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

July 3, 2023

Reminder: Funding Opportunity for the Healthy Start Initiative – Enhanced (HRSA-23-130) Closes July 17

The final date for applications to the Healthy Start Initiative – Enhance (HRSA-23-130) is July 17. The purpose of HSE is to improve health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy and reduce the well-documented racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes.

HSE is intended to support projects in diverse communities and populations (e.g., rural, urban, non-Hispanic Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native [AI/AN]) experiencing the greatest disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes.

HSE has two focus areas:

• Providing direct and enabling services (e.g., screening and referrals, case management and care coordination, health and parenting education, and linkage to clinical care to enrolled HSE participants
• Convening Community Consortia comprised of diverse multi-sector partners that advise and inform HSE activities and develop and implement plans to improve perinatal outcomes within the selected project area.

The program also provides recipients with increased flexibility to customize interventions to meet the unique needs of their target population.

The goals of HSE are to:

• Continue reducing infant mortality rates (IMR) in the U.S., and
• Decrease disparities in infant mortality (IM) across racial/ethnic groups by achieving steeper declines for groups with the highest infant mortality rates (e.g., non-Hispanic Black and AI/AN infants).

HSE projects should be implemented in communities experiencing high rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity that do not already have access to Healthy Start Services. Successful HSE projects will implement program activities in new project areas and accomplish the following objectives during the 5-year period of performance:

• Direct and Enabling Services for HSE Participants ·
• Increase receipt of case management and care coordination to facilitate access to medical care and community-based resources. ·
• Increase uptake of healthy behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy. · Increase use of safe infant care practices.
• Community Consortium · Convene diverse, multi-sector state, local, and community level partners, including HSE participants and other community members, that will: ·
  • Advise and inform strategies for providing direct and enabling services to HSE participants. ·
• Develop cross-sector partnerships to ensure access for HSE participants to
  • Coordinated, comprehensive maternal, child, and family medical care;
  • health and parenting education;
  • and community-based resources that address social determinants of health within the project area. ·
• Participate in Communities of Practice with other HSE projects to develop and implement a strategic plan for the community that focuses on at least one social determinant of health.

Who Can Apply:

• Domestic public or private entities
• Domestic faith-based and community-based organizations
• Tribes and tribal organizations

Recipients of Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health (HRSA-19-049) 13 are only eligible to apply for this grant if a new project area, not currently funded by your existing grant, is proposed. If overlapping areas are proposed, your application will be deemed ineligible and not considered. This provision ensures that new communities with the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity that do not already have access to Healthy Start services are reached by this program.

Have Questions? Contact:

Mia Morrison, MPH

MCHBHealthyStart@hrsa.gov

(301) 443-2521

 Applications due July 17, 2023

For more information watch the June 7, 2023 Healthy Start Initiative Enhanced TA Webinar

Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about this funding

Review Priority Points table (PDF-142 KB) to see if a county in your project area is eligible for Priority Points

Apply Now