As we continues to deal with the effects of COVID-19 on our families, our work, and our communities, we at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) appreciate your commitment to the Veterans we all serve.

VA’s Executive in Charge, Dr. Richard Stone, said this week, “The COVID-19 pandemic is a new challenge, but our mission is not new nor is our ability to deliver on our promise to Veterans and their families and caregivers. We are caring for some of the most vulnerable in our nation, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly."

As we all know, these are unprecedented times.

It’s important for our team members, and you, our community providers, to stay informed and to stay well. While you continue your work, we realize you must take care of yourselves and your families.

You might be treating our Veterans who have unique challenges and crises associated with understanding this situation.

We encourage you to check the variety of resources that we regularly update.

• COVID-19 Guidance for Community Providers - Fact Sheet
• For Providers and Community Leaders: Helping People Manage Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Outbreak
• Printable handout for providers
• www.mentalhealth.va.gov/coronavirus
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Resources for the entire community

We are grateful for your continued support and commitment to our Veterans.

VA awarded a contract to TriWest Healthcare Alliance Inc., (TriWest) to manage the Community Care Network (CCN) in Region 4 which is expected to launch in early June. To ensure providers in Region 4 are ready for the launch in June launch of CCN, TriWest started a new provider training program offering several webinars.

Get Trained Now

 Providers should register for these CCN webinars as soon as possible by taking the following steps:

1. Log in to your account on Availity at Availity.com. (If you don’t have an account, register for one for free.)
2. Navigate to the TriWest Payer Space.
3. Click on the TriWest Learning Center.
4. Register for the full range of CCN webinars at times that work for you.

Other Pertinent CCN Region 4 Information

• CCN implementation will begin at a few VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) within Region 4 in early June and will roll out in a phased approach through August.
• Claims will continue to be sent to WPS Military and Veterans Health (WPS MVH).
• Information previously contained on the Provider portal at triwest.com/provider will shift to the TriWest Payer Space on Availity at www.availity.com.
• Availity will be your one-stop shop to access CCN trainings as well as applications, quick-reference guides, the Provider Handbook, and news and announcements.
• Most network providers will receive auto-amendments to their contracts to align with CCN requirements. This means providers will not need to sign any new documents.

Resources

• TriWest CCN Fact Sheet
• TriWest CCN Website
• CCN Regional Networks
• VA CCN Website

HealthShare Referral Manager (HSRM) is VA’s new online system for the referral and authorization management process for Veteran care.

To improve community provider training, VA published 11 free self-paced HSRM eLearning lessons! These lessons contain step-by-step demonstrations of system functionality as well as try-it-yourself opportunities and knowledge checks based on realistic scenarios for on-the-job application. Users may view all topics to learn about the full scope of the system or select individual topics for targeted learning. All 11 lessons are available now on VHA TRAIN. Please register for a free VHA TRAIN account to access the eLearning.  

 Upcoming Training Sessions

Registration for one of the live weekly HSRM trainings can be completed by creating an account and logging into VHA TRAIN.  Training is available at no cost and is hosted by HSRM staff who are ready to answer your questions!

VA offers a webinar series designed to provide the knowledge community providers need to address post-deployment health concerns of returning combat Veterans.

On April 14, 2020, VA is offering a course on  Deployment-Related Mental Health and Neurocognitive Concerns.  Questions about brain health, mental health, and identity adjustment are common in post-deployment health care, yet medical training does not typically address how these complex factors impact Veterans’ functioning. The goals of this intermediate-level webinar are to:

• Provide an overview of deployment-related mental health and brain health concerns.
• Discuss how to screen for symptoms.
• Offer information on where to refer for additional services.

Level 2 and level 3 evaluations are provided. This live-virtual knowledge-based program is appropriate for health care teams.

VA staff register through TMS:  Deployment-Related Mental Health and Neurocognitive Concerns

Community providers register through VHA TRAIN.

Email questions to Urbano Delgado, Urbano.Delgado@va.gov,  or Donna Sowders, Donna.Sowders@va.gov .

April 16, 2020:  VHA Office of Community Care Overview -  This webinar provides an overview of community care programs and policies, focuses on how to file clean claims, and covers other topics such as eligibility, referral, top rejection reasons and other provider issues.  Register for the webinar.

April 23, 2020:  Screening and Addressing for Alcohol Misuse if you are not an Addiction Provider - The purpose of this training will be to inform community providers about resources available to them as they treat Veterans with at-risk drinking or alcohol use disorder. They will be informed about brief alcohol interventions and other available treatment options. Additionally, we will discuss assessment and triage.

Community providers register for the webinar at VHA TRAIN , VA staff through TMS.   

Go to the VA's community care Provider Education & Training  Resources web page for a full listing of upcoming webinars and links to recordings of past webinars.