What's New

Recent BPHC Communications

If you missed these important communications, click the title to see more:

• $240 Million Now Available to Expand Behavioral Health Services at the Nation’s Health Centers
  We announced this new funding opportunity in a bulletin yesterday.
  
  
• Announcing the Release of FTCA Emergency Resources
  See two new Program Assistance Letters (PALs) to support you in your mission to provide health care services during emergencies.
  
  
• Review and Update Your Project Director in EHBs
  A delay in establishing a new Project Director (PD) because the prior person left can, in turn, delay your health center’s response to time-sensitive requirements. This bulletin shares the steps and information required to update your PD in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs).
  
  
• Final 2024 UDS PAL and 2024 UDS Changes Webinar
  The top story in last week’s Digest shared important updates about 2024 Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting.

Health Center Stories Showcase Virtual Exams and Integrated Oral Health Measures Check out our Health Center Stories webpage to enjoy these new featured stories: Sunset Park Family Health Center at NYU Langone developed remote physical exams to connect with homeless patients and others who are typically hard to reach. Grace Health in Battle Creek, Michigan, integrates oral health and prenatal care to prevent dental problems arising during pregnancy. Have a story to share? Contact us at HealthCenterStories@hrsa.gov.

Jim Macrae Honored at White House Ceremony HRSA Associate Administrator Jim Macrae was awarded a 2022 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service, the highest recognition in the Senior Executive Service. Last week, he formally received his award at a ceremony in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The award recognizes the challenges COVID-19 presented and how Jim responded. But he is quick to point out that it was all of you, as well as bureau staff, who “answered the call.”

FQHCs Financial and Operational Performance Analysis 2019-2022 Capital Link’s new report provides an aggregate financial and operational profile of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Visit Capital Link’s site to learn more and download the report. Capital Link will talk more about the report at their upcoming webinar, “Financial and Operational Benchmarking Trends and Techniques.” (Visit Wednesday, May 1, on the TA calendar for registration.)

The National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Updated Diabetes Recognition Program

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognizes clinicians who use evidence-based measures to provide quality care to their patients. Visit NCQA's website to see their refreshed program for diabetes care, including a new platform and updated measure set, and to apply for recognition (select “Get Started”).

NCQA has, via a sponsor, a limited grant covering the application fees for up to five clinicians per organization. Use the QPASS Sponsor code “DPPS24” during the application submission.

Recording of FORHP 2024 Preview Webinar

HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) held a 2024 preview webinar earlier this month. Speakers shared anticipated funding opportunities and “hidden gems” — resources and projects that may not be well-known. Watch the recording.

HRSA’s March Roundup

In March, HRSA convened stakeholders on the Biden-Harris Administration’s fiscal year 2025 budget, presented at the AIDSWatch Conference, highlighted the Health Center Program at the Advocates for Community Health meeting, announced a new initiative to support opioid treatment and recovery services in rural communities, led a roundtable on the state of the nursing workforce, and hosted a conference on maternal mortality for state health leaders. Visit HRSA’s website for more.

CMS Fact Sheet: Potential for Medicare Part B Coverage of PrEP Using Antiretroviral Therapy to Prevent HIV

CMS released a Fact Sheet for the Potential National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Using Antiretroviral Drugs to Prevent HIV (PDF). CMS has not announced any coverage changes; however, many interested parties commented on the proposed NCD last year. Some commenters were concerned that a change to Part B coverage might be disruptive for patients who had been receiving coverage under Part D. CMS is sharing as much information as possible before issuing a NCD to avoid any possible disruptions for beneficiaries.

National Infant Immunization Week

This week (April 22-29) is National Infant Immunization Week — an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases. CDC provides useful resources to support your efforts: National Infant Immunization Week For administrators and providers: Routine Immunizations on Schedule for Everyone (RISE) For parents: Common Questions about Vaccines

Behavioral Health

Coordinating Care and Safety for Patients: Navigating the Intersection of Behavioral Health and Intimate Partner Violence

Join Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation for a learning collaborative focused on the intersection of behavioral health, intimate partner violence (IPV), and mental health and substance use coercion. Presenters — a panel of survivors, joined by faculty — will offer strategies to provide holistic care and improve outcomes for patients. Explore ways to build and foster partnerships with community-based organizations. View the application page to apply by Friday, April 26, and for dates, times, and more.

Nurturing Mothers: A Webinar Series on Breastfeeding Support and Maternal Mental Health

The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium (NNCC) and the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH) invite you to a webinar series addressing the critical postpartum gap in care and maternal mental health. Speakers will focus on equipping health care professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to support maternal mental health and breastfeeding and improve outcomes, particularly in communities of color. They will explore enhanced telehealth services and leveraging in-person and home-visitation programs. Visit the series registration page for dates, times, and session topics.

Advancing Team-Based Care to Address Maternal Mental Health Disparities Webinar Series

Join the Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) and Health Outreach Partners (HOP) for a webinar series focused on using innovation and team-based care to address maternal health disparities during and after pregnancy. Visit the series registration page for dates and times.

Understanding Harm Reduction Approaches to Address IPV, Human Trafficking, Exploitation, and Homelessness

Health Partners on IPV + Exploitation and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) are co-hosting a webinar on the intersection of IPV, human trafficking (HT), exploitation, and homelessness. Speakers will share case studies and lived experiences as hey discuss how to apply a harm reduction approach. The webinar will include live interpretation in Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL). Visit the registration page for date and time.

2024 Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. SAMHSA’s toolkit can make it easy for you to spread awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our well-being, promote acceptance and support of anyone living with a mental illness, and share key resources. Access the toolkit on SAMHSA’s website.

Workforce

Onboarding: The Beginning of Employee Well-being

Have you ever considered how an effective onboarding process can enhance workforce retention? Join our webinar to learn how to craft and implement an onboarding plan that supports workforce well-being and equips employees for success and growth over the long term.

Wednesday, May 15
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

If you missed these other recent workforce well-being webinars, click the title below to access a webpage with the recording and downloadable presentation.

• Fostering Teams: Promoting Cohesion, Communication, and Collaborative Problem-Solving
• How to Create Training Models to Support Retention Case Study
• Action Planning to Improve Workforce Well-being

NTTAP Learning Collaboratives

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

• Coordinating Care and Safety for Patients: Navigating the Intersection of Behavioral Health and IPV
  See the announcement above.
  
  
• Digital Health Strategy to Enable Comprehensive Care
  It is essential for health centers to stay up to date with the latest developments in digital health. Join the Health Information Technology, Evaluation, and Quality (HITEQ) Center to deepen your understanding of how digital health strategies can enhance quality of care, expand access, improve patient outcomes, and reduce total cost of care. Visit the application page to apply by Thursday, May 2.
  
  
• Pride Month 2024 Workshop: Create a New Tool to Promote LGBTQIA+ Health Access and Equity
  This workshop from the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership (NCMLP) and the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center will boost your knowledge, skills, and tools to address health disparities. With other participants, you will develop a new tool for Pride Month and an implementation plan for putting it into practice. Visit the application page.

Additional Resources

TODAY: Connecting the Dots: Care Coordination to Reduce Risk

Join part two of our series to connect the dots between medical malpractice claims and risk mitigation through patient/family engagement, safe transition plans, process and policy design and implementation, and team communication. Speakers will focus on how to promote coordination for the entire patient journey, with emphasis on closing tracking and communication loops to achieve safe and effective care and care transitions. They will present from both clinical and legal perspectives, using interactive activities, questions, and case studies.

2:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

The Role of Community Health Centers in Eliminating Hepatitis C in the United States As part of our observance of Hepatitis Awareness Month, we will host a webinar featuring former NIH director Dr. Francis Collins and other speakers. They will share updates on the state of viral hepatitis C as well as discuss challenges and best practices in care and treatment. Tuesday, May 14 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET Registration page

In case you missed it:
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Training Calendar

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

Through April 30

HOP’s Organizational Self-Care Assessment Tool: Fostering a Culture of Wellness among Health Center Staff
Hosted by HOP
Tuesday, April 23
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Connecting the Dots: Care Coordination to Reduce Risk
Tuesday, April 23
2:00-4:30 p.m. ET
Registration page

Quality Improvement Fund – Transitions in Care for Justice-Involved Populations Application TA
Wednesday, April 24
11:00 a.m.-noon ET
Join the day of the session

Community Conversation: Self-Care for Clinicians
Hosted by NHCHC
Wednesday, April 24
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Genital Herpes: Approaches to Diagnosis and Management
Wednesday, April 24
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Office Hour for FY 2021 ARP-Capital, C8E Awardees
Wednesday, April 24
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Being a Champion for Cultural Humility: A Guide for Health Centers – Cultural Humility with LGBTQ Communities
Hosted by Renaye James Healthcare Advisors (RJHA)
Thursday, April 25
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Developing Quality Improvement Strategies in Team-Based Care Activity Session
Hosted by CHC and the HITEQ Center
Thursday, April 25
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Providing Trauma-informed Care in Health Centers
Thursday, April 25
1:00-2:15 p.m. ET
Registration page
**1.0 CE available for behavioral health professionals**

Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates
Thursday, April 25
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Join the day of the session
Join by phone: 833-568-8864
Webinar ID: 161 511 1554

Reaching Indigenous MSAWs through Language Access Services
Hosted by the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH)
Thursday, April 25
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

BMI Assessments in Well Visits for School-Aged Children and Adolescents
Hosted by the School-Based Health Alliance (SBHA)
Thursday, April 25
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan for Your Health Center Activity Session
Hosted by CHC
Tuesday, April 30
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

NACHC UDS+ Testing Forum
Hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC)
Tuesday, April 30,
and Wednesday, May 1
1:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Advancing Health Equity for Patients Impacted by the Criminal Justice System
Hosted by NCMLP
Tuesday, April 30
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Diabetes Care Management: The Right Way-Part 1
Hosted by RJHA
Tuesday, April 30
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Fostering Effective Mental Health Services in Community Health Centers Webinar Series
Hosted by NACHC
Sessions are 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Series registration page

Part 1: Tuesday, April 30

Part 2: Wednesday, May 22

Upcoming

Nurturing Mothers: A Webinar Series on Breastfeeding Support and Maternal Mental Health
Hosted by NNCC and NCHPH
Sessions are 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Series registration page

Part 1: Continuity of Care: Addressing Maternal Mental Health and Postpartum Support
Wednesday, May 1

Part 2: Continuity of Care: Strengthening Maternal and Child Health through Strategies for Effective Breastfeeding Support Programs
Thursday, May 2

Financial and Operational Benchmarking Trends and Techniques
Hosted by Capital Link
Wednesday, May 1
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among School-Aged Children
Hosted by SBHA
Wednesday, May 1
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Celebrating the 2024 Increase Access to Care for Agricultural Workers Promising Practices Award Recipients
Hosted by NCFH
Wednesday, May 1
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

HITEQ on the Horizon Series: UDS+ and Race, Ethnicity, and Language Collection Roundtable
Hosted by the HITEQ Center
Thursday, May 2
Noon-1:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Advancing Quality Improvement in Team-Based Care Activity Session
Hosted by CHC
Thursday, May 2
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Avoiding Dehydration
Hosted by NCFH
Thursday, May 2
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Supporting Transitions from Medical Respite Care: Roles for Providers and Community Partners
Hosted by the Corporation for Supportive Housing
Thursday, May 2
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Integrated Care for AA and NH/PI Youth Patients
Hosted by the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
Thursday, May 2
4:00-5:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Planning Ahead for Extreme Weather & Environmental Impacts on Aging
Hosted by the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders
Tuesday, May 7
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Maternal Health and Essential Community Connections
Hosted by RJHA
Wednesday, May 8
Noon-1:15 p.m. ET
Registration page

Closing the PrEP Care Gap with TelePrEP
Hosted by the HITEQ Center
Wednesday, May 8
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Advancing Team-Based Care to Address Maternal Mental Health Disparities Webinar Series
Hosted by CHC and HOP
Series registration page

Part 1: Wednesday, May 8
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET

Part 2: Wednesday, May 22
1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

The State of AA and NH/PI Health at Community Health Centers Two-part Series
Hosted by AAPCHO
Series registration page

Part 1: An Analysis of the 2022 UDS Data
Thursday, May 9
5:00-6:00 p.m. ET

Part 2: Community Voices Bringing UDS Data to Life
Tuesday, May 21
3:00-4:00 p.m. ET

Building a Trauma-Informed, People-Centered Organizational Culture that Supports a Resilient Workforce
Hosted by the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved's STAR² Center
Tuesday, May 14
4:00-5:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Onboarding: The Beginning of Employee Well-being
Wednesday, May 15
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Registration page

Webinars are hosted by HRSA unless otherwise noted.