Month: May 2021

Community Water Fluoridation Videos

May 27, 2021

The Office of Dental Health (ODH) is proud to announce the creation of two new Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) videos!  These videos touch on the importance and safety of CWF. One video is geared toward the general public and one is geared toward the water operators.

 The videos can be found on the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) ODH webpage and the MO Healthy Living YouTube page.  The videos will also be posted to the Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) Facebook page on May 28, 2021.

 These videos are the first in ODH’s newly minted “Show Me” video series.  The ODH plans on creating more videos that touch on different aspects of oral health. Suggestions for oral health videos may be submitted to ODH at oralheatlh@health.mo.gov. In the meantime, please watch and enjoy these videos while drinking a tall glass of fluoridated water.

FORHP Announcements

May 27, 2021

Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Vaccine Confidence Program Will Fund All That Are Eligible. This week, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced that all eligible RHCs that apply may receive funding to increase confidence in vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The deadline to apply is June 23rd. For questions about the program, email RHCVaxConfidence@hrsa.gov.

New Funding Available for the HRSA Telehealth Technology-Enabled Learning Program. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) expects to make nine awards of up to $475,000 each to connect specialists at academic medical centers with primary care providers in rural areas to improve patient care in their communities. More specifically, these learning opportunities will address unmet needs for their target population, which could include populations who have historically suffered from poorer health outcomes. Applications from public, private, and nonprofit entities are due on June 25th.

FDA Approves Storage of Pfizer Vaccine for Up to One Month. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its guidance for healthcare providers administering the vaccine and allows for undiluted, thawed Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine vials to be stored in refrigeration for up to one month. The previous time span was up to five days.

Rural Health Network Development Planning Grants in Counties with Majority Persons of Color Populations

Click here to view the policy brief!

The purpose of this policy brief is to describe the prevalence of Rural Health Network Development Planning Grants awarded to organizations located in counties where the population is majority Black, majority Hispanic, majority Indigenous, has no majority racial or ethnic group, or is located in a U.S. territory. Researchers also identify the primary focus areas of work for these grantees and how that focus has changed over time.

Contact Information:

Carrie Henning-Smith, PhD, MPH, MSW
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 612.626.4512
henn0329@umn.edu

New Telehealth Resource Collection

May 25, 2021

The Technical Assistance and Services Center (TASC), a program of the National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center), has created a specialized collection of telehealth resources.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration.

Telehealth is especially critical in rural and other remote areas without the full range of health care services and providers. The types of telehealth services have expanded over the past 20 years to increase access to health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated both the use and acceptance among patients, providers, and payers.

This collection of resources is tailored to the use and coverage of telehealth by rural providers. Within the collection are current and timely resources from federal agencies and organizations with a rural focus. Content is reviewed and updated regularly as relevant resources are published, and telehealth regulations change

The Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence (RHCVC) Program – Application Deadline June 23

Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Time: 9:00 – 10:00 am CST.

Zoom Link: https://hrsa-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1604108840

Dial-in: 833 568 8864 Webinar ID: 160 410 8840

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be making grant awards to all eligible RHCs that apply and have a complete and acceptable application through the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence (RHCVC) Program to expand the response to COVID-19 in rural communities. RHCs may use this grant funding to increase vaccine confidence, improve health care in rural areas, and reinforce key messages about prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Interested RHCs should review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and start the process to register to apply for a HRSA grant.

GET LINK’D Conference Returns Aug. 17-19!

Date: August 17-19 2021

Location: The Lodge, 678 Old Kinderhook Dr., Camdenton, MO 65020

Click here to Register!

Please join The Missouri Rural Health Association, Missouri Hospital Association, Missouri Primary Care Association and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Office of Rural Health and Primary Care), as Collaborating Partners on August 17-19, 2021 at The Lodge at Old Kinderhook, Camdenton, Missouri. Our expected audiences consist of hospitals, clinicians, physicians, FQHC’s, health departments, in-home & community front line workers, community & social agencies, policy makers, CEOs, CFOs, transportation & ambulance professionals, insurance & investment brokers, health law attorneys, among other professionals in attendance.

Book Your Hotel Stay at Old Kinderhook With this Group Code: 081621MRHA

The cutoff date for guestrooms for the above event is July 30, 2021. After this date rooms will only be on a rate and space availability basis. Please use the convenient book now link below and enter your group code 081621MRHA.

To book a room online, visit:  https://reservations.travelclick.com/97370?HotelID=97370#/guestsandrooms

Grant Writing Training Session

Date: May 27, 2021

Time: 9:00 am to 10:30 AM CST

Click here to Register!

Join the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for a Grant Writing Training Session on Thursday, May 27, 2021 from 9:00am to 10:30am CST. Participants will learn about how to craft a compelling project narrative, timeline, and budget to support a successful grant application. HRSA will be using the recent HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Local Community-Based Workforce to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Access, as an example of how to meet the requirements of a federal NOFO

HRSA Region 7 Webinar on Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

Date: June 3, 2021

Time: 2:30 PM CST

Click here to Register!

The Health Center Association of Nebraska (HCAN) and the Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Regional Operations Region 7, invites you to Part 2 of our COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence webinar series. During this session, you will learn about COVID variants and the potential impact they may have on COVID vaccine response. You will hear updates on the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines in adults and children, and on the association of some of the vaccines with development of blood clots. Approaches to address vaccine hesitancy will be discussed, including latest CDC guidelines on what a fully vaccinated individual can safely do. The session will also include a discussion about messaging and best practices in reaching vulnerable and medically underserved communities including racial and ethnic minority groups and individuals living in areas of high social vulnerability.