June 15, 2017
What’s New
Combating Drug Addiction – TODAY, Thursday, June 15 at 2:30 pm ET. The White House and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will hold the first meeting of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. The meeting will be streamed online for live public viewing on the White House website. Anyone wishing to submit comments or questions for the Commission may send an email to commission@ondcp.eop.gov, with notice that written comments, including name and contact information of the submitter, may be posted publicly on the ONDCP website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tracked a significant increase in opioid-related overdose across the country, with higher rates in rural areas.
Funding Opportunities
Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) – June 29. Health professionals who are U.S. citizens from a disadvantaged background may be eligible to receive payment assistance for their educational loans in exchange for a two-year commitment on the faculty of a health professions school. FLRP supports the next generation of the health workforce by recruiting degreed professionals to pursue faculty roles in their respective health care fields. Health care workforce with cultural understanding of the patients they serve is particularly important in rural areas, where it’s more difficult to recruit and retain professionals.
CPC+ Expands to 4 New (Mostly Rural) Regions – July 13. CMS announced the Round 2 regions selected for the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model: Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and the Greater Buffalo Region of New York. The CPC+ model is an advanced primary care medical home model that offers an innovative payment structure, including a monthly care management fee, to support primary care practices to improve quality, access, and efficiency. Physician practices in these regions can apply for 2018 participation via on online portal.
Repair or Rehab Housing for Low-income Rural Residents – July 17. State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized tribes are invited to submit pre-applications for the USDA Rural Housing Service Housing Preservation Grant program, which provides funds to repair and rehabilitate homes and rental properties for low-income rural residents (income at 80% or less of area median income). Many rural communities continue to face substandard housing conditions which contribute to poorer health outcomes. Complete pre-applications should be submitted to your local USDA Rural Development state office.
Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment – July 31. Seventeen states with the highest rates of admissions for treatment of opioid use disorder are eligible to apply for funding that will expand or enhance access to medication assisted treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will make five awards of $2 million per year for up to three years. See eligible states in Appendix E of the grant program guidance. Last month, the Rural Health Research Centers released a report showing 60% of rural counties have no physicians with a waiver required to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
First Responders – July 31. States, tribal organizations and local government entities are eligible to apply for funding of up to $41.3 million over four years for an anticipated 30 grantees. SAMHSA will enter into cooperative agreement with successful applicants to train and provide resources to first responders on carrying and administering a drug or device approved by the FDA for emergency treatment of opioid overdose. First responders are vital to the outcome of an overdose, yet many rural emergency services lack the resources to respond as quickly and effectively.
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