Month: October 2022

National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH)

October 31, 2022

Virtual CME/CE Event for Rural Clinicians in Your State

Rural Health Clinical Congress Fall 2022, a free virtual live CME/CE conference, is less than a month away! This unique educational event is designed specifically for clinicians serving patients in rural and underserved communities. It will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2022, in conjunction with NOSORH’s National Rural Health Day. Clinicians can earn up to 5.0 complimentary CME/CE credits by participating.

Confirmed Sessions

  • Menopause and Mental Health: Overcoming Barriers & Advancing Health Equity
  • Addressing the Burden of Chronic Rhino sinusitis With Nasal Polyps
  • Overcoming Disparities in Women’s Reproductive Health
  • Liver Cancer Screening and Management in Primary Care
  • Optimizing Outcomes in Moderate-to-Severe Asthma

 Learn More

HRSA Scholarships and Loan Repayment Programs for Nurses

October 31, 2022

HRSA Scholarships and Loan Repayment Programs for Nurses

The Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (HRSA IEA), and the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) in Region 7 invite you to a webinar on HRSA Scholarships and Loan Repayment Programs for Nurses working in Critical Shortage Facilities such as public health departments, hospitals, and rural health clinics.

Date:  Monday, October 31, 2022

Time:  3 pm – 4 pm CT

Topics at a Glance

  • Programs offered through HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce to strengthen the nursing workforce
  • Nurse Corps Scholarship Program including eligibility and how to apply
  • Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program including eligibility and how to apply
  • Benefits of the Nurse Corps Program including scholarships and payment of unpaid nursing education debt
  • How to become a Nurse Corps program site
  • Resources and tools available on the supply, use, access, need, and demand for health workers

Who Should Attend?

  • Public Health Departments
  • Hospitals
  • Rural Health Clinics
  • Public Health Nurses
  • Registered Nurses
  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Certified Midwives
  • Nurse Faculty
  • Nursing Students
REGISTER HERE

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar on October 31st.

For more information about the webinar, contact Kim Shiu at KShiu@hrsa.gov.

For more information about HRSA’s Nurse Corps Programs, check out these fact sheets:

National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) National Rural Health Day Webinar Event

October 28, 2022

NOSORH National Rural Health Day Webinar Event

NOSORH is pleased to preview this year’s National Rural Health Day (NRHD) live event! It can’t be said enough how critical health professions and systems are to America’s rural population – nearly 61 million people. Yet, the cross-sector collaboration happening to advance, invest in, and protect systems and resources supporting rural health often goes unnoticed.

This year’s NRHD event, Collaboration Carpool: Conversations with Mission- Minded Rural Stakeholders, pays tribute to the drivers of change in rural health. You’ll hear from a distinguished panel of experts about the work they’re doing to go the extra mile through collaboration. Panelists include national, regional, and state leaders and influencers representing these industries: Broadband, Philanthropy, Public Health, Rural Health Clinics & Centers, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Visit PowerOfRural.org for free downloadable handouts and social media graphics for theses four stakeholder groups:

  • Broadband
  • Philanthropy Organizations
  • Public Health Agencies
  • Rural Health Clinics and Centers

HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs

October 27, 2022

HHS Briefing on the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being

Last week, the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-being, outlining the foundational role that workplaces should play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and our communities. Please join the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the Surgeon General in a briefing on Monday, October 31st from 1:30PM – 2:00PM to discuss the Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being to help organizations develop, institutionalize, and update policies, processes, and practices that best support the mental health and well-being of all workers.

Date: Monday, October 31
Time: 1:30 – 2:00 PM EST
Register for the briefing here.

As reports of “quiet quitting” and the Great Resignation have shown, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work for many and the relationship that some workers have with their jobs. With more than 160 million people participating in the United States workforce and with the average full-time worker in the United States spending about half of their waking life at work, workplaces play a significant role in shaping our mental and physical well-being. Employers have a unique opportunity not only to invest in the mental health and well-being of their workforce, but also to strengthen their organizations’ success by doing so.

Read more about the Surgeon General’s report here.

Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (HHSIEA) week ahead

October 24, 2022

Upcoming HHS IEA Events This Week

Please join the Department of Health and Human Services for the following events this week:

#VaxUpAmerica Family Event

Please join HHS for a special virtual event on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, from 1 –2 pm EST as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) kicks off the #VaxUpAmerica Family Vaccine Tour. This is part of the Vaccination Weeks of Action to encourage Americans to get vaccinated at the start of the season of cold weather and holiday gatherings. This cross-sector event will be jointly hosted by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA). The virtual kick-off event will feature HHS Principals and special presentations from trusted messengers on the updated vaccinations and our Department-wide efforts to provide education and awareness and reach Americans where they are.

Want to submit a question for Q&A? Please submit questions no later than COB Monday, October 24, to External.Affairs@acf.hhs.gov.

Date: Wednesday, October 26th
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
Register for the briefing here.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) HRSA-23-038

October 24, 2022

NOFO HRSA-23-038 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)

The first RCORP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for FY23, RCORP-Overdose Response, is now live on grants.gov. The grant will provide funding to support immediate responses to the overdose crisis in rural areas. Applications are due January 19 and there will be a Technical Assistance (TA) webinar for applicants on November 10, 2022 from 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET. See page iii of the NOFO for webinar information.

Health Equity Toolkit from the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)

October 24, 2022

Health Equity Toolkit from the RHIhub

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s definition, health equity is described as the “absence of disparities or avoidable differences among socioeconomic and demographic groups of geographical areas in health status and health outcomes such as diseases, disability, or morality”. The Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) and NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis have released a NEW evidence-based toolkit on Rural Health Equity. This toolkit highlights the vital information needed for implementing programs to advance health equity among rural populations.  All resources through the RHIhub are available without charge.

HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs COVID-19 Update

October 21, 2022  

Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel: CDC published an MMWR on Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel . Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months, including health care personnel (HCP). HCP influenza vaccination coverage was 79.9% during the 2021–22 season; 87.3% completed primary COVID-19 vaccination, 67.1% of whom received a COVID-19 booster dose. Influenza, primary COVID-19, and COVID-19 booster coverage was higher among HCP who reported employer vaccination requirements for those vaccines; coverage was lowest among HCP working in long-term care settings. Enhanced efforts are needed to improve HCP vaccination coverage, especially with COVID-19 booster doses and annually for influenza vaccines. Staying up to date with COVID-19 and influenza vaccines can protect HCP and their patients.

HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs COVID-19 Update

October 21, 2022                                                  

Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Among Immunocompetent Adults During BA.1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 Predominant Periods of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in the United States

CDC published an MMWR on effectiveness of monovalent mRNA vaccines against COVID-19–associated hospitalization among immunocompetent adults during BA.1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 predominant periods of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in 18 states from December 2021 to August 2022. Monovalent mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19–associated hospitalization wanes over time; less is known about durability of protection during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/BA.5–predominant period. Three-dose monovalent mRNA VE estimates against COVID-19–associated hospitalization decreased with time since vaccination. Three-dose VE during the BA.1/BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 periods was 79% and 60%, respectively, during the initial 120 days after the third dose and decreased to 41% and 29%, respectively, after 120 days from vaccination. Eligible adults aged ≥18 years should receive an updated bivalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to maximize protection against BA.4/BA.5 lineages and to prevent COVID-19–associated hospitalization.