Expanding Nevada's Statewide Primary Care Resources

Introduction to Joseph Tucker

Allow me to introduce myself as the new Health Resource Analyst in the Nevada Primary Care Office. I am the state coordinator for the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, J-1 Visa Waiver Program and the shortage designation process.
Before coming to the Primary Care Office, I worked with our military families providing and supporting a variety of training and education programs. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or even just to introduce yourself and say hello.
National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program is Now Accepting Applications
 
Accepting Applications through Thursday, April 06, 7:30 p.m. ET
 
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program offers medical, dental and behavioral health providers up to $50,000, tax-free, in exchange for two-years of service at an NHSC-approved site. There are over 100 approved sites in Nevada.  Priority consideration is given to eligible applicants whose NHSC-approved site has a HPSA score of 26 to 14, in descending order. The application and program guidance manual reviews detailed information about program requirements.

Feel free to contact Joseph Tucker with any questions or concerns at 775-684-2232 or jtucker@health.nv.gov 
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Cycle is Now Open!

The 2017  NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program application cycle is now open and will close on Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The program sets registered nurses (including advanced practice registered nurses and nursing faculty) on a rewarding career path while paying off 60 percent of their unpaid nursing student loans in just 2 years - plus an additional 25 percent of the original balance for an optional third year.
 
In return, NURSE Corps participants fulfill a service obligation at one of Nevada's eligible nonprofit hospitals, clinics, nursing schools and other facilities located in designated mental health or primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas. A list of these eligible facility types can be found in this program fact sheet. Almost all of the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services clinical sites are eligible. 

Please refer to the links below for more information about the program and the application process. You may also contact Joseph Tucker of the Nevada Primary Care Office if you have additional questions.

Community Health Provider Day is Fast Approaching

Please join Nevada Primary Care Association on March 24, 2017, in educating and sharing with Silver State legislators the value, strength, and importance of health centers and safety-net providers to all Nevadans.
This is our opportunity to ensure that policymakers are familiar with the high quality, cost-effective primary care services provided by community health centers and the collective work towards achieving the "Triple Aim" of better health, better care, and lower costs.
Statewide Rescoring of Health Professional Shortage Areas in July 2017

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is developing a new process by which Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are maintained and updated. HPSA scores are used to identify areas of greatest need so that federal loan repayment and practice incentive payments can be targeted to these areas. HRSA is now requiring all geographic and population HPSAs in Nevada and throughout the country to be updated in the next six months by July 2017. Because the methodology is still being developed, facility HPSAs for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics will be rescored after July 2017.

The Nevada Primary Care Office (PCO) is federally funded by HRSA to prepare and submit HPSA designation applications and updates to HRSA for approval. To best define our statewide health professional shortages, the Nevada PCO has already established the Clark County Designation Workgroup and will re-engage the Northern and Rural Nevada Designation Workgroup to work with statewide stakeholders to strategically plan HPSA updates far in advance of this federal update deadline. These workgroups will analyze existing HPSA boundaries to see if they should be expanded to meet the growing needs of our state. If you have any questions or would like to take part in the process, please contact Scott Jones at scottjones@health.nv.gov or 775-684-4047.

We are planning two public informational webinars to outline this process and to get input from community-based partners to make sure we properly define the needs of the diverse communities throughout Nevada. These webinars will be held on the following dates with registration information below. Each webinar will be recorded, and the links for the videos will be available for those not able to attend.

Nevada HPSA Designation Outreach Webinar #1
March 8, 2017
10:00AM-11:00AM
Nevada HPSA Designation Outreach Webinar #2
April 6, 2017
2:00PM-3:00PM
The National Health Service Corps Ambassador Program Wants You!

NHSC Ambassadors are dedicated volunteers who educate, train, serve and lead in communities across the nation. Giving their time and talents, they help to spread the word about NHSC opportunities and serve as a local resource for potential and current NHSC participants. We only have six NHSC Ambassadors in Nevada, and we want more to increase the awareness of the NHSC program in Nevada. 

As an Ambassador, there are no significant time requirements or required speaking engagements: you can provide outreach that fits your availability and personality. Tools and training are available online as well as quarterly training webinars given by the NHSC.  To register as an Ambassador,  create an account online  and then apply to become an Ambassador at  this link .  Contact Joseph Tucker at the Primary Care Office for more information. The Nevada PCO will hold an informational webinar on the NHSC Ambassador program; registration information is below. The webinar will be recorded, and the link for the video will be available for those not able to attend.

Nevada Primary Care Office NHSC Ambassador Informational Webinar
February 16, 2017
9:00AM-10:00AM
Department of Health and Human Services Logo
New Access Point Funding for Nevada

The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded over $50 Million for 75 new health centers across 23 states. Nevada had two recipients: Silver State Health Services and All for Health, Health for All. Both are located in Clark County.
Community Health Centers across the U.S. provide care to more than 24 million people, and this funding should help increase that care to more than 240,000 additional patients nationally.
Drug Abuse and Opioid Abuse Seminar

Date: February 27, 2017 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
 
Locations:

Northern Nevada  
VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System
975 Kirman Ave, Reno, NV 89502 - Tahoe Room
Southern Nevada (Live Stream of Training)
The VA Southern Nevada Health Care System
6900 N. Pecos Rd, N. Las Vegas, NV 89086 - Auditorium

The Nevada Primary Care Association will host a training 
outlining the current availability of prescription drug abuse treatment at Nevada's Community Health Centers (CHCs), Rural Health Clinics and Tribal Clinics along with public resources that are available to support safe prescribing of opioids and overdose response and practical tools that can be used to address drug and opioid abuse including alternative therapies and reimbursement information.
 
The seminar is designed for CHC  a dministrators, providers, behavioral health staff, nurses, pharmacists, tribal health clinic administrators, rural health clinic administrators, rural hospitals and VA health providers.

CEU's will be offered for this training.
 
You can find out more information and register at the following link.
  
Please contact Brandi Johns at 775-887-0417 or bjohns@nvpca.org for more information.
Save the Date: AHEC Pre-Professional Healthcare Workforce Conference

April 7-8, 2017

High Sierra Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)  is a small but mighty public health outreach nonprofit in Northern Nevada with a focus on preparing upcoming health professionals. Last year alone, we reached over 2,500 students. This is made possible by our incredible team of volunteer Student Ambassadors who have voiced what they are missing in their education and have put in the effort to fill those gaps themselves by creating a Pre-Professional Healthcare Workforce Conference  taking place on April 7-8, 2017. More information about the event is available at this Event Facebook Page . 

The event is in need of healthcare speakers to present at the conference about their skills, education and available training opportunities.  For more information and to find out how to get involved, c ontact Andraya Dickens ( andrayad@nevada.unr.edu ).