Community Health Centers See Positive Results from Obesity Prevention Interventions
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Word play with popular game shows to ‘weird’ food taste tests to lessons on navigating fast food menus were all part of the strategies used by health center providers teaching participants health literacy with the MEND program. MEND (Mind, Exercises, Nutrition, Do It!) is an initiative to help children and adults learn about healthy lifestyles and best nutritional choices.
Specific impacts to reduce obesity were recorded. Aaron E. Henry Health Center reported that average waist circumference decreased among participants and physical activity increased to 32.7 hours per week. Delta Health Center reported decreased BMI among participants after the MEND program. G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center reported more than 50% of children and /or parents had recorded weight loss and that 75% of sessions were attended by participants for the entire program.
Continue reading
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Two children who participated in the MEND program at G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center (right) receive prizes and recognition for their work from (left to right) Yolanda Davis, GACFHC program assistant and Kyskie Bolton, MEND program coordinator.
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Interested in sharing a best practice? Please email and let us know
Register
For the OSV Webinar
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Dr. Sonja R. Fuqua's article on Colorectal Cancer Screenings in Mississippi was published in the
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved from Meharry Medical College
. The article focuses on the 70x2020 Colorectal Cancer Screening Initiative, a statewide effort to ensure that at least 70% of all Mississippians are up to date with colorectal cancer screening recommendations by the year 2020. This report from the field describes the ongoing efforts with a focus on tactics to engage primary care providers as well as the community in increasing screening rates. One major lesson learned is that community champions will emerge to take ownership of the mission when the call to action resonates with their community.
Dr. Fuqua is Director of Clinical Quality for CHCAMS. Click
here
for an excerpt of the article.
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HRSA seeks public input and feedback: Service Area Overlap
HRSA seeks input from the field to inform service area-related policy considerations. A link to the related Request for Information (RFI) solicits additional ideas and suggestions from the public related to these topic areas.
Deadline
: Public feedback must be submitted on or before July 8, 2019.
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Mississippi’s congressional delegation needs to hear from you on these two major issues!
1) Ask your representatives and senators to support
The Community Health Center and Primary Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2019
which supports the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). If increased, this legislation would allow Mississippi to
- secure new physicians that the state so desperately needs;
- assist in retaining the 240+ providers that currently work within community health centers and need the loan forgiveness programs. These are strong incentives that have the potential to influence providers to make Mississippi home and continue their practice after the two-year service obligations; and
- receive support for capital funding, which is imperative for needed facility improvements in some rural and underserved communities. Click here for more info.
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2) Ask your congressional delegation to co-sponsor bills that support Community Health Centers (FQHC). According to the National Association for Community Health Centers, bipartisan support is
particularly important for the House CHIME Act (
HR. 2328
)
.
Please contact your representatives Trent Kelly, Michael Guest, and Steven Palazzo
to ask for their support of the House CHIME Act, ask them to co-sponsor the legislation,
and let them know how important the Community Health Centers are to you and your community.
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- Disaster Aid bill passes House and Senate that includes $19.1 billion specifically provides $80 million for CHCs to support construction, equipment purchase, operational support and other projects as necessary in disaster-impacted areas;
- CHC CEO Testifies Before Congress June 4th about Health Safety Net Programs;
- House members make progress on FY20 appropriations bills that include $1.68B for Community Health Centers; a $50m increase that would help increase use of PrEP among people at high risk for HIV transmission and
- Bill would improve access to dental care for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income populations.
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2019 Medicaid Providers Workshops Start in June
FFS, MississippiCAN & CHIP
For CHC Talking Points, please email the CHCAMS office.
The Division of Medicaid, in conjunction with its contractors Conduent, Alliant UM/QIO, and the MSCAN plans – Magnolia Health, Molina Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, will conduct
“FREE”
Medicaid Provider Workshops June 11, 2019 through July 30, 2019 at locations throughout the state. These workshops are designed to provide information and changes related to Medicaid and managed care programs. Office directors, office managers, coders, practitioners, and billing staff are encouraged to attend. Click
here
for the schedule of meetings.
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Beginning August 1, 2019, Alliant Health Solutions will begin performing prior authorization reviews as the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) transitions to a new Utilization Management/Quality Improvement Organization (UM/QIO) vendor. Alliant was awarded the new UM/QIO contract earlier this year, and will replace the current vendor, eQHealth Solutions, to review and process prior authorizations for fee-for-service Medicaid.
To learn more about this change, please
read
the attached news notice and share it with your health center teams.
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Auto-HPSA Update Round 6 Previews Released
HRSA has emailed the sixth round of automatically designated Health Professional Shortage Area Designation (Auto-HPSA) Update Preview reports to health center and look-alike CEOs and project directors as identified through the EHB. Please click this
link
for the latest iteration of impact to Mississippi health centers and contact Joseph Grice at
jgrice@chcams.org
if you have additional questions.
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2019 Uniform Data System Manual Now Available
The 2019 Uniform Data System (UDS) Manual
serves as a comprehensive guide for health centers to understand UDS reporting requirements. It includes an overview of the UDS, instructions for completing each of the data tables, and information on how to submit the data through HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks. Changes for 2019 UDS reporting include data to better capture mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services, reporting virtual visits, the addition of an electronic-specified statin therapy for cardiovascular disease clinical quality measure (CMS347v2), and workforce development data.
HRSA recently held a technical assistance (TA) webinar highlighting changes for the 2019 UDS data collection and reporting activities.
Watch a recording
if you missed the webinar. Slides are available on the
UDS Resources webpage
.
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Nearby Session on FTCA University: New Orleans
June 13 - 14, 2019 (Cost $250)
Please
NOTE: unresolved conditions from your OSV in the areas of credentialing or QI/QA may result in disapproval of your FTCA deeming application. Please review
PAL 2019-02
for updates. Redeeming applications (for coverage for CY 2020) are due by 11:59 p.m. ET
on Monday, July 1.
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Early Bird Registration Ends June 30, 2019
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July 30, 2019 – August 2, 2019
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
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Ready! Get Set! Go Lace Up Those Athletic Shoes!
It’s time to register for the annual 65x65 races hosted by community health centers across the state. This one-day, statewide effort provides a chance to have fun while calling attention to the disease of obesity and the healthy ways to fight it.
All 65x65 events are scheduled for Saturday, August 10th to celebrate National Health Center Week. Contact your health center for more information on local events.
Metro-area 5K/10K Race Details
7:30 a.m. Race Time
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Sign up
here
.
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National HIV Testing Day June 27
June 27 is
National HIV Testing Day
(NHTD), an annual observance to raise awareness about the importance of HIV testing and encourage people of all ages to get tested. According to a
May 2019 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rates of HIV infection are decreasing at a slower rate among black women than among white women. Strengthening HIV prevention and care efforts for both black women and heterosexual black men could help reduce this disparity. This year's observance is especially important in light of the federal initiative to
End the HIV Epidemic
. The NHTD 2019 theme is
Doing It My Way
and focuses on how and why people can make testing a part of their lives on their terms and in their way.
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NHSC Starts News Rural Loan Repayment Program for Providers
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The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) recently launched a Rural Community Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for providers working to combat the opioid epidemic in the nation's rural communities. The application cycle will open soon and you can
sign up for email notices
. The NHSC LRP will make FY 2019 loan repayment awards in coordination with the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) initiative within the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) to provide evidence-based substance use treatment, assist in recovery, and to prevent overdose deaths across the nation. Learn more at the
NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program
website. All FQHCs are automatically qualified sites, but only those in rural areas will be considered for this program.
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CHCAMS is officially accredited to provide
Direct Continuing Medical Education to Physicians
Contact Desiree Stinson at 601-981-1817
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June 12, 2019, 10:30 a.m.
Managing Member Coverage - The Next Frontier for FQHCs
Has your vision adapted to managing member coverage? FQHCs nationally are re-designing their Enrollment Departments to maximize member coverage and revenue.
This educational webinar will cover: annual patient value; defining the enrollment cycle; reducing default sliding fee applications; and securing coverage and anchoring your members.
Register here
.
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June 12, 2019 3:00 p.m. EST
National Health Center Immigration Workgroup
Webinar on Policy Updates and Using Telehealth to Reach Immigrant Patients
Recent policy updates impacting immigrant patients, and features a brief presentation by Mary Zelazny, CEO of Finger Lakes Community Health in upstate New York, about her health center’s efforts to reach immigrant patients via telehealth. Participation is free, but pre-registration is requested
here
.
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June 17-20, 2019|Boston, MA
Managing Ambulatory Health Care II: Advanced Course for Clinicians in Community Health Centers
This is the second in a series of four Managing Ambulatory Health Care (MAHC) training courses offer by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).
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June 19-21, 2019|Little Rock, AR
As we reach the final year in the 80% by 2018 Colorectal Cancer Screening initiative, the Consortium will keep the momentum by adopting the 80% in Every Community. 80% in Every Community is an NCCRT initiative that continues the progress and commitment from 80% by 2018, and reemphasizes our dedication to partnership, collective action, and the pooling of resources to reach 80% colorectal cancer screening rates nationally. The meeting will cover the latest discoveries across the spectrum of colorectal cancer—from working with accountable care organizations to large hospital systems; to cancer genetics; to survivorship and advocacy—and will highlight the work of the best minds in patient navigation and medicine from institutions all across the southeastern region.
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June 21, 2019|1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. CST
(CHCAMS Sponsored)
Readiness for Your Upcoming OSV Site Visit (Webinar)
This webinar will serve as a refresher to many health centers but also as a sharing of best practices of what we’ve learned since the new OSV guidance over the past 2 years.
Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
- Identify how your required list of documents has shaped up in the efforts to prepare for the OSV;
- Test compliance examples based on previously submitted requests and other examples; and
- Hear best practices based on hearing the resolve others have used to respond during and post site. visit.
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June 26-27, 2019|Day 1: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Day 2: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
(CHCAMS Sponsored)
2019 Mississippi Rural & Community Health Documentation, Coding & Billing Boot Camp
MSU CAVS Extension Center | 153 Mississippi Parkway, Canton, MS 39046
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July 12, 2019
UDS Mapper for the New and Advanced User
UDS Mapper is a collaboration between the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and is part of the HealthLandscape online mapping platform. There are monthly opportunities scheduled for those who are new to UDS Mapper and users familiar with it who would like to learn more about its uses and advanced tools.
- For those new to UDS Mapper: Register here introductory live demo and Q&A session for one of the monthly introductions--July 12, Aug. 5 or Sept. 9
- For advanced utilization of UDS Mapper: Register here for the Tuesday, July 23, 11:00 am to noon, webinar and future advanced topics webinars.
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Due Date:
June 10, 2019
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders
The Health Resources and Service Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on April 25 for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders (RCORP-RCOE). HRSA will provide three cooperative agreements totaling about $20 million to establish three Rural Centers of Excellence.
View the funding opportunity
here
.
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Open until June 10, 2019 at 3 p.m. EST
Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model Funding Opportunity
The
InCK model
is a child-centered
local service delivery
and
state payment model
aimed at reducing expenditures and improving the quality of care for children covered by Medicaid and CHIP through prevention, early identification, and treatment of priority health concerns. The model will offer states and local providers support through a framework of child-centered care integration across behavioral, physical, and other child providers. The
Notice of Funding Opportunity
for the InCK model is available.
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Publishing Date for RFP:
July 1, 2019
2019 Delta Workforce Grant Program
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), approximately $28.5 million in
National Dislocated Worker Reserve: Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Grants
will become available to support workforce training and education in rural communities across the Delta and Appalachian regions. To complement the federal partnership, DRA will host two technical assistance workshops, make available $1.5 million in grants, and offer post-award technical assistance to grantees.
Total Program Funding: $1.5 million
Award Ceiling: $150,000
Award Floor: $25,000
Eligible Applicants include:
- State and local governments (state agencies, counties/parishes, cities/towns)
- Other public bodies
- Non-profit entities
- Local development districts
The Delta Workforce Program will prioritize investing in communities and regions that have been negatively impacted by economic transition and recovered more slowly to help build their workforce pipelines and strengthen their economies.
Investment priorities include:
- Supporting industry-driven workforce training
- Building collaborative workforce pipelines
- Expanding industry clusters
- Accelerating regional economic development
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Application Deadline: None
The Foundation provides targeted grants for health and wellness projects that typically span a one-year period of time. The initiatives funded by the Foundation have a focus on healthy eating and exercise, with measurable outcomes demonstrating improvement in the health of Mississippians.
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Application Deadline: Rolling application deadline on an ongoing basis
Offers funding to counties and municipalities to assist with the location, expansion, and retention of job-creating businesses, including healthcare and other public facilities. Projects must result in the creation or retention of jobs for low-to-moderate income individuals. Eligible projects include: Buildings (rehabilitation/expansion). Eligibility: Municipalities and counties must apply on behalf of industry based on the public infrastructure needs of the project.
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