Community Health Centers
Ramp Up
Drive Thru
Testing Operations
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Aaron E. Henry staff in Clarksdale (top left) and in Batesville (bottom left) prepare for the drive-thru testing event.
Delta Health Center CEO John Fairman (below) is overseeing ops at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing day in Mound Bayou. DHC reported a steady flow of traffic (photo above) and provided COVID-19 testing for more than 1,000 citizens as part of its drive-thru events.
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The week of April 20, 2020 saw several health centers in Mississippi ramp up drive-thru COVID-19 operations across the state. Aaron E. Henry, Delta Health Center, Family Health Center, Mallory Community Health Center, and Coastal Family Health Center reported drive-thru and drive up community events. The week of April 27, 2020, drive-thru community testing is planned by ACCESS Community Health in Smithville, North Mississippi Primary Health Care in Ashland, Aaron E. Henry in Coldwater, and Coastal Family Health Center in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs. Community Health Centers are reaching scores of people in Mississippi, providing free COVID-19 testing, and getting citizens linked to healthcare.
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Coastal Family Health provided drive-thru testing Monday through Friday the week of April 20th at several locations along the Gulf Coast.
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A reporter from WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg interviewed Dr. Bernard DeAsis, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Burgese Turel, Chief of Internal Medicine at Family Health Center in Laurel. The clinic led a community testing event with the Laurel Housing Authority.
Health centers worked with local media to help promote the free COVID-19 testing available to all.
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Attestation Portal Opens for CARES Act Payments
In addition to deposits on April 10, new deposits were made to accounts between Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 25. Please be aware of the attestation requirements.
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Health Centers Awarded Ryan White Grants
On Wednesday, April 15, HHS, through HRSA, awarded $90 million for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients across the country to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This funding is provided by the fiscal year 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which President Trump signed into law on Friday, March 27, 2020.
This funding supports 581 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients across the country, including city/county health departments, health clinics, community-based organizations, state health departments, and AIDS Education and Training Centers, to prevent or minimize the impact of this pandemic on people with HIV. Click
here
for a list of grantees.
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Washington, D.C. Updates
Stimulus Package 3.5
This week, Congress passed another $484 billion stimulus package to add funds to provisions of the CARES Act, the third stimulus package. This package is not the "phase 4" stimulus package; however, health centers may potentially benefit from some of the additional funding given to select programs. The bill:
- Adds an additional $322 million to the Paycheck Protection Program.
- Adds another $75 billion to the $100 billion Provider Relief Fund, $30 billion of which was already dispersed to providers based on Medicare billings with the next distribution expected to happen April 24.
- The bill also includes $25 billion for testing, $385 million of which is targeted to FQHCs and RHCs.
Stimulus Package 4
Congress is not expected back until May but is already discussing a fourth stimulus package to assist healthcare providers and others with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. NACHC is asking $73.2 billion for health centers, including $7.6 billion in emergency funding to assist with the impact of COVID-19 and $41.9 billion over five years for Health Center Program Fund reauthorization.
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Medicare Telehealth Guidance for Health Centers Available
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued
guidance
(MLN Matters SE20016) on new and
expanded Medicare telehealth flexibilities given to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FHQCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) through the CARES Act. FQHCs and RHCs can now utilize telehealth and act as distant site providers during this COVID-19 public health emergency.
MLN Matters SE20016
details on expansion of virtual communication services; revision of home health agency shortage requirement for visiting nursing services; consent for care management and virtual communication services; and accelerated/advance payments.
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ChartSpan Joins CHCAMS
Welcome to ChartSpan, a new business member of the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi. ChartSpan is the largest, managed chronic care management vendor in the U.S. The company provides turn-key, managed care coordination and compliance programs for doctors, clinics, and health systems. ChartSpan manages patient care coordination and value-based programs for more than 100 of the most successful practices and health systems in the United States. A partnership between ChartSpan and CHCAMS provides the opportunity to extend preventive patient care to rural and urban areas in need of additional healthcare.
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CHCs COVID-19 Response Resources
Thank you, Community Health Center leaders and staff, for your service during this unprecendent time in history. CHCAMS staff is here for you.
CHCAMS has created and made the following:
1) COVID-19 digests with News and Updates and Training and Techincal Assistance Resources. We will publish it with frequency during the initial response phase of this national emergency.
2) Conference Call Check in on Fridays at 2 p.m. This is a time for CEOs to share, listen, and have comaraderie with one another.
3) COVID-19 list serve. This list serve is a mechanism for you to share infomation in writing with one another on an as needed basis.
4) Information Clearinghouse via a Google Drive link of information that is categorized and can be accessed on an as needed basis.
5) CHCAMS.org COVID-19 webpage also serves as a resource for those seeking information.
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Save the date for these upcoming sessions—details shared soon!
Monday, May 4
1-2 p.m. CST
Tuesday, May 19
1-2 p.m. CST
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Miss a CHCAMS News and T/A Training COVID-19 Response Digest? Find the archive of the digests
here.
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The recording of the HRSA grant writing webinar “Creating a Competitive Grant Proposal” is available
here
.
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Tuesday, April 28
1-2 p.m. CST
Finance Office Hours for Health Centers: Everything About FQHC Medicare
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Thursdays in April
noon - 1 p.m. CST
Flattening the COVID-19 Curve: Latest Update
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Thursday, April 30, 2020
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CST
Postpartum Depression
presented by the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health
Expert panelists on lifestyle behaviors, support groups, and clinical services centered around maternal postpartum depression relevant to public health professionals, mothers, social workers, clinicians, counselors, and health educators.
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Friday, May 1, 2020
10 -11:30 a.m.
Diabetes Coalition of Mississippi
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Save the Dates
Registration coming soon
chcams.org
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MS State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0010 Telehealth Emergency Waiver Public Notice
Pursuant to 42 C.F.R. Section 447.205, public notice is hereby given for the submission of a Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0010
Telehealth Emergency Waiver
. This SPA will assist beneficiaries to receive a wider range of health care services from Mississippi Medicaid enrolled providers without having to travel to a health care facility to reduce the community-spread of the COVID-19 virus or who may need to be self-quarantined for a period of time.
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Grants with ongoing deadlines can be found
here
.
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