July 1, 2021
UPCOMING TPCA
TRAININGS & EVENTS
TPCA will be closed in observance of Independence Day.
Taking a Trauma-Informed Approach to Workplace Success in Rural Communities

Led by Elizabeth Guroff, MA, LCMFT, Director, Practice Improvement & Consulting, National Council for Behavioral Health
2021 Chronic Disease &
COVID-19 Summit
National Perspective

Led by Lisa Harrison, MS, MHS, PA-C, Health Management Associates

Sponsored by: AristaMD

Tennessee Perspective

Led by Elizabeth Wolff, MD, MPA, Health Management Associates

Emergency Preparedness

Led by Melissa Corrado, MBA, Health Management Associates

Sponsored by: CareMessage

National Health Center Week
is August 8-14, 2021!

TPCA is excited to join health centers in Tennessee and across the country in celebrating
2021 National Health Center Week, August 8-14!

National Health Center Week (NHCW) is an annual celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s health centers.

This year, we will be celebrating all of the ways health centers create The Chemistry for Strong Communities.

Sunday, August 8
Public Health in Housing Day

Monday, August 9
Health Care for the Homeless Day

Tuesday, August 10
Agricultural Worker Health Center Day

Wednesday, August 11
Patient Appreciation Day

Thursday, August 12
Stakeholder Appreciation Day

Friday, August 13
Health Center Staff Appreciation Day

Saturday, August 14
Children's Health Day


Don't forget to submit your events to TPCA! 
If you are hosting NHCW events, please email emily.waitt@tnpca.org with details about the event so we can highlight your events and provide opportunities for TPCA staff to join in your celebrations!

If you have questions about hosting a NHCW event, please reach out to emily.waitt@tnpca.org!
COVID-19 RESOURCES
TPCA COVID-19 Resources Page

TPCA created a COVID-19 Resources page that contains information and tools for health centers and the general public on a variety of COVID-19 related topics including TPCA’s COVID-19 vaccines, updates, human resources & operations, telehealth, and PPE.

TPCA Members may also access the COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit for the latest in TN COVID-19 Vaccine distribution as well as timely and relevant resources.
TPCA MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
All people experiencing homelessness in Nashville now have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) announced Thursday, June 25.

A collaborative outreach effort of 19 organizations led by MPHD, Neighborhood Health and Saint Thomas Health began in early April with a goal of reaching 100% access to the COVID-19 vaccine for people in Nashville experiencing homelessness.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health and medical professionals have been required to be innovative and creative in their approaches to patient education and engagement.

Save your spot today to learn how to take the lessons learned during the coronavirus pandemic and walk into the “new normal” of health care!
FEDERAL POLICY UPDATES
Appropriations Process

The Biden administration’s FY 22 proposed budget included a $50 million increase in discretionary appropriations for community health centers, bringing total discretionary funding to $1.73 billion. The House began the appropriations process earlier in June and will begin reviewing appropriations bills and conducting mark-ups next month. Community health centers may receive an increase in appropriations during the process.
Infrastructure

The Biden administration and a bi-partisan group of Senators announced an agreement on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package which includes funding for transportation, power, water, and broadband. No dedicated funding for health care is included in the package.

The last major investment in capital funding for health centers occurred over a decade ago and health centers need long-term investments to continue to serve additional patients. NACHC and health centers across the country are advocating for the inclusion of $10 billion in community health center infrastructure funding in a final package. 
340B: HRSA Rescinds Rule in Insulin and EpiPens 

The Bureau of Primary Health Care issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to formally rescind the Final Rule requiring health centers to charge certain prices for Insulin and EpiPens to low-income patients and will be accepting public comments on the proposal through July 16. 
Why should my Community Health Center become an ACE?

Community Health Centers are key to America’s primary health system.

By becoming an Advocacy Center of Excellance (ACE) you ensure that your health center, the patients you serve, and the community at large have a voice in the process and critical decisions being made by policymakers. In order for health centers to thrive, the same commitment must be given to integrating advocacy into the mission and operation of the organization.

By becoming an ACE, you can be confident knowing that your health center’s commitment to advocacy furthers the mission of this 50-year movement and joining a nationwide network of your ACE peers.
ADDITIONAL NEWS & RESOURCES
Survey Opportunity:
Immigrant Healthcare Access Project 

The University of South Carolina's Immigrant Healthcare Access (IHA) Project aims to better understand the role of local health clinics in addressing gaps in access to health care for immigrants in the Tennessee community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey should take about 15 - 20 minutes to complete, and your response will remain confidential.

Questions will cover the following:
  1. types of services your clinic provides;
  2. general demographics of the patients you serve;
  3. basic questions about clinic capacity;
  4. outreach strategies you may use; and
  5. emerging challenges to providing services for and/or meeting the needs of immigrants.

The deadline for survey completion is July 30th. The survey can be answered by anyone at your clinic who is generally familiar with these domains.


The study has been approved by the University of South Carolina's IRB. Once you click on the survey link, the informed consent process will provide more information about the survey before you begin.

Questions?
Please contact, Benjamin J Roth, PhD, Associate Professor at rothbj@sc.edu.
To learn more information about this program, please contact Raul Marrero, TPCA HIT Manager.

Learn more about partnering with TPCA by contacting Susan Swartz at susan.swartz@tnpca.org!
Share your news!
We want to help spread the word about what's going on at Tennessee's health centers.
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.