overdose prevention strategies and best practices, including harm reduction strategies from pioneers in the field. Practitioners will share insights from fair housing and civil rights perspectives.

Wednesday, March 27
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Workforce

Studying Nursing? Apply for HRSA’s Scholarship

The application for HRSA’s Nurse Corps Scholarship Program is open. The program provides scholarships to nursing students in exchange for a minimum two-year, full-time service commitment (or part-time equivalent) at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. Visit HRSA’s website to apply by 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 2.

NTTAP Learning Collaboratives

See the application pages for dates, times, and more information about these opportunities:

• Capital Development — Late Project Planning Stages
  Capital Link invites health centers planning a capital project during the next one to three years who are focused on the later phases of the project plan. Go beyond the initial planning phase and explore the complexities of the numerous and often complex financing approaches and options. You will have the chance for personalized, one-on-one guidance from project consultants. Visit the application page to apply by Wednesday, March 20.
  
  
• Leveraging Local Strengths to Improve Older Adult Health & Well-Being
  Examine the value of partnerships with aging services network agencies to address the support needs of community-dwelling older adults. Discuss models of collaboration that close related gaps in care and reduce health disparities experienced by older patients. Visit the application page on the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders’ (NCECE) website to apply by Friday, March 29.
  
  
• Navigating Neighborhood and Transportation Social Drivers of Health
  The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations invites health centers to explore strategies to address social determinants of health (SDOH), including transportation, environmental health, and neighborhood safety. You will review and evaluate a closed-loop SDOH referral protocol that you can implement at your health center. Visit the application page to apply by 5:00 p.m. your local time on Friday, April 5.
  
  
• Environmental Impacts and Natural Disaster Preparedness and Response in MSAW Communities
  Join Farmworker Justice to explore the effects of a changing climate on migratory and seasonal agricultural worker (MSAW) communities. Learn about related health issues, and tools and resources to support prevention, response, and resiliency. You’ll develop the foundation of an emergency preparedness and response plan for your organizations and community. Visit the registration page.
  
  
• Racial Equity – Closing the Housing Instability Gap
  The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) invites you to join virtual sessions and peer discussions on the disparities and inequity of service in your community. This is a forum for you to gain knowledge and exchange expertise and solutions to challenges. Visit the registration page.

Telehealth

Licensure Portability Grant Program

HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth will award approximately $500,000 to up to four awardees each year over a period of five years. The program helps state licensing boards for health professions to cooperate and reduce statutory and regulatory barriers to telehealth. Visit Grants.gov to apply by Monday, April 8.

Updated State Medicaid & Children's Health Insurance Program Telehealth Toolkit

CMS released an updated State Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth Toolkit (PDF) consolidating information from previous toolkits and providing additional guidance on issues from billing best practices to strategies for using telehealth in schools. It compiles state best practices for delivering specific services via telehealth to different populations.

Additional Resources

Diabetes Prevention Through the Lens of Food Sovereignty and Access to Ancestral, Cultural, and Healthful Foods This is the third session in the Population Health Management Learning Series — a collaboration among more than a dozen NTTAPs. Speakers will explain why it is critical to connect people with cultural and ancestral foods for diabetes prevention, health, and well-being. They will share ways to expand patient and provider knowledge of the benefits of cultural and ancestral eating. Wednesday, March 20 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET Series registration page

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Training Calendar

Visit our online calendar for details on these and all scheduled events.

Through March 19

Evidence-Based Practices: Comprehensive Approach to Behavioral Health Care
Hosted by RJHA
Wednesday, March 13
Noon-1:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

Population Health Management: A National Learning Series
Hosted by multiple NTTAPs
Series registration page
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET on:

Housing and HIV: Bridging the Gap between HIV and Housing in Special and Vulnerable Populations
Wednesday, March 13

Diabetes Prevention Through the Lens of Food Sovereignty and Access to Ancestral, Cultural, and Healthful Foods
Wednesday, March 20

Team-Based Approaches for Managing Complex Health Needs
Wednesday, March 27

2024 Patient Safety Awareness Week: Effective Provider-Patient Communication
Co-hosted with AHRQ, CDC, CMS, IHS, NIH, and the National Practitioner Data Bank
Wednesday, March 13
2:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Suicide Safer Care for Primary Care Providers
Thursday, March 14
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page
**1.0 CE available**

Strategies for Advancing Health Equity within Health Centers
Hosted by Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC)
Thursday, March 14
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Health Network: A Care Coordination Program for Patients Who Move During Treatment
Hosted by the Migrant Clinicians Network
Thursday, March 14
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Million Hearts Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring Forum
Co-hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and CDC (with CDC funding)
Thursday, March 14
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Should We Directly Hire a Lawyer or Contract with Another Organization?
Hosted by the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
Thursday, March 14
1:00-2:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

Health Center Partnerships to Support Nutrition and Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents
Hosted by the National Nurse-led Care Consortium
Thursday, March 14
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Empowering Change: Innovating and Scaling for a Healthier Tomorrow in the Face of Emerging SDOH
Hosted by multiple NTTAPs
Thursday, March 14
3:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

Go Team! Implementing a Team Approach to Primary Care for Your Youngest Patients
Hosted by the HRSA-funded Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems: Evidence to Impact Center
Thursday, March 14
4:00-5:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

How to Use Population Health Tools to Stratify Your Population for Care Management
Hosted by RJHA
Monday, March 18
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Overview of the Primary Care Medical Home Certification Option
Hosted by The Joint Commission
Monday, March 18
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page, use subscription key: TJCEd, or log in with previous credentials

Impacts of Housing Instability on the Health of Vulnerable Populations
Hosted by NCHPH
Tuesday, March 19
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Developing a Health Equity Plan for your Health Center
Hosted by CHC
Tuesday, March 19
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Navigating Polypharmacy Management in Older Adults
Hosted by NCECE
Tuesday, March 19
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

ACU STAR² Center Workforce Training & TA Professional Development Series
Hosted by the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved’s (ACU) STAR² Center
Tuesday, March 19
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Upcoming

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening in Health Centers
Wednesday, March 20
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Solar Powered Healthcare: Resilience and Cost-Savings
Hosted by Capital Link
Monday, March 25
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Motivational Interviewing for Smoking Cessation
Hosted by NCHPH and NHCHC
Monday, March 25
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Fostering Teams: Promoting Cohesion, Effective Communication, and Problem-Solving
Monday, March 25
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

How to Create Training Models to Support Retention
Tuesday, March 26
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Collaborative Solutions: Advancing Overdose Prevention in Housing
Hosted by HUD
Wednesday, March 27
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates
Thursday, March 28
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
Join by phone: 833-568-8864
Webinar ID: 160 071 0984

Preparing to Serve MSAWs and Other Vulnerable Populations through Public Health Emergencies
Hosted by MHP Salud
Thursday, March 28
2:00-3:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

Action Planning to Improve Workforce Well-being
Wednesday, April 3
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Evidence-based Harm Reduction to Support HIV Screening – Strategies for Health Centers
Hosted by CSH
Wednesday, April 3
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Health Centers Serving Veterans: Improving Identification of Military Veteran Patient Characteristic
Hosted by NACHC
Wednesday, April 10
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Webinars are hosted by HRSA unless otherwise noted.