Black Health & Wellness Roundtable with CMS Administrator

Date: February 23, 2022

Black Health & Wellness Roundtable with CMS Administrator

Webinar Date: February 24, 2022

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

Access Live Stream Link

The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is holding a special live-streamed virtual roundtable discussion to acknowledge Black History Month. Administrator Brooks-LaSure is the first Black woman to serve as Administrator of CMS and has made health equity a top priority of the agency, which provides health coverage to 150 million people nationwide through Medicare, Medicaid & CHIP and the Marketplaces.

In Thursday’s roundtable, CMS will explore themes of the work to further address racial disparities and advance health equity. CMS will also discuss how Black leaders are making history in the health care system and the unique role HBCUs play in rebuilding the health care system, particularly in a post-COVID-19 world. Finally, we want to elevate discussion about how CMS can encourage more providers to enter the medical field and in particular to practice in underserved communities.

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s activities to celebrate Black History Month, CMS will celebrate advances to improve the health of Black people across the United States, to help amplify where changes still need to be made in health care and highlight the commitment CMS is making to address systemic racism and move the needle.  

CMS invites you to hear panelists speak to their work in support of the Black talent pipeline in the health care system.

HRSA Telehealth Learning Series: A Session on Innovative Rural Health Programs

 Date: February 17, 2022

Join the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) upcoming webinar on innovative rural health programs. HRSA will feature two recipients from HRSA’s Telehealth Network Grant Program.

Webinar Date: February 28, 2022

Time: 3:00 PM ET

The purpose of the program is to promote rural tele-emergency services by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver Emergency Department consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Telehealth networks are also used to:

  • Expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of health care services
  • Improve and expand training for health care providers
  • Expand and improve the quality of health information available to health care providers, and patients and their families, for decision-making

This webinar is part of HRSA’s Telehealth Learning Webinar Series. The series’ goal is to highlight successful projects/best practices as well as resources to promote and further the use of telehealth technologies for health care delivery, education, and health information services. 

Register.

Request for Applications: Building Workforce Capacity of Rural and Frontier Local Health Departments to Respond to COVID-19

Date: February 17, 2022

The National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) has released a funding opportunity targeted at rural and frontier local health departments. More information on the funding opportunity is available at: https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/request-for-applications-building-workforce-capacity-of-rural-and-frontier-local-health-departments-to-respond-to-covid-19-1.

 

Innovation in the Community Health Workforce Innovation in the Community Health Workforce

Date: February 17, 2022

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Center for Innovation (CFI) is hosting a series of public webinars and roundtable breakout sessions with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The “Innovation in the Community Health Workforce” on Thursday, February 17, 1:00 PM ET will focus on engaging the community health workforce and address the social determinants of health through technology, financing, and defining community health workforces.

“International Models of Innovation in Community Health” on Thursday, March 3, 1:00 PM ET will feature a discussion on how to advance health through learning from global successes in community-centered models.

Events will be live streamed on HHS Live.

Register

HHS Awards Nearly $55 Million to Increase Virtual Health Care Access and Quality Through Community Health Centers

Date: February 17, 2022

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded nearly $55 million to 29 HRSA-funded health centers to increase health care access and quality for underserved populations through virtual care such as telehealth, remote patient monitoring, digital patient tools, and health information technology platforms. This funding builds on over $7.3 billion in American Rescue Plan funding invested in community health centers over the past year to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

“Virtual care has been a game-changer for patients, especially during the pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “This funding will help health centers leverage the latest technology and innovations to expand access to quality primary care for underserved communities. Today’s announcement reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing health equity and putting essential health care within reach for all Americans.” 

Read the press release.

VA-Offered Training Opportunity

Date: February 17, 2022

Caring for the Women Veterans in the Community

Program Description:

This web-based course is designed to provide community providers an overview of the unique characteristics of women Veterans that may require different assessments, care, and resources compared to non-Veteran patients. Community providers need knowledge about mental and physical health diagnoses common in women Veterans.

Community providers will gain a basic understanding of mental and physical health diagnoses common in Veterans, military culture, trauma-sensitive care principles, suicide awareness and prevention, as well as resources that are available.

Location: VHA TRAIN

Registration Link: Non-VA employees click here.

Audience: Health care teams, doctors, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Modality: Web-based training (eLearning)

Credit/hours: 1

Accreditations: ACCME, ANCC, ASWB, AAPA, NYSED, ACCME-NP, JA IPCE

Questions?: If you require assistance, please contact the VHA TRAIN Help Desk by email at VHATRAIN@va.gov.

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements

Date: February 17, 2022

The Problem of the Color Line: Spatial Access to Hospital Services for Racial Minorities. In an issue focused on racism and health, the online publication Health Affairs examines the way that both race and geography contribute to uneven health outcomes in the United States. Rural ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) with high Black or American Indian/Alaska Native representation were significantly farther from hospital services than ZCTAs with high White representation. In urban areas, the opposite was true, with high White ZCTAs being farther from most services.

Spread the Word About Vaccine Boosters. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released new resources – posters, flyers, videos, and talking points – to help promote the extra protection from COVID-19 boosters. All vaccinated adults aged 18+ are eligible for a booster. A few weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded booster eligibility to include adolescents ages 12 to 17, recommending that they receive a booster shot five months after their initial vaccination. The CDC also released a new resource, based on input from rural health departments and organizations, with 12 strategies to increase vaccine uptake in rural communities (pdf). Search by zip code to find nearby locations providing adult and pediatric vaccines and boosters for COVID-19 and the flu at vaccines.gov.

New Funding for Virtual Care. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced $55 million awarded to the Health Resources and Services Administration- (HRSA)nfunded health centers to increase access to health care through virtual care such as telehealth, remote patient monitoring, digital patient tools, and health information technology platforms. 

Ongoing: HRSA Payment Program for RHC Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. In June 2021, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) launched an effort to improve access to substance use disorder treatment by paying for providers who are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.5 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov. There is ongoing availability of a free online course for waiver eligibility training from the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine and the Providers Clinical Support System.

Loan and Loan Repayment Opportunity

Date: February 17, 2022

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care is now accepting Student Loan and Loan Repayment applications for the Nurse Student Loan (NSL) Program, Nurse Loan Repayment Program (NLRP), Primary Care Resource Initiative for Missouri (PRIMO) Program, and Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Apply between January 1, 2022 and March 15, 2022.

Students interested in applying for PRIMO should complete a Primary Care Resource Initiative for Missouri (PRIMO) Student Loan Application per the application instructions. You can find the application and instructions on our webpage: https://health.mo.gov/living/families/primarycare/primo/. PRIMO Flyer

Students interested in applying for NSL should complete a Nurse Student Loan Application per the application instructions. You can find the application and instructions on our webpage: https://health.mo.gov/living/families/primarycare/healthprofloans/. NSL Flyer

Individuals interested in applying for NLRP should complete a Nurse Loan Repayment Program Application per the application instructions. You can find the application and instructions on our webpage: https://health.mo.gov/living/families/primarycare/loanrepayment/. NLRP Flyer

Individuals interested in applying for SLRP should complete a Student Loan Repayment Program Application per the application instructions. You can find the application and instructions on our webpage: https://health.mo.gov/living/families/primarycare/loanrepayment/slrp.php. SLRP Flyer

Applications submissions will not be accepted after March 15, 2022. Applications can be submitted via the following submission methods:

  • Electronic Submission:
    • Visit program webpage.
    • Click on the program Electronic Application Submission option at the top of the page.
    • Submit the completed application and required documentation.
  • Scan and Email: LoanRepayment@health.mo.gov.
  • Fax: (573) 522-8146
  • Mail:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Office of Rural Health & Primary Care
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

If you have any questions, you can reach us by email at DHSS.LoanRepayment@health.mo.gov or by phone at 800-891-7415.

Free Webinar: Innovative EMS Technology Processes & Systems

Date: February 15, 2022

Academy of International Mobile Healthcare (AIMHI) 

High Performance, High-Value EMS Technology Systems

Webinar Date: February 16, 2022

Time: 12:00 PM ET

Register Free

High-performance, high-value EMS providers effectively leverage cutting-edge technology—paired with people skills and planning—to best serve their patients, employees, and communities.

Participants will walk away with practical tips and platform examples to engage the mobile healthcare workforce, increase efficiency, and protect their agencies from cyberattacks.