Month: August 2020

Webinar: COVID-19 Testing – What RHCs are doing for their Communities

Date: August 27, 2020

Time: 1:00 PM Central

This webinar is being provided free of charge.  You must register in advance for this webinar.
To register, go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.<!– –>com/register/<!– –>2408390469781541392 

In May, the Department of Health and Human Services distributed nearly $50,000 to every federally certified RHC for COVID-19 testing and testing related activities.  This money had been authorized by Congress in late April.

Because there is no deadline for when clinics must spend this money, many RHCs have not used some or any of the money they received.  Some RHCs tell us they are still searching for the best way to use the money to provide maximum benefit to their communities.  

On Thursday, August 27th, at 2:00 pm EASTERN we will be hosting a webinar for the RHC Community on COVID-19 testing.  We have arranged for three speakers from Independent and Provider-based RHCs to talk with you about what they have done in their communities with the COVID-19 money they received. 

This peer-to-peer program is intended to show RHCs what other RHCs have done thus far and what you could do in your communities to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  Speakers will be:

  • Dr. Keith Davis, MD – Shoshone Family Medical Center, Shoshone, Idaho
  • Amanda Shelast – Regional Clinic Director, Keweenaw Hospital, Laurium, Michigan
  • William Massengill – Benson Area Medical Center, Benson, North Carolina

Each of our speakers will share with the audience how they used the COVID-19 money, how they came up with ideas and how they put their plans in motion.  At the end of the formal presentations, we will take questions from the attendees.  

Study Sheds Light on Regional Differences in Infant Mortality Among Black Americans

Infant mortality rates in the USA are highest among Black Americans, yet there are considerable differences between regions of the country. Infant mortality among Blacks is highest in the Midwest and lowest in the West and Northeast. To examine the state and county-level factors that might explain these patterns, researcher Ashley Hirai of MCHB collaborated on a study published in PLOS ONE that was led by Veni Kandasamy, a former HRSA fellow now at John Hopkins University.

The study looked at many factors. When taken together, those factors explained one-third of the regional differences. Factors that “protected” Black infants—or in other words, were associated with lower infant mortality—included: being born in a state with higher levels of Black-White marriage rates (proxy for social integration); being born in a state with higher maternal and child health funding per capita; and, being born in a county with higher levels of Black household income.

To learn more, find the full article in PLOS ONE or contact Ashley Hirai.

New “Catch-up to Get Ahead” Campaign to Promote Childhood Immunizations

In support of National Immunization Awareness Month, HRSA urges health centers and health care providers to “catch-up to get ahead” on childhood immunizations. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to alarming declines in well-child visits and routine immunization rates. This raises the risk for outbreaks and further strain on our nation’s health care system.

To increase childhood immunization rates, HHS is coordinating the “Catch-up to Get Ahead” effort. Promote the importance of childhood immunizations by using social media messages and graphics from the Catch-up to Get Ahead Toolkit.

Find a place to get vaccinated, or find a health center near you.

New Provider Relief Toolkit Available

HRSA’s Provider Support Office has developed a toolkit you can use to reach the large and small practices in your community.

While hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals who have been impacted in the fight against COVID-19 have received billions of dollars from the federal Provider Relief Fund (PRF), there are still many more who have not yet applied.

Check out our PRF resources and watch our Provider Relief Fund webcast to learn more about the program.

HHS Awards over $35 million to Increase Access to High Quality Health Care in Rural Communities

August 20 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded over $35 million to more than 50 rural organizations across 33 states as part of a sustained federal effort to increase access to high quality care in rural communities. The awards reflect investments in key areas including telehealth, health workforce training, health research, technical assistance for vulnerable rural hospitals and HIV care and treatment.

“President Trump has made it a priority to strengthen rural health infrastructure and promote the health of rural Americans,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan. “As someone who grew up in rural America and with rural healthcare providers in my family, I know the challenges they face, and I know there’s a need for transformation. These awards are in line with the actions the President called for in his Executive Order on Improving Rural Health and Telehealth Access and are part of our overall effort to improve rural access to care in sustainable and innovative ways.”

Read the release.