Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements

August 22, 2019

What’s New

Comments Requested: Rural Access to Health Care Services – October 9. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) seeks information from the public about measuring access to health care in rural communities. This Request for Information (RFI) supports the ongoing work of the HHS Rural Health Task Force that is seeking to identify the needs of rural communities, how to meet those needs, and what HHS policy changes can address those needs. Questions for public comment specific to rural communities include: what are the core health care services needed, what types and numbers of health care professionals are needed, what factors are important to identify core health services, and how should access to health care services be measured. People in rural communities face a range of health disparities, including greater obesity and disease burden in children and adults, higher mortality rates, and shorter life expectancy. Rural areas also have fewer health professionals per person compared to urban areas.

Agrisafe: Nurse Scholar Distance Education Program – Early Registration Ends August 23. Calling all nurses serving rural communities!  Get the tools necessary to help farmers and ranchers in your community, while earning 18 Continuing Nursing Education hours. The Nurse Scholar program is a distance learning opportunity available to rural nurses provided by experienced health and safety educators. Increase your knowledge base in prevention, identification, and assessment of diseases related to agricultural work exposures. Classes are in the form of webinars from September 4 – December 6, 2019 that can be viewed live or On Demand.

Funding Opportunities

Rural Health Network Development Program  – November 25. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a new Notice of Funding Opportunity for The Rural Health Network Development Program (Network Development). This program will support up to 46 applicant organizations, which are either public or nonprofit private rural entities who represent a network of three or more separate, existing health care entities. HRSA expects to invest approximately $13 million for this program to support integrated rural health care networks that combine the functions of the network entities and include skilled, experienced staff, with a high functioning network board, to address the health care needs of the targeted rural community. Continue reading “Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements”

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement

August 15, 2019

What’s New

A Guide for Rural Health Care Collaboration and Coordination. This new resource was created by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Health Centers program at the Health Resources and Services Administration. It discusses how rural providers can work together to identify health needs in their communities, create partnerships to address those needs, and develop a “community-minded” approach to health care. The guide illustrates through case studies how providers in two communities created networks and partnerships to improve the efficiency of care, optimize resources, and improve the lives of their residents. See the Events section below for an online discussion of the guide later today.

Rural Guide to Improving Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Care.  The National Rural Health Resource Center and Stroudwater Associates, supported by FORHP, developed a guide on the community and patient benefits for implementing pulmonary rehabilitation services. Rural hospitals and clinics can use this guide to identify areas for improvement within their diagnosis, treatment and long-term care of COPD patients in their communities. A University of Minnesota report highlights that while the COPD prevalence rate is the prevalence of COPD is higher for individuals living in rural areas, Critical Access Hospitals are less likely to employ any respiratory therapists. This guide is developed as part of the COPD National Action Plan, with the goal of developing resources for improving the lives of individuals living with COPD symptoms in rural communities.

Funding Opportunities

Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) – September 25.  The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) anticipates funding $21 million to support programs for volunteers aged 55 and over.  Senior Corps RSVP volunteers tutor children, renovate homes, teach English to immigrants, assist victims of natural disasters, provide independent living services, recruit and manage other volunteers, and serve in their communities in many other ways.  On average, rural populations are older than other parts of the country, and community engagement is one of the social determinants of health that can benefit older citizens.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent by August 30. Continue reading “Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement”

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement

August 16, 2019

 

New Federal Funding Opportunity for the Rural Health Network Development Program 

As of August 14, 2019, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a new Notice of Funding Opportunity for The Rural Health Network Development Program (Network Development). This program will support up to 46 applicant organizations, which are either public or nonprofit private rural entities who represent a network of three or more separate, existing health care entities. HRSA expects to invest approximately $13 million for this program to support integrated rural health care networks that combine the functions of the network entities and include skilled, experienced staff, with a high functioning network board, in order to address the health care needs of the targeted rural community. Previously funded networks under this program designed and carried out projects focused on coordinated care for patients, chronic disease management, behavioral health improvement, and utilizing/enhancing telehealth technology, among other issues for rural communities. Objectives and goals for this program include improving access and quality of health care in rural areas through network collaboration, utilizing and/or adapting an evidence-based model in the delivery of health care services, and promoting the sustainability of rural health networks through the creation of diverse products and services. Formal networks are encouraged to implement innovative solutions for local health care needs identified by local communities and strengthen network sustainability.

Full details of the program and requirements for applicants are available at Grants.gov.

The application deadline is November 25, 2019.

 

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement

August 8, 2019

What’s New

HRSA awards over $111 million to 96 organizations to combat the opioid epidemic in rural communities. Today, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded over $111 million to 96 rural organizations across 37 states as part of its multi-year Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) initiative.  These funds, which also include support for an evaluation of the initiative, will strengthen rural communities’ capacity to provide needed substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services and build the evidence base for interventions that are effective in rural settings.

Continue reading “Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement”

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement

August 1, 2019

What’s New

New Rural Quality Grants Awarded.  The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) is pleased to announce over $6.3M has been awarded to 32 rural community healthcare organizations for the new competitive funding cycle of the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement (Rural Quality) Program.  The Rural Quality Program is a three-year grant program designed to provide support to rural primary care providers for the implementation of activities that address improvements to the quality and delivery of rural health care services in the primary care setting using evidence-based models.  Quality improvement activities that address the integration of behavioral health into the primary care setting, value-based care, and patient centered medical homes are also encouraged by the program.  Additional program objectives include:  improved health outcomes for patients; enhanced chronic disease management; and better engagement with patients and their caregivers.

Improving the Health of Rural Communities Through Collaboration – Thursday, August 15 at 1:00 pm ET. This webinar introduces a new resource, A Guide for Rural Healthcare Collaboration and Coordination. Hear how rural hospitals, community health centers, local public health departments and other rural stakeholders work together to assess and address their rural communities’ health needs. Two innovative rural health organizations will be highlighted that have developed strategies to meet population health goals, address social determinants of health, and improve health outcomes. Solutions to support rural health organizations’ financial viability and lessons learned will also be shared.  The guide was created by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Health Centers program at the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Funding Opportunities

Pew/RWJF Community Opioid Response and Evaluation (CORE) Project – August 30.  The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) will provide grants and technical assistance to support community-research collaboratives that evaluate programs that address opioid use disorder (OUD).  The objective of the CORE Project is to identify a diverse array of community-level programs, understand their impact, and create an evidence base for other communities.  Preference will be given to tax-exempt 501(c)3 public and nonprofit entities for six awards of up to $500,000 each. Each selected community-research collaborative must include both a lead organization and a local evaluation partner.  To apply, register with Pew Charitable Trusts to receive an email invitation with a link to their online grant system. Submit a letter of interest by August 30, 2019. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. Continue reading “Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcement”