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December 5, 2024
What's New
New Funding: Rural Veterans Health Access Program – Apply by February 5. HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) expects to award approximately $200,000 per year to three states funded under the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program to work with providers and other key partners to expand access to health care services for veterans living in rural areas. Over the three-year cooperative agreement, recipients will develop regional networks to improve coordination of care, provide benefits counseling, and help rural providers bill for services provided to local veterans. FORHP will hold a webinar to assist applicants on Monday, December 16th at 1:00 pm Eastern.
ASPPH/USDA Rural Health Fellowship – January 9. The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offer a one-year fellowship based in Washington, DC beginning in June 2025. Hybrid/remote candidates will also be considered for work that contributes to USDA programs related to rural health, including collaborations with federal and nonfederal partners. To be eligible for this program, applicants must have received their Masters or Doctorate degree prior to the beginning of the fellowship (no later than June 2025) or within the last five years (no earlier than May 2020). Graduate degrees must come from an ASPPH member graduate school or program of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.
Two New Policy Briefs from National Advisory for Rural Health Policy. The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services is a citizens’ panel of rural health experts that convenes twice each year to examine pressing issues and make recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The most recently reports come from a meeting in Austin, Texas in April of this year, with an in-depth look at How Technology and Innovation Can Help Address Rural Health Care Challenges and Supporting Quality Measurement for Rural Health Clinics.
Thinking of Converting to REH? Key Observations from Financial Modeling. In their most recent brief, “Observed Factors Influencing REH Conversion Decisions,” the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Technical Assistance Center (TAC) summarizes the key findings from financial modeling activities and discusses common barriers identified by hospitals considering conversion. In 2023, REHs became a new Medicare rural provider type focused on emergency and observation services, not inpatient care. The TAC found that while the REH conversion is a viable option for some hospitals, barriers exist for others. To date, 31 hospitals have been designated REHs. If you are interested in receiving updates and key findings from the TAC, subscribe to the newsletter or visit their website, the Rural Health Redesign Center.
State of the Primary Care Workforce, 2024. HRSA’s National Center for Health Workforce Analysis collects data, conducts research, and generates information to inform and support public- and private-sector decision making. This brief examines the supply of physicians, physician assistants (PA), and nurse practitioners (NP) practicing in primary care specialties: family medicine, general pediatric medicine, general internal medicine, and geriatric medicine. While rural areas generally have lower primary care physician ratios than urban areas, the data show that NPs and Pas are important in providing primary care in rural areas. Approximately half of PAs were interested in practicing in rural locations (44 percent), Medically Underserved Areas (58 percent), or Health Professional Shortage Areas (54 percent).
USICH: How Health Systems and Hospitals Can Help Solve Homelessness – Thursday, December 12 at 12:30 pm Eastern. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is a federal agency with the sole mission of preventing and ending homelessness in America. During this one-hour webinar, they will discuss their recent federal guidance for hospitals and health systems, with effective strategies relevant for all health professionals, including public health departments and researchers. According to USICH, nearly 20 percent of the people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. live in rural areas, and rural areas have higher rates of unsheltered homelessness than big cities or suburbs.
QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Diagnosed COPD, by Urbanization Level. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that, in 2023, the percentage of adults with diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was 3.8 percent. The prevalence of COPD among adults increased as urbanization level decreased.
Funding and Opportunities
NARHC Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellowship – January 6. The National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) offers a four-week fellowship in Alexandria, Virginia for mid-career professionals to learn leadership skills for becoming grassroots advocates and champions for rural health. Selected fellows will receive lodging, travel expenses, and an $8,000 stipend.
SAMHSA/American Psychological Association - Psychology Minority Fellowship Programs – January 15. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the national trade association for psychology offer fellowship programs to prepare psychology masters students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral trainees for careers in behavioral health focused on serving communities of color. This includes working with Native American communities.
RWJF Summer Health Professions Education Program – February 5. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides a free summer enrichment program designed to improve access to information and resources for college students interested in the health professions. Eligible students include those from populations that have been historically marginalized.
HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program – February 19. HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce will award an estimated $51.47 million to approximately 85 grantees over a period of five years through this opportunity. The funding goes to accredited school programs in certain disciplines that make scholarships available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – February 24. HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty through low interest loans for individuals studying to be nurse faculty and loan cancellation for those who then go on to work as faculty. Successful applicants must establish, operate, and maintain a student loan program. Eligibility includes: state, local, and tribal governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher learning; nonprofits and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. HRSA will invest $25.6 million for an expected 80 awards over a one-year period of performance beginning July 1, 2025.
Policy Updates
Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov.
CMS Seeks Feedback on Quality Measures for Medicare Hospitals, including REHs – Comment by December 30. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like public feedback on 41 Measures Under Consideration for quality reporting and value-based programs before the measures are formally proposed through the rulemaking process. Categories of quality measures for hospitals receiving payment through Medicare, including CMS-designated Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), are:
- Post-Acute Care/Long-Term Care Measures
- Clinician Measures
- Hospital Measures
For example, CMS would like early feedback on including the measure Median Time to Pain Medication for Patients with a Diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease with Vaso-Occlusive Episode in the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, and the measure Proportion of Patients who Died from Cancer Admitted to Hospice for Less than 3 Days in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program. CMS will hold three listening sessions, one for each of these categories, December 17-19. Register to make live comments or ask questions during these sessions. You may also enter a comment for public viewing on a form halfway down the page in the headline link.
CMS Proposed Changes to Medicare Part C and D – Comment by January 27. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would revise the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program (Part D). Proposals include permitting Medicare and Medicaid coverage of anti-obesity medications, further clarifications to the rules on what MA plans must cover, limits on enrollee cost-sharing for behavioral health, expanded topics that agents/brokers must cover when assisting beneficiaries, parameters around the use of debit cards for supplemental MA benefits, codifying requirements for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, and integrating member identification cards for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. As of January 2023, about 45 percent of rural Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in an MA plan.
CMS Awards Third Round of Medicare-funded Residency Slots to Hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the allocation of 200 new Medicare-funded residency slots to more than 100 teaching hospitals. The slots are the third allocation from 1,000 new Medicare-funded residency positions authorized over five years under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The application period for the fourth round will open in January 2025 and will close March 31, 2025.
OIG Updating Antikickback Safe Harbor Provisions – Comment by January 27. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is seeking recommendations for developing new, or modifying existing, safe harbor provisions under the federal anti-kickback statute, as well as developing new OIG Special Fraud Alerts. The federal anti-kickback statute specifies criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving payment to induce or reward referrals for or purchases of items or services reimbursable under any of the federal health care programs. Safe harbor provisions specify payment and business practices that would not be subject to sanctions under the federal anti-kickback statute, even though they could induce referrals of business for which payment may be made under a federal health care program. Safe harbors currently exist for value-based arrangements and local transportation in rural areas. Rural stakeholders should send recommendations to https://www.regulations.gov, follow the “Submit a comment” instructions, and refer to file code OIG-1124-N.
CMS Finalizes New Model to Improve Access to Kidney Transplants. On November 26th, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule establishing a new, six-year mandatory model aimed at increasing access to kidney transplants. Starting in July 2025, selected transplant hospitals will receive financial incentives to perform more kidney transplants. The final rule also includes standard provisions for all mandatory CMS innovation center models starting after January 1, 2025.
Learning Events and Technical Assistance
AgriSafe: Using Telehealth to Reach Agricultural Communities – Tuesday, December 10 at 1:00 pm Eastern. This one-hour webinar will present the usefulness of telehealth communications as a way to promote and provide mental health services within agricultural communities.
Addressing Barriers to MOUD Access at Rural Community Pharmacies – Wednesday, December 11 at 12:00 pm Eastern. This one-hour presentation will discuss barriers to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) access at community pharmacies, including how this issue affects members of rural communities. The Center on Rural Addiction at the University of Vermont is one of three FORHP-supported Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders.
National Rural Health Resource Center: Creating Healthier Rural Communities – Wednesday, December 11 at 1:00 pm Eastern. Expert Alana Knudson of the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis will highlight resources that support rural health care leaders, including how to use data to identify community health needs and serve as connectors in collaborations that improve overall health.
Developing a Behavioral Health Paraprofessional Training Program – Thursday, December 17 at 12:00 pm Eastern. HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce will hold a two-hour session via Zoom, hosted by its National Workforce Collaborative. Attendees will see presentations from HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) programs and learn promising practices for successful paraprofessional programs.
COVID-19 Resources
Learn About Long COVID & Fatiguing Illness – Thursday, December 12 at 3:00 pm Eastern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds this monthly webinar-style Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) 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 health care 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. *New: a short course on Long COVID in Children and Adolescents opened on November 14 and runs until February 25, 2025.
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.
Approaching Deadlines
NIH Environmental Health Disparities Centers – December 5
AmeriCorps VISTA Request for Concept Papers – December 6
Draft Preliminary Recommendations from the Advisory Commission on Additional Licensing Models – Comment by December 6
HRSA Seeks Nominations for NHSC Advisory Board – Submit by December 6
CMS Request for Information: Medicare $2 Drug List Model – Respond by December 9
OHSA Request for Information: Extending COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting for Employees in Healthcare Settings – Respond by December 9
National Community Care Corps Local Models Program – December 11
AHRQ State-Based Healthcare Extension Cooperatives – December 12
Call for Nominations to the CMS Health Equity Advisory Committee – December 12
Administration for Community Living State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Grants – December 13
COSSUP Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions for Substance Use and Misuse – December 16
USDA Rural Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization Program – Email Intent to Apply by December 16
Administration for Community Living Small Business Innovation Research – December 18
NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute: Beyond the Basics – December 18
Delta Regional Authority Workforce Grant Program – December 20
FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants – December 20
CMS Enhancing Coverage of Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act – Comment by December 27
CMS Seeks Feedback on Quality Measures for Medicare Hospitals, including REHs – Comment by December 30
USDA Intermediary Relending Program for Rural Economic Development – December 31
USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP): Grants and Loans for Energy Systems/Improvements – December 31
NARHC Bill Finerfrock Health Policy Fellowship – January 6
ASPPH/USDA Rural Health Fellowship – January 9
SAMHSA/American Psychological Association - Psychology Minority Fellowship Programs – January 15
NHTSA Road to Zero Community Traffic Safety Grants – January 17
HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals – January 21
HRSA Graduate Psychology Education Program – January 21
CMS Proposed Changes to Medicare Part C and D – Comment by January 27
HRSA Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education, Science, and Practice – January 27
OIG Updating Antikickback Safe Harbor Provisions – Comment by January 27
HRSA Rural Veterans Health Access Program – February 5
RWJF Summer Health Professions Education Program – February 5
HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program (funding goes to schools, not individuals) – February 19
HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – February 24
U.S. Department of Energy Demonstration Funding for Energy Improvement in Rural/Remote Areas – Letters of Intent February 27
Ongoing Opportunities
Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities.
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
California Department of Health Care Access – Small and Rural Hospital Relief Program
CDC Direct Assistance to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Agencies
CDC Training Pediatric Medical Providers to Recognize ACEs
CMS Medicaid and CHIP Renewal and Transition Resources for Partners
Communities Unlimited, Inc: Water and Wastewater Loans for Rural Systems
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications
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 Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications
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 Forensic Nursing Consultation Program and Training
IHS/DOD Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM)
Licensure Portability: the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project
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 Tribal Environmental Impact Network Call for Technical Assistance Providers
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 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
NOSORH Rural Primary Care Institute
Nominations for Federal Advisory Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
NRHA Chief Nursing Officer Certification Program for Rural Hospitals
Opportunity Finance Network/Partners for the Common Good – Economic Justice Partnership Fund
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
RCORP Rural Center of Excellence on SUD Prevention: Developing a Rural Community Approach to Overcoming Stigma
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
SAMHSA 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Volunteer and Job Opportunities
Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business
Small Business Administration Certified Development Company (504) Loan Program: Rural Initiative Pilot Program
Southeast Rural Community Development Loans
Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program
Treasury Department Opportunity Zone Economic Development Program
United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc Tribal Health Program Support
USDA Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems
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 – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter
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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