Category: Funding

Rural Health Clinics Still Have the Opportunity to Apply

October 16, 2023

Rural Health Clinics Still Have the Opportunity to Apply

As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in January 2023, clinicians no longer need a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder. Clinicians will still be required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications. On June 27, the DEA began to require that registration applicants – both new and renewing – affirm they have completed a new, one-time, eight-hour training. Exceptions for the new training requi8rement are practitioners who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, and those who graduated from a medical, dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the U.S. within five years of June 27, 2023.

Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of EACH provider who trained between January 1, 2019 and December 29, 2022 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). Approximately $889,000 in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are exhausted.

How to Apply

  • RHCs will need a System for Award Management (SAM) account in order to apply
    • For information on how to create a SAM account, visit gov
    • For help on setting up a SAM account, you can watch this helpful video
  • RHCs will also need a HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) account in order to apply
  • Apply through HRSA EHBs

Watch this 11-minute video that explains the changes.

Please send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov.

Now Open – National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Apply Now

September 26, 2023

Now Open – National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Apply Now

The 2024 National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Application cycle is open through December 7, 2023.

If you are a student in your last year of medical, nursing, or dental school, you may be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance from the NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (NHSC S2S LRP).

In return, you provide at least three years of service at an NHSC approved site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

Benefits of the S2S LRP:

  • Service
    • By joining thousands of NHSC participants across the country, you have an opportunity to provide primary health services to communities in need.
  • Loan Repayment
    • You will receive funds to repay your outstanding, qualifying, educational loans.
      • NHSC loan repayment funds are exempt from federal income and employment taxes.
      • You will receive up to $120,000 in loan repayment funds payable in four annual installments (up to $30,000 per year) as long as you meet program requirements.
      • In return, you agree to provide three years of full-time clinical practice at an NHSC approved site in a HPSA. (Full time clinical practice means at least 40 hours per week, for at least 45 weeks of service each service year.)
  • Complete Repayment of Qualifying Loans
    • Once you complete the initial three-year service contract, you may be eligible to apply for additional loan repayment funds to pay any remaining educational loans through one-year continuation service contracts.
      • There is no guarantee that you will receive a continuation contract.

Application and Program Guidance

Application Process, Requirements and Guidance

Learn More

Start Your Application

 

Funding Opportunity – Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program Applications – HRSA-24-051 – Due by October 10

September 22, 2023

Funding Opportunity – Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program Applications – HRSA-24-051 – Due by October 10

The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program HRSA-24-051 is an opportunity to apply for continuation awards to support maintenance of filled resident Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions that are funded by HRSA under announcement HRSA-20-011 for an additional four years.

The purpose of the THCGME opportunity is to provide funding to support the training of residents in primary care residency training programs in community-based ambulatory patient care centers.

Funding through this opportunity will support maintenance of approved HRSA-funded resident positions for existing HRSATHCGME Program payment recipients only.

Applications seeking support for an expanded number of resident FTE positions and/or establishment of new resident FTE positions will not be considered under this notice.

Awards mad through this notice may be used to support the costs associated with resident FTE training only.

An eligible entity is a current THCGME Program payment recipient that was awarded funding under HRSA-20-011.

Applications are due by October 10, 2023.

Contact HRSA: Kristin Gordon, kgordon@hrsa.gov, (301) 443-0337

Learn More

Apply Here

Health Professional Students’ Loan Repayment Application Open Now

September 8, 2023

Health Professional Students’ Loan Repayment Application Open Now

Health Professions Students: Pay off school debt through this Federal Loan Repayment Program.

Are you approaching your final year of school and need help paying off your debt? Consider applying for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program. Medical, Physician assistant, nursing and dental students can get money for school loans in exchange for serving in a community of need.

Receive up to $120,000 in addition to a competitive salary and benefits for three years of full-time service or part-time for six years. This year, there is an additional $40,000 supplement for medical students who commit to providing OB/GYN services in a maternity care target area.

Deadline to apply for this program is December 7, 2023. The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program is a federal government program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Learn More and Apply

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Early Hearing Detection and Intervention State/Territory Program

August 25, 2023

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Early Hearing Detection and Intervention State/Territory Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) State/Territory Program (HRSA-24-036).

The purpose of this program is to enhance the state/territory EHDI system infrastructure to improve language acquisition for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children up to age 3. Funding will support state and territory EHDI systems of services so that DHH newborns, infants, and young children up to age 3 receive appropriate and timely services, including hearing screening, diagnosis, and early intervention (EI).

Who Can Apply

  • Any state
  • District of Columbia
  • Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Guam
  • American Samoa
  • S. Virgin Islands
  • Micronesia
  • Republic of the Marshall Islands
  • Republic of Palau

In addition, you can apply if:

  • Your organization is in the United States and is:
    • Public or private, non-profit
    • Community-based
    • Tribal (governments, organizations, as those terms are defined at 25 U.S.C. § 450b)
    • Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) are eligible
    • Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments) are eligible.

Apply by November 6, 2023

Read Notice of Funding Opportunity

Apply Here

Reduce Your Debt: Get Up to $120,000 in Tax-free Loan Repayment!

August 25, 2023

Reduce Your Debt: Get Up to $120,000 in Tax-free Repayment!

Are you burdened with student loans? Don’t miss out on the chance to receive up to $120,000 in tax-free loan repayment with the National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP). In return, you provide at least three years of service at an NHSC-approved site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area.

Do you meet these basic eligibility requirements?

  • A United States (U.S) citizen or U.S. national
  • Enrolled as a full-time student in the last year of a fully accredited medical, physician assistant, nursing, or dental school

Additional $40K available to eligible disciplines

New to this year’s application! The Maternity Care Target Area (MCTA) Supplemental Award is available to physicians specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, or family medicine physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis, as well as certified nurse midwives.

Get Ready to Apply

 

 

USDA Invests Connecting Rural America to High-Speed Internet

August 23, 2023

USDA Invests Connecting Rural America to High-Speed Internet

On August 21, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens announced $76 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers, and business owners across rural Missouri to affordable high-speed internet through the ReConnect Program, funded by President Biden’s Infrastructure Law. This funding opportunity is designed to fund high-speed internet projects in the most rural, remote, underserved, and unserved communities.

“I am excited to announce that Missouri is receiving nearly $76 million from the ReConnect program as part of President Biden’s Investing in America to rebuild the economy,” Wilkens said. “Access to high-speed internet is crucial to rural communities in Missouri. These projects will provide vital opportunities to bring local business to global markets, connect rural communities to healthcare without a long drive into the nearest city, and offers new tools for farmers and ranchers to expand their business. Finally, these projects are crucial for helping to bring our younger generations back home after college to continue the family legacy.”

Today’s investments will help to increase access and usage of broadband infrastructure in rural areas lead to growing jobs, population growth, and higher rates of new business opportunities for rural businesses, agricultural producers, digital skills, online education, and job search opportunities for rural residents. With the ReConnect program, many rural America will have the benefit of having high-speed internet.

Missouri’s three projects in this announcement include:

  • Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company is receiving a $8.8 million loan to benefit 1,188 people, 15 businesses and 256 farms in Schuyler and Scotland counties in Missouri.
  • Mountain View Rural Fiber LLC is receiving a $24.8 million loan to benefit 5,519 people, 298 businesses, 46 farms and 29 educational facilities in Howell, Shannon, and Texas counties in Missouri.
  • Aptitude Internet LLC is receiving a $42.3 million grant to benefit 18,982 people, 480 businesses, 1,452 farms and 15 educational facilities in Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Maries, Osage and Phelps counties in Missouri.

Background: ReConnect Program  

Applicants to ReConnect Program funding must serve a rural area that lacks access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload. Applicants must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in the proposed service area. Additionally, to ensure that rural households that need internet service can afford it, all awardees will be required to apply to participate in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP offers a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service to qualifying low-income households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal Lands.

For more information about, please visit: ReConnect Loan and Grant Program | USDA

Contact USDA Rural Development

Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/mo, by calling (573) 876-0976, or by emailing RDMissouri@usda.gov. Stay current by following @RD_Missouri on Twitter.

USDA Rural Development has 25 offices across the state to serve the 2.2 million residents living in rural Missouri. Office locations include a state office in Columbia, along with local offices in Butler, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dexter, Eldon, Farmington, Higginsville, Houston, Kennett, Kirksville, Maryville, Mexico, Moberly, Neosho, New London, Poplar Bluff, Richmond, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Troy, and West Plains.

If you’d like to subscribe to Missouri USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

 

USDA Helps Expand Access to Rural Health Care in Missouri

July 31, 2023

USDA Helps Expand Access to Rural Health Care in Missouri

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Missouri Kyle Wilkens announced that USDA is expanding access to health care for more than 102,000 people living in rural Missouri through the Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program.

“Investments in rural health care are absolutely invaluable,” Wilkens said. “Access to affordable, state-of-the-art health care can be challenging to provide in rural areas of our state, and investments made through USDA’s Emergency Rural Health Care Grant Program help to bridge that gap.”

Big Springs Medical Association Inc., with support from the Rural Maternity and Obstetric Management – Southeast Missouri Partnership consortium, will use an $8.4 million grant to construct a three-story facility to house:

  • Obstetrics
  • Maternal fetal medicine
  • Pediatric specialists
  • Dentistry
  • Behavioral health
  • Substance abuse disorder
  • Community health and more.

This centralized hub will allow these departments to better connect with satellite clinics across the state and provide a central location for in-house support services to provide high-quality patient care.

This investment will help address regional rural health care challenges by better assisting some of the most remote areas of the state. These solutions will build a stronger, more sustainable rural health care system for the state’s small towns and communities.

Background: Emergency Rural Health Care Grants

Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021 to deliver immediate economic relief to people impacted by the pandemic. Within months after the Act’s passage, USDA responded quickly by making this funding available to ensure the long-term availability of rural health care services.

In August 2021, USDA made the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants available through the American Rescue Plan Act to help rural health care facilities, tribes and communities expand access to health care services and nutrition assistance.

The assistance is helping provide immediate relief to support rural hospitals, health care clinics and local communities. USDA is administering the funds through Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program, which helps residents in rural areas build or improve essential community infrastructure and purchase or replace equipment needed for essential community services.

More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Municipalities,
  • Public bodies
  • Nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.

Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.

To learn more about Community Facilities Program funding opportunities, contact your local USDA Rural Development office. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants (PDF, 669 KB) for a detailed overview of the application process.

Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas.

Contact USDA Rural Development

Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/mo, by calling (573) 876-0976, or by emailing RDMissouri@usda.gov. Stay current by following @RD_Missouri on Twitter.

USDA Rural Development has 25 offices across the state to serve the 2.2 million residents living in rural Missouri. Office locations include a state office in Columbia, along with local offices in Butler, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dexter, Eldon, Farmington, Higginsville, Houston, Kennett, Kirksville, Maryville, Mexico, Moberly, Neosho, New London, Poplar Bluff, Richmond, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Troy, and West Plains.

Emergency Rural Health Care Grants

Community Facilities Programs

Tips and Tools for Completing the Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Application

July 17, 2023

Tips and Tools for Completing the Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Application

The Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program application is open now through July 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Gathering and submitting the necessary documents is an important part of the application process. Review the criteria listed in the Application Program Guidance (pages 37-39) and have the following documents ready.

  • Proof of Status as a United States citizen, national or a permanent resident – You may include a copy of a birth certificate, the ID page of a current United States passport, a certificate of citizenship, or naturalization of copy of Permanent Resident Card (greencard). Note: Copies of a driver’s license or a Social Security card are not acceptable documents.
  • Health Professional License, Certification or Registration – Submit proof of tour current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted health professional license, certificate or registration (whichever is applicable), with an expiration date in the state in which you intend to practice under or from any state if practicing in a federal site.
  • Health Professional License, Certification or Registration – Submit proof of completion of your health professional degree.
  • Loan Information Verification – Provide two types of documentation for each loan that is being submitted for consideration.

Account Statement. This document is used to provide current information on your eligible loans. Often borrowers receive monthly statements indicating the status of your loan balance.

Disbursement Report. This report is used to verify the originating loan information.

  • Additional Supplemental Documentation (if applicable):
    • Specialty Certification
    • Postgraduate Training
    • Completion Verification
    • Postgraduate Training Acceptance or Good Standing Verification
    • Substance Use Disorder Certification/License
    • Verification of Existing Service Obligation

Final Q & A Session:

Thursday, July 20, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET

Join on Zoom

Complete Your Application

For application or password reset questions contact: Customer Care Center 1-800-221-9393 or TTY: 1-877-897-9910

Funding Opportunity Now Open: Gain Access to CMS Restricted Data for Minority Health Research Initiatives – CMS-2L2-23-001

July 11, 2023

Funding Opportunity Now Open: Gain Access to CMS Restricted Data for Minority Health Research Initiatives – CMS-2L2-23-001

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is proud to announce the opening of a new notice of funding opportunity for the Health Equity Data Access Program (HEDAP). Through the HEDAP, CMS OMH supports up to three “seats” in the CMS Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC), with each individual grant worth up to $90,000. The HEDAP assists researchers from public and state-controlled, or private institutions of higher education, in gaining access to CMS restricted data for minority health research.

Researchers will conduct health services research focusing on, but not limited to, racial and ethnic minority groups; people with disabilities; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community; individuals with limited English proficiency; individuals residing in rural areas; and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. Project should enhance the capacity of the researcher to understand and utilize CMS data in future research projects. HEDAP also encourages cutting-edge proposals that explore intersectionality. Results of the research will provide CMS and its partners (e.g., Quality Improvement Organizations, Hospital Engagement Networks, and other stakeholders) with actionable information on the previously listed subgroups of enrollees.

Researchers that are selected for the grant will receive funding to acquire VRDC seat access for a period of thirty-six months. Review the notice of funding opportunity CMS-2L2-23-001. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 3pm ET.

Research topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

  • To research racial and ethnic minority groups; people with disabilities; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community; individuals with limited English proficiency; individuals residing in rural areas; and individuals adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality among Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.
  • The relationship between health disparities and improving the quality of care, increasing access to care, estimating the economic burden/financial costs of disparities, evaluating the effects of health care delivery system and payment model reforms, exploring disparity sensitive conditions or diseases and strengthening population health for all of the above-mentioned populations.

To learn more, visit go.cms.gov/hedap or email HEResearch@cms.hhs.gov