UPCOMING TRAINING & EVENTS
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February 19
February 20
February 27
February 28
March 12
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This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,830,669, with 15 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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Senate HELP Committee Holds "Access to Care" Hearing
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On January 29, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), chaired by Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, held a hearing on "Access to Care: Health Centers and Providers in Underserved Communities." The hearing featured four expert witnesses, including
Cherokee Health Systems
' CEO Dennis Freeman. To view the recording of the hearing,
click here
.
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TDH Issues 2019 Report on Suicide
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(From the Tennessee Department of Health)
-- The Tennessee Department of Health's Office of Health Statistics reports there were 1,163 recorded suicide deaths in Tennessee in 2017, up from 1,110 the previous year. The suicide rate increased from 16.7 to 17.3 per 100,000. Each day we lose three Tennesseans to suicide, now the ninth leading cause of death in Tennessee.
Each year, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) compiles and analyzes the latest statistics available from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The “2019 Status of Suicide in Tennessee” report provides state legislators, mental health professionals, and the general public with information on the problem of suicide in our state and what is being done to prevent it. To view the full 2019 report,
click here.
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House TennCare Subcommittee
The newly formed House TennCare Subcommitee meets every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. Central/1:30 p.m. Eastern. On February 13, the topic was the TennCare budget; on February 20, the topic will be Managed Care Organizations. TennCare leadership and staff make a presentation and the Subcommittee then has the opportunity to ask questions. You can view the agenda for the week’s meeting and livestream the video on the
Tennessee General Assembly's website
. Archived videos from previous meetings are also available.
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New Community Health Center Chartbook from NACHC
The
Community Health Center Chartbook
is a comprehensive collection of important research findings on community health centers and provides a detailed picture of the health center program. The chartbook provides insights on health center patients, services, quality, cost-effectiveness, access, the challenges health centers face meeting demand for care, and -- for the first time ever -- a new section dedicated solely to telehealth services.
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TPCA Hill Day
TPCA’s annual Hill Day will be on Wednesday, February 27. Join your colleagues to raise awareness about community health centers' priorities with Tennessee legislators.
Register
on the TPCA website; r
egistration closes on Friday, February 15
. TPCA will schedule all legislative appointments.
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HRSA Website Offers Guidance for Operational Site Visits
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State Issues 2019 List of Reportable Diseases
In a letter dated January 1, 2019, former Tennessee Commissioner of Health John Dreyzehner provided notification of changes for the 2019 List of Reportable Diseases in Tennessee. The diseases, events, and conditions reportable to TDH by healthcare providers and laboratories, along with other important information, is available on the state's
Reportable Diseases website
.
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Deadline for 340B Recertification is February 25
Each year, health centers are required to recertify their 340B participation. This entails attesting to the accuracy of health center information on OPAIS, and compliance with all 340B rules. Health centers that don't recertify will lose 340B eligibility for at least three months.
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HHS Proposes New Rules to Improve the Interoperability of Health Information
(From HHS)
-- On February 11, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed new rules to support seamless and secure access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. The rules, issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), would increase choice and competition while fostering innovation that promotes patient access to and control over their health information. The proposed ONC rule would require that patient electronic access to this electronic health information (EHI) be made available at no cost.
Click here to read more
.
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Deadline for NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program is February 21
(From HRSA)
-- To combat the nation’s opioid crisis, HRSA has launched the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program (SUD Workforce LRP).The program supports the recruitment and retention of health professionals needed in underserved areas to expand access to SUD treatment and prevent overdose deaths.
Click here to learn more
.
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Federal Poverty Guidelines Updated for 2019
The U.S. government has released its 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines, which are used to determine financial eligibility for certain federal programs. Health centers utilize this information to recalculate sliding fee discount programs and other programs where eligibility is based on percentage of the guideline.
Click here to review the 2019 guidelines
.
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Applications Being Accepted for New Access Points
(From HRSA)
-- The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2019 Health Center Program New Access Points (NAP). The purpose of this funding is to provide operational support for new service delivery sites under the Health Center Program to improve the health of the nation’s underserved communities
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SAMHSA Accepting Applications for Targeted Capacity Expansion
(From SAMHSA)
-- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), is accepting applications for FY2019 Targeted Capacity Expansion: Special Projects grants. The purpose of the TCE program is to address an unmet need or underserved population; this program aims to enable a community to identify the specific need or population it wishes to address through the provision of evidence-based substance use disorder treatment and/or recovery support services.
Click here
to learn more.
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PARTNER-SPONSORED EDUCATION & TRAINING
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Apexus 340B University in Nashville, April 28
Apexus is offering 340B University, a foundational education program designed to meet the practical needs of 340B Prime Vendor Program (PVP) participants and other program stakeholders, on April 28, 2019, in Nashville. Topics include statutory ceiling price calculations, fundamentals in implementing a compliant pharmacy program, and hands-on training with tools and resources available to assist with program integrity.
(CE offered: 7.0 hours, by ProCE)
There also will be hands-on practical advice to help with 340B program implementation, and specially designed breakout sessions to help enhance program integrity by learning from industry leaders and networking with peers.
There is no cost to attend
. There are a limited number of seats and registration may be limited to two individuals per health center.
Click here
to learn more.
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Health Centers in the News ...
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