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March 27, 2024.
What's New
CMS Announces ACO Primary Care Flex Model. The Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will test a new model beginning January 1, 2025, that aims to increase the number of low-revenue accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP). Participating ACOs will receive monthly prospective, primary care payments (PPCPs) from CMS to address the medical and health-related social needs of their patients. The ACOs will distribute the PPCS to their primary care providers, which can include Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. CMS encourages distributing funds to providers on a capitated basis. ACO Primary Care Flex Model participants will also receive a one-time Advanced Shared Savings Payment to help cover the costs of forming an ACO and administrative costs associated with the model. While this model features joint participation in both ACO Flex and the Medicare Shared Savings Program, ACO Flex participants will not be eligible to receive the SSP’s Advance Investment Payments. CMS will host an hour-long public overview webinar on Thursday, April 4, at 2:00 pm Eastern. A Request for Applications is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2024. The initial submission period to apply to the SSP closes June 17, 2024.
Webinar Series on Rural Maternal Health Continues April 9. Registration is open for the next installment of this four-part webinar series hosted by FORHP and the Rural Health Information Hub. The third part of the series highlights resources available for hospitals through Patient Safety Bundles to improve the process of care and health outcomes. See a recording and transcript of the first in the series, Achieving Birthing-Friendly Status, under Resources of the Week below.
IRS Offers Free Tax Filing with Direct File. In a pilot program, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is launching an online tool that works on mobile devices, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Tax filers in 12 states - Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming – can check their eligibility for this 2024 launch.
Ongoing: Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing. As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in January 2023, clinicians no longer need a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder. Clinicians are still required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications. On June 27, 2023, the DEA began to require that registration applicants – both new and renewing – affirm they have completed a new, one-time, eight-hour training. Exceptions for the new training requirement are practitioners who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, and those who graduated from a medical, dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the U.S. within five years of June 27, 2023. Watch this 11-minute video that explains the changes. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained between January 1, 2019 and December 29, 2022 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). Approximately $889,000 in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov.
COVID-19 Resources
Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 6. The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal opened January 1 and will remain open until March 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 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. More information and resources can be found on the PRF Reporting webpage.
Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, April 11 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style ECHO learning session to rapidly disseminate findings about Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). The series offers presentations by subject matter experts, examples of emerging best practices and models of care, and a facilitated Q&A. This program is intended primarily for providers who care for patients with PCC and ME/CFS but is open to all healthcare professionals and all Long COVID and ME/CFS patient-lived experience experts interested in learning more about the treatment of Long COVID and ME/CFS.
CDC’s COVIDVaxView Dashboard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to share weekly COVID-19 vaccination data using a variety of data sources. A new resource, COVIDVaxView Interactive, goes deeper with a look at variations in vaccine confidence by demographics and geography.
Home Test to Treat is a new program funded by the National Institutes of Health focused on providing COVID-19 care and treatment for adults who are at greater risk of being affected by COVID-19. Adults who do not currently have COVID-19 or flu may enroll and receive free tests if they are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Affairs health care system, or the Indian Health Services. Individuals who are currently positive for COVID-19 can enroll to receive telehealth services for COVID-19 and treatment (if prescribed) at no cost. Enrollees may also be invited to participate in a completely optional research component of the program. Informational flyers are available in English and Spanish.
Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth. ProviderBridge.org was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by the Federation of State Medical Boards and HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities.
Online Resource for Licensure of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, and Social Workers. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing in each state.
Funding and Opportunities
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Continuing Nursing Education Program: Scholarship Opportunity – April 8. To celebrate Occupational Health Nurses Week, April 8-13, the national nonprofit AgriSafe Network will offer continuing education credits to 125 qualifying nurses through its Nurse Scholar program for agricultural and health and safety.
DOJ Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault – May 2. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will make 50 awards with total funding of $22.5 million for community-based services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, as well as the development of culturally specific strategies.
ACF Head Start Expansion, Early Head Start Expansion, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants – May 14. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides funding to operate Head Start and Early Head Start programming within a community, expanding on existing local resources to provide a comprehensive array of health, mental health nutrition, and social services for children and their families. A separate but related program, ACF and Seasonal Head Start Expansion also seeks applications by May 14.
Indian Health Service Grants for Native Public Health Resilience – May 14. The federal IHS estimates 15 awards, each up to $400,000 to enhance capacity for core public health functions, services, and activities and to strengthen tribal public health management capabilities.
ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities – May 20. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) provides grants for community-driven projects that grow local economies, support local businesses, strengthen families, preserve Native cultures, and increase social development. A separate program provides ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities in Alaska – May 20.
USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program (ReConnect) – May 21. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to expand broadband service to rural areas without sufficient broadband access.
HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23. HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy administers cooperative agreements to increase the amount of high quality, impartial, policy-relevant research to assist decision-makers at the federal, state, and local levels. Eight recipients will conduct policy-oriented health services research on rural issues and synthesize the results into reports easily understood by a non-technical policy audience.
Rural Health Research
Research in this section is provided by the HRSA/FORHP-supported Rural Health Research Gateway. Sign up to receive alerts when new publications become available.
Identifying Rural Health Clinics Within the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files. There is limited information on the extent to which Rural Health Clinics (RHC) provide pediatric and pregnancy-related services to individuals enrolled in state Medicaid/CHIP programs. In part, this is because methods to identify RHC encounters within Medicaid claims data are outdated. This brief from the Maine Rural Health Research Center describes a methodology for identifying RHC encounters within the Medicaid claims data using Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files.
Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Communities: Perspectives from Key Informant Interviews. This policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center describes findings from interviews with key informants from IPV victim support and advocacy organizations, shedding light on distinct challenges faced by rural victims and survivors. It also highlights targeted opportunities for better supporting the health and safety of rural IPV victims and survivors.
Prevent or Treat: Availability of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Dialysis in High Need Rural Counties. Researchers at the Rural and Minority Health Research Center assess the availability of in-county diabetes self-management education and dialysis across rural and urban counties.
Partnerships to Address Social Needs Across Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Prospective Payment System Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals. The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis Explores the extent to which hospitals partner with community organizations to address population and/or community health needs.
Policy Updates
Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov.
See ACO Primary Care Flex Model under What’s New.
CMS Releases LTCH Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Data Set Q&As. The Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Data Set is the assessment instrument LTCH providers use to collect patient assessment data in accordance with the LTCH Quality Reporting Program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have published a consolidated set of Q&As based on inquiries to the LTCH Post-Acute Care (PAC) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Help Desk from September 2020 to March 2024. This set of Q&As offers LTCH providers additional clarifications to existing guidance. CMS has archived some previous Q&As, all of which can be found in the LTCH Quality Reporting Archives.
Upcoming Webinar - Hospital Price Transparency: What Hospitals Need to Know – Thursday April 4 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Subject matter experts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will present the latest hospital price transparency policies and enforcement actions effective January 1, 2024, in a webinar produced by the Rural Health Information (RHI) Hub. These policies were effective January 1, 2021 and affect all hospitals operating in the United States.
Learning Events and Technical Assistance
NHSC Loan Repayment Program Applicant Webinar – Tuesday, April 2 at 1:30 pm Eastern. HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce will hold a two-hour session for applicants to National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment programs. This webinar includes the first of six online Q&A sessions for applicants (see link for details), once each week until applications are due on May 9.
FORHP 2024 Preview – Wednesday, April 3 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy continues to shape our programs to better address rural health needs, while also maintaining proven practices. Join us for our annual Preview webinar as we walk you through our investments and activities for this fiscal year. We’ll preview anticipated funding opportunities, as well as our “hidden gems” - resources and projects that may not be well-known.
Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center 2024 MATRC Summit – April 14-16 in Pocono Manor, PA. One of 12 regional centers in the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, the MATRC will hold its summit in-person only to explore trends, innovations, policy, and best practices.
Resources of the Week
ICYMI: Achieving Birthing-Friendly Status in Rural Hospitals. In case you missed it, the Rural Health Information Hub provides a transcript and recording of the hour-long March 12 webinar discussing maternity care improvements rural hospitals must make to earn the Birthing-Friendly designation from CMS.
Quality Improvement Course for Rural Emergency Medical Services. The online course, funded by FORHP, introduces rural EMS providers to the concept of quality improvement (QI). The program, which was initially designed for the staff of healthcare organizations, has been modified to meet the needs of rural EMS by dividing the QI concept into three distinct levels that build upon each other.
Approaching Deadlines
Help shape the future of the Marketplace Quality Rating System (QRS) and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) Enrollee Experience Survey – Comment by March 28
CMS Changing Policy for Research Data Access – Comment by March 29
CMS Accepting Applications for New Physician Residency Slots – March 31
HRSA Provider Relief Reporting Period 6 – March 31
National Rural Health Association – Residency in Healthcare Executive Leadership Development – March 31
USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) – March 31
CDC Strengthening Public Health Systems Through National Partnerships – April 1
SAMHSA Grants to Expand SUD Capacity in Treatment Drug Courts – April 1
USDA Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program – April 1
HRSA Advanced Nursing Education – Sexual Assault Examiners Program – April 2
HRSA State Maternal Health Innovation – April 2
RWJF Healthy Eating Research for Children and Adolescents – Letters of Intent April 3
DOJ Sexual Assault Services – Culturally Specific Grant Program – April 4
CDC Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge – April 5
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Continuing Nursing Education Program: Scholarship Opportunity – April 8
HRSA Licensure Portability Grant Program – April 8
DOJ Office on Violence Against Women – Rural Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program – April 12
SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment Program – April 12
Alaska Native Tribal Consortium/Alaska Pacific University - Alaska Indigenous Research Program and Scholarship – April 14
SAMHSA First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act – April 15
Department of Treasury Capital Magnet Fund for Affordable Housing – April 16
HRSA Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program – April 16
HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Capacity Development – April 16
CDC Drug Free Communities – New Grants – April 17
USDA Rural eConnectivity Program – April 22
DOJ Office of Violence Against Women – Grants to Indian Tribal Governments – April 24
DOJ Office on Violence Against Women – Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) – April 24
HRSA Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program – Supplement Funding for Rural Emergency Services – April 25
HRSA National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – April 25
Department of Veterans Affairs Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grants – April 26
SAMHSA Building Communities of Recovery – April 29
USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants – April 29
DOJ Adult Treatment Court Site-Based Program – May 2
DOJ Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault – May 2
HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – May 2
Federal Agencies Seek Input: Effects of Consolidation in Health Care – Comment by May 6
HRSA Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program – May 6
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Impact – May 6
HRSA National Health Service Corps: Three Options for Loan Repayment Programs – May 9
CMS Seeks Input on a New Beneficiary Disenrollment Survey – Comment by May 13
ACF Head Start Expansion, Early Head Start Expansion, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants – May 14
ACF Head Start Expansion for Migrant and Seasonal Families – May 14
Department of Education Demonstration Grants for Mental Health Service Professionals in Elementary and Secondary Schools – May 14
IHS American Indians Into Medicine – May 14
Indian Health Service Grants for Native Public Health Resilience – May 14
USDA Farmers Market/Local Food Promotion Program – May 14
USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program – May 14
HHS Community Level Innovations for Improving Health Outcomes – May 15
NIH Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes/Advance Health Equity in Rural Populations – May 17
ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities – May 20
ACF Social and Economic Development Strategies for Native Communities in Alaska – May 20
USDA Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Program (ReConnect) – May 21
HRSA Rural Health Research Program – May 23
CMS Request for Information on Medicare Advantage Data – Comment by May 29
AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use – June 2024
NIH Innovations for Healthy Living – Improving Minority Health/Eliminating Health Disparities – June 10
NIH Researching Barriers to Care and Risk of HIV-Associated Comorbidities Among Vulnerable Population Groups – June 28
EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants – November 21
Ongoing Opportunities
HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications
Medicaid and CHIP Renewal and Transition Resources for Partners
Extended Public Comment Period for FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program
National Indian Health Board Vaccination Event Funding – Ongoing while funds last
SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities
USDA Disaster Repair Grants for Rural Communities
USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
ACF Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
ACF Rural Community Development Program for Rural Water Systems
Addiction Policy Forum: Sites for Anti-Stigma Pilot
AgriSafe Mental Health Training for Agricultural Producers & Families
American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Foundation - Accreditation Grants
American Heart Association Rural Health Care Outcomes Accelerator
American Indian Public Health Resource Center Technical Assistance
AmeriCorps American Connection Corps for Broadband in Rural Areas
Appalachian Community Fund Technical Assistance Grants
Appalachian Regional Commission J-1 Visa Waivers for Doctors
Association of American Indian Physicians Tribal Grant Writing Training
ASA Rural Access to Anesthesia Care Scholarship
CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies
CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs
CORH Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program
Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program
Delta Regional Authority Community Infrastructure Fund
Delta Doctors J-1 Visa Waiver Program
Department of Commerce: Economic Development Assistance Programs
DRA Technical Assistance for Delta Region Community Health Systems Development
EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
EPA Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act Program
FEMA/SAMHSA Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program
GSA Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use
GPHC & RWJF: Rapid Cycle Research and Evaluation Grants for Cross-Sector Alignment
HRSA/SAMHSA Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training and Mentoring
HRSA Seeking Nominations for Migrant Health Advisory
HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program
Housing Assistance Council: Housing Loans for Low-Income Rural Communities
HUD Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance Program
HUD Hospital Mortgage Insurance Program
IHS Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training
IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM)
NARHC Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Course
National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence Technical Assistance
National Indian Health Board Tribal Environmental Justice Technical Assistance Center
National Indian Health Board Vaccination Event Funding
National Indigenous Women's Resource Center Technical Assistance for Domestic Violence Programs
Native Americans into Medicine
Host Sites for National Environmental Public Health Internship
NIH Special Interest Research – Pandemic Impact on Vulnerable Children and Youth – May 2024
NIH Research to Improve Native American Health – October 2024
NIH Researching Mental Health Practices in Low-Resource Settings – September 2024
NIH Researching Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Underserved/Vulnerable Populations – September 2024
NIH Researching the Role of Work in Health Disparities – Various dates until September 2024
NIH Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination – Various dates until October 2025
NIH Researching Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention – February 2026
NIH Research to Address Vaccine Hesitancy in Health Disparity Populations – June 2026
NIH Planning Grants for Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) – various dates until July 2026
NIH Research to Understand Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality – Various dates until October 2026
NIH Data Informed, Place-Based Community-Engaged Research to Advance Health Equity – January 2027
NIH/UVA Seeking Rural Individuals to Participate in Weight Loss Study (iREACH) – until 2027
NIH Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications
Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
NRHA Chief Nursing Officer Certification Program for Rural Hospitals
Oweesta Native CDFI Loan Funds and Technical Assistance
Primary Care Development Corporation Community Investment Loans
Rural Community Assistance Corporation Community Facility Loans for Western States and Pacific Islands
Rural Community Assistance Corporation Environmental Infrastructure Loans for Western States
Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development
Rural Grocery Transition Specialist Program
RTT Collaborative: Rural Training Track Directors University
RWJF Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health
RWJF Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals
SAMHSA Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program for Communities Post-Disaster
SAMHSA Training to Provide Medication Assisted Treatment
SBA Guaranteed Loans for Small Business
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loans
Treasury Department Opportunity Zone Economic Development Program
United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support
USDA Community Facilities Program
USDA Community Food Projects Technical Assistance
USDA Drinking Water and Waste Disposal for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages
USDA Economic Impact Initiative Grants
USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
USDA Healthy Food Financing Initiative Technical Assistance
USDA Intermediary Relending Program
USDA Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees
USDA National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program
USDA/NRHA Rural Hospital Technical Assistance
USDA Rural Business Development Grants
USDA Rural Business Investment Program
USDA Rural Energy Savings Program
USDA SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects)
USDA Summer Food Program
USDA Technical Assistance for Healthy Food Financing Initiative
USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees
USDA Funding for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Projects
USDA Water and Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands and Colonias
USDOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S)
Veterans Affairs Health Professional Scholarship Program
Veterans Affairs Virtual Living Room - Using Technology to Address the Critical Healthcare Needs of Veterans in Rural Areas
Western Region Public Health Training Center – Future Leaders Program
WWAMI Area Health Education Center Scholars Program
3RNET Recruitment and Retention Assistance
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