The first Friday in February (February 5) is National Wear Red Day. On this day in February, which is considered American Heart Month, everyone across the country dons the color red in order to raise and spread awareness in hopes to help eradicate heart disease and stroke in millions of women all over the nation. So put on your reddest red — whether it be a lipstick, a pair of pants, or your favorite hat — and paint the city red.

We want to hear about how you celebrated National Wear Red Day! Tell us (or show us!) what you did. Email your story to us at events@wvpca.org and remember to include detailed information of who and what is in your pictures and videos! With your permission, we’ll use your story in future publications.

HRSA has new guidance on Outreach and Enrollment Assists reporting including responses to questions related to Outreach and Enrollment assists. A new webpage provides guidance on what qualifies for UDS reporting, health insurance coverage options, and where to report this information in the UDS.

In accordance with the Executive Order issued by President Biden, the Department announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals and families for Marketplace coverage in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which has left millions of Americans facing uncertainty and exceptional circumstances while millions of Americans have experienced new health problems during the pandemic. This SEP will allow individuals and families in states with Marketplaces served by the HealthCare.gov platform to enroll in 2021 health insurance coverage. Beginning February 15, 2021 and through May 15, 2021, these Marketplaces will operationalize functionality to make this SEP available to all Marketplace-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) operating their own platform have the opportunity to take similar action within their states.

Ever Hear of A School-Based Health Center? 

Instead of what we’re reading, it is what we’re listening to with this selection. The “Us & Them” podcast from West Virginia Public Broadcasting takes a look at the divides in society. Host Trey Kay visits Huntington and Charleston, WV, to highlight the struggles of people experiencing homelessness and unstable housing, as well as the essential workers serving them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An editorial in the British medical journal “The Lancet” lays out what governments owe health care workers during the pandemic and beyond. The editorial contends that this ranges from addressing understaffing to vaccination priority to sufficient personal protective equipment.

Is access to communication infrastructure—such as social media and enabling services like broadband—a social determinant of health? Two communications scholars make that argument in an opinion piece in “The Milbank Quarterly” this month. This is interesting and timely to consider given COVID-19 vaccination raising health equity issues at the state and national levels. 

If you come across something worth sharing, please feel free to forward to Joshua Austin, WVPCA Policy and Communications Director at joshua.austin@wvpca.org.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced the formation of vaccination clinics across all 55 of West Virginia’s counties. The announcement comes with West Virginia continuing to lead the nation in vaccine administration.

The vaccine clinics are being formed through Operation Save Our Wisdom. The events are available for all West Virginia residents aged 65 and older. Clinic availability will run from Feb. 3 through Feb. 6, 2021.

The Marshall University Division of Community Health is pleased to announce multiple funding opportunities available for healthcare systems and diabetes/health coalitions to improve health disparities in West Virginia by reducing the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease through chronic disease prevention and self-management education programs. 

1.    $2,500 value - Increase access to and participation in the National Diabetes Prevention Program through incentives and marketing materials. 

2.     $10,000 – Increase access to and participation in evidence-based programs for community-based organizations and diabetes-health coalitions on healthy eating, physical activity, chronic disease prevention and self-management education programs.

3.     $10,000 - Increase access to and participation in Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring Programs (SMBP) by providing technical assistance and funding to healthcare systems to establish SMBP monitoring programs.

4.     $10,000 - Increase access to and participation in Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Programs (DSMES) by providing technical assistance and financial support to healthcare systems to establish new programs.

Please contact Regina Knox at knoxr@marshall.edu or Shelia Plogger at splogger@ marshall.edu for more information and any questions.

The 340B Program HRSA Recertification Period for HRSA and IHS grantees (except STD, TB, and FP) is February 1 to March 1, 2021. 

Before certifying, Authorizing Officials and Primary Contacts must set up user accounts in the 340B Office of Pharmacy Affairs Information System (340B OPAIS). Failure to set up accounts will result in removal from the 340B Program. AOs and PCs must create individual accounts. All active 340B IDs associated with an AO’s account must be updated for recertification and completed by the deadline. 

For assistance with the 340B OPAIS, please utilize the online help that is available. HRSA also has information and tutorials available on the OPA website here. For further assistance, please contact the 340B call center at apexusanswers@340bpvp.com or 1-888-340-2787 (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Eastern).

President Biden has unveiled a 100-plus page national strategy and signed 10 Executive Orders for defeating COVID-19. In the plan the President proposes to “Launch a new partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers nationwide” (see page 43.)

The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center will be going ALL VIRTUAL this year. They are committed to providing a great virtual experience and one way to do that is to break up the normally packed full days into smaller blocks of time across multiple days. The draft agenda is now available and will become even more detailed in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned – they will be sharing periodic updates about the innovative things they will be doing to make sure it’s not “just another Zoom meeting”!

Addressing inequities in healthcare delivery and service is crucial to achieving equitable healthcare for all populations. Underserved areas such as rural communities (when compared to urban areas) are characterized by a higher percentage of older adults, higher rates of all-cause mortality, and lower density of healthcare infrastructure - PDF . Available evidence suggests that these poor health outcomes and inequities – further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – are driven in part by social risk factors (e.g., the social determinants of health) and biological risk factors (e.g. older age and chronic disease).

While COVID-19 has had a profound impact in exacerbating healthcare inequities, it has provided opportunity to identify, develop, deploy, and evaluate innovative technological advances such as AI, 5G, biosensors, apps, and beyond that can improve health access and outcomes in older adults, especially those from underserved populations (e.g. low-income, Medicaid-eligible, and rural communities).

The Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting period for calendar year 2020 is now underway. All HRSA-funded health centers are required to submit complete and accurate UDS reports by Monday, February 15.

The 2020 UDS Manual and other resources are available on HRSA’s website to help you complete an accurate report. The manual includes an introduction to the UDS, instructions for completing each of the tables, and information on how to submit the UDS through EHBs.

The WVPCA invites you to complete the Readiness to Train Assessment Tool (RTAT) survey before February 28, 2021. This survey tool was developed to assess organizational readiness to implement Health Professions Training (HPT) programs in health centers across the country and is strongly encouraged by HRSA. 

Please contact Shannon Parker, WVPCA Director of Health Center Operations at Shannon.parker@wvpca.org should you have any questions or concerns.

The Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program (ISTP) program will integrate mental health and substance use treatment services in primary care settings. Grantees will train practicing professionals to provide addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services in underserved communities. Practicing professionals include the following disciplines: nurse practitioners, physician assistants, health service psychologists, and social workers. Approximately $6.5 million will be available in FY 2021 to fund two grantees. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

HRSA released the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Ending the HIV Epidemic - Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (HRSA-21-092). HRSA will invest approximately $83 million in health centers located in the 57 geographic locations identified by Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America, with the goal of increasing the number of health centers in the geographic locations that are focused on HIV prevention.

FY 2021 PCHP will support expanding HIV prevention services that decrease the risk of HIV transmission, focusing on supporting access to and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Health centers with service delivery sites in the geographic locations that did not receive FY 2020 PCHP funding will be eligible to apply. Technical assistance (TA) resources are available on the PCHP TA webpage.

• HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks: Monday, March 1, 2021 (5:00 p.m. ET).

Justin M. Harrison is a labor & employment lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC. He is available for consultation through a special retainer relationship with the WVPCA. Justin can be reached at 304.340.1358 and via email at justin.harrison@jacksonkelly.com.

The Pandemic Operational Recovery Guide for Health Centers and Free Clinics was written to assist health centers and free clinics in identifying and minimizing risks as they recover from operational disruptions related to a pandemic.

The Risk Management Manual for Health Centers is now available on the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website! Designed to support a proactive approach to risk management at health centers and free clinics, the Manual provides background, tips, and how-tos in a manageable format.

View an archived webinar that provides a guided tour of the Manual and key features. For access to the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website or any other questions, email clinical_rm_program@ecri.org.