FY 20-21 Budget Released; CHCANYS Testifies before Health Committees
On January 21, Governor Cuomo released his FY 20-21 State Budget Proposal . The Governor announced he will reconvene the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) as MRT II, headed jointly by Dennis Rivera, former Chair of SEIU 1199 and Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health. The MRT is tasked with identifying $2.5B in savings for the Medicaid program. The directive was to achieve this goal through finding efficiencies or additional industry revenue. The MRT II must complete its work before April 1, in order to include the savings in the FY2021 final budget (which is expected to be finalized by the end of March).
On January 29, CHCANYS Vice President of Communications Tiffany Portzer presented testimony  in front of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees asking the legislature to maintain vital Patient Centered Medical Home and uncompensated care funding, and calling on them to ensure that at least 40% of DSRIP 2.0 funds are dedicated to community-based providers like FQHCs and behavioral health organizations. CHCANYS’ written testimony also asks the legislature to limit changes to CON surcharges for safety net providers, calls for level funding of the DANY, Migrant & Seasonal Farmworkers and SBHC programs and promotes the extension of executive agency authority to waive DSRIP-related regulations that would allow for enhanced integrated care.
 
Supreme Court Lifts Public Charge Injunction
On January 27 th , the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration may enforce the new public charge rule, which had previously been blocked from taking effect. The rule makes it easier for Department of Homeland Security officials to deny entry or legal status to people likely to rely on public assistance like Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and housing assistance. CHCANYS is working with immigrant rights organizations nationally and throughout the State to determine the best course of action for health centers to take. We will update everyone accordingly. In the meantime, please visit chcanys.org/publiccharge for more resources.

Monitoring the Novel Coronavirus
The CDC is keeping a close watch on more than 100 people in 26 States for the coronavirus, including five patients who contracted the deadly infection in China and then brought it back to the United States.
 
The CDC is hosting a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call on January 31 from 2:00 – to 3:00 pm. The call will offer Interim Guidance for Clinicians , who will learn about the current epidemiology, infection control, and prevention recommendations, specimen collection and testing, and clinical management for patients with 2019 novel coronavirus infection. Participants are asked to join in groups. For those unable to join, the transcript will be available  here  a few days after the call.
 
CHCANYS Emergency Management team is currently monitoring the developing situation with the breakout, which originated in Wuhan, China, and is strongly encouraging all health centers to review their organizational plans to ensure they are up to date and relevant.
 
Here’s what we know about the spread of the virus so far:
  • The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCOV) was first identified in Hubei Province, China. Hundreds of cases have been confirmed in China, including cases outside Wuhan, with additional cases being identified in a growing number of countries internationally. 
  • Five cases of 2019-nCOV have been reported in the United States (as of January 27, 2020). Per Centers for Disease Control, more cases are likely to be identified in the coming days worldwide, including more cases in the United States.  
  • Current symptoms reported for patients with 2019-nCOV have included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.  
  • This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, and the most current information including interim guidance for healthcare professionals is available on the CDC 2019-nCOV homepage. 
  • CDC also issued an updated interim Health Alert Notice (HAN) Advisory to inform state and local health departments and health care providers about this outbreak on January 17, 2020.
  • New York State Department of Health (SDOH) has issued the following Interim Guidance for Healthcare Providers and Facilities in New York State on the Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavius (2019-nCoV).
  • De Blasio administration outlined NYC preparedness for this virus in a press-release that you can download here.

Additional Resources:
The below resources and guidance provided by the CDC and others. 
 
Contact us at emteam@chcanys.org for additional information or with any further questions.
Advocacy Day 2020! Register Today To Make Your Voice Heard!
This year’s event will take place on Monday, March 2 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. Please join us, and invite your colleagues, friends and family to come along! Advance registration is required. To ensure you will receive a lunch, you must sign up by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 24.  

This year's program will begin at 10:00 a.m. and run until 11:00 a.m., after 11:30 a.m. attendees will meet with their Assembly members and Senators. Please note that attendees are responsible for making their own appointments with Assembly members and Senators . A light breakfast and boxed lunch will be provided.

Nominate an Outstanding FQHC Board Member Today
Each   year, CHCANYS honors Community Health Center Champions who are working to ensure access to high quality health care for all. We will recognize an outstanding Consumer Board Member during our Annual Meeting Dinner on Sunday March 1 at The Hilton Hotel in Albany. CHCANYS invites you to submit nominations before February 10. To learn more about eligibility for the Dorothy Kartashevich Consumer Award and to make a nomination, click here .
 
Sponsor CHCANYS 2020 Programs:  Throughout the year,   CHCANYS invites Sponsors to take part in its programs which provide great opportunities for exposure to the FQHC market. If you are interested in learning more about our Annual Conference, training and program support packages contact   rwynn@chcanys.org
CHC Economic Impact Analysis
Again this year, CHCANYS is offering an economic impact analysis (EIA) for any NYS CHC that reported on the 2018 UDS. The EIA estimates the health center’s total contribution to its local economy, taking account of the “ripple effects” of your spending and employment on other local industries. The annual estimates are driven by IMPLAN ® , a highly respected input-output model based on the latest industry spending patterns from the US Commerce Department.  The EIA is available without charge to CHCANYS organizational members. Please consult CEO Rose Duhan’s January 21 email to all health centers for instructions on submitting a request, or contact  data@chcanys.org  for additional information.  
Celebrating CHC Success!
Ryan Health hosted their 2 nd  Annual QI Collaborative on Friday, January 24 to celebrate successful quality improvement projects throughout their network of clinic sites. Each site’s leadership team selected a SMART goal (Specific Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) for the year. The goals were focused on improving clinical and operational workflows at each site. Ryan Health staff received coaching from an internal practice facilitator to help them achieve their goals. The projects are discussed in organizational meetings and to the QI Board. The meeting on Friday included presentations from staff involved in the QI work, as well as external supporters such as CHCANYS and HealthFirst.
 
Utilizing Pharmacists for Management of Chronic Conditions and Patient Engagement Learning Session
On January 23, the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control Program’s (DCPC) Cohort joined CHCANYS, NYSDOH, CPESN, and other health center partners to engage in a lively meeting surrounding utilizing both in-house pharmacy and community-based pharmacists in a team based care approach. Health centers left the day with resources on how to either implement an in-house pharmacy program or partner with local pharmacies to better manage patients with chronic conditions, including a detailed workflow map tailored to each unique health center.
 
Want to participate in a similar meeting? Join the DCPC Cohort launching in July 2020! Please fill out this  general interest form .   Sites will participate in either the Diabetes or Cardiovascular Disease category of this year long initiative and focus on specific strategies to improve the prevention and management of patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes or hypertension and high cholesterol. Participating sites will receive:
  • Individualized and group practice facilitation to improve population health management, team-based care processes and workflows for optimal patient care;
  • Support in engaging with community-based partners for referrals to diabetes prevention, diabetes self-management, nutrition, and lifestyle change programs;
  • Technical Assistance in the engagement of pharmacists and other non-physician team members in the management of diabetes and CVD;
  • Access to clinical quality measures and clinical tools in the CPCI tailored specifically to identifying and targeting patients with these chronic conditions; and
  • Opportunities to present promising practices, challenges, and lessons learned to the NYS DOH, CDC and Statewide Peer-Learning Network
REGISTER NOW! Upcoming CHCANYS Finance Webinar Series in Partnership with HRSA
CHCANYS is excited to announce our upcoming two (2) part webinar series in partnership with Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Federal Assistance Management. HRSA’s Office of Federal Assistance Management will be conducting this webinar series on fiscal topics related to the HRSA Health Center Program grants. The two webinars will be held on February 12th and April 15th, respectively, with additional sessions to be included during our upcoming in-person Finance University on June 11th.
 
The first webinar (February) will lay the framework and requirements for financial compliance, with the second session (April) expanding on best practices and providing tools and techniques for implementation and monitoring.
 
The learning objectives for Session 1 are as follows:
  1. Identify the federal requirements for managing your Health Center Program grant and other HRSA awards.
  2. Measure the strength of your organizations financial management system.
  3. Recognize areas where your organization can strengthen internal controls.
  4. Assess your organizations Fiscal policies and procedures for compliance with federal requirements and the Health Center Compliance Manual.
 
To register for one or both of these upcoming webinars, please follow the links below:
 
Health center finance and finance operations staff of all levels are welcome to attend.
If you have any questions, please contact us at  questions@chcanys.org .
 
Buprenorphine Treatment Webinar
The New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH’s)  New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) , in collaboration with the AIDS Institute’s Office of Drug User Health, is hosting an educational webinar focused on opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnancy as part of the  NYS OUD in Pregnancy & Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Project . The webinar, which will take place on  Tuesday, February 4, 2020, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM,  will be open to all NYS birthing hospitals and providers, and will feature a presentation by David Garry, DO. For more information and to pre-register, please  click here . 
 
Sexual & Reproductive Health Sub-Committee 2020 Q1 Learning Sessions
The Sexual and Reproductive Health Sub-Committee will be hosting learning session at a new date and time: the 2 nd  Thursday of the month from 12:00 – 1:00 pm. The Zoom link, call-in number as well as some upcoming learning topics are listed below:
 
Webinar link:  https://zoom.us/j/150586730
Dial-in number: 646 558 8656
Meeting ID: 150 586 730
 
  • Feb 13, 2020: Managing Contraception for People with Chronic Medical Issues, Dr. Linda Prine, Director of Women’s Health at the Institute
  • March 12, 2020: The benefits of utilizing Peer Educators to reach and educate special populations, Kristin McDonough, Supervisor of Health Education & Outreach at The Door
 
Announcing the new CPCI Tools to Manage Substance Use: A Training Guide
CHCANYS and Azara DRVS have collaborated to develop a brand new tool, which provides an overview of the CPCI functionality that supports effective tracking and management of patients with or at risk of Substance Use Disorder. The training guide demonstrates how CPCI users can leverage available reports/scorecards, registries, custom dashboards, and 19 different measures to perform the population health activities required to successfully manage SUDs patients. The training guide complements CHCANYS’ two part webinar series on Utilizing the Substance Use Disorder Module in CPCI which can be accessed here (link). To access the Training Guide and review a summary of how CPCI’s SUDs tools can be implemented please click here . 
 
AETC HIV Oral Health Preceptorship Program
The New York State Department of Health-AIDS Institute Oral Health Resource Center in collaboration with the Northeast/Caribbean AETC offers a unique chance to participate in an HIV Oral Health Preceptorship Program. These programs are individually tailored to meet the needs, interests and experience-level of the individual provider. Typical sessions are from one to five days and are available for the person with no or very little HIV experience, to those looking for a more detailed clinical experience in an HIV Primary Care Center, or discovering oral pathology. Please click here  for more information on the program and how to register.
 
Oral Health Prevention Primer PowerPoint Presentation
A new, ready-to-use  PowerPoint presentation   (PPT) on the AAP  Oral Health Prevention Primer  (OHPP) is now available. Designed to introduce the practice tools and resources in the OHPP to primary care providers and others working with families, this PPT guides the user through a 20-30-minute interactive presentation. Can be presented in grand rounds, coalition meetings or any professional/educational gatherings. To request a copy of the OHPP PPT, please complete  this brief form . For more information, contact Hollis Russinof, hrussinof@aap.org . 
 
Updated Dental Code Resources
CDA developed and updated by the American Dental Association (ADA) encourages dentists to prepare for CDT 2020 dental code additions, revisions, and deletions that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. There are 37 new and five revised codes, plus six deleted codes. Please click here for an article on the changing dental codes. For additionally information and resources on dental claims and coding, please tune in to the following webinars:
 
Free Genetics Webinar Series
Join the Weitzman Learning Academy and the New England Regional Genetic Network for a free webinar series focused on genetics. Gain confidence when diagnosing, treating, and supporting patients with genetic conditions in the primary care setting. Earn CMEs and drop in to any session! The next session is February 18, 1-2PM ET.  Click here  to register.
 
Free Webinar: How can FQHCs Get Out the Count for Census 2020
On  Thursday, February 13, 11am – Noon , CHCANYS and the New York Immigrant Coalition will be jointly hosting a  free  webinar for community health centers on actions they can take to drive turnout in the 2020 Census. Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress, draw boundaries for voting districts, and determine how more than $675 billion in federal funding is spent in our communities each year.   The webinar will include a presentation from Meeta Anand, Census 2020 Senior Fellow at the New York Immigration Coalition on the what, when, why, and how health centers can ensure their patients and colleagues are counted in the 2020 Census. You must register  to attend this webinar. Registration is accessible here .   
 
PCMH Office Hours, Risk Stratification Part III: Care Coordination & Care Management for your Highest Risk Patients
Join CHCANYS and Comagine health in Part III of the PCMH Office Hours, Risk Stratification Series on February 20, 2020 from 12:00-1:00 pm. Each monthly session in this interactive, peer-learning series will include presentation of key information about system design strategies for the care and management of your patients either at risk of developing diabetes, or currently managing a diabetes diagnosis, in addition to other co-morbidities and social determinants of health. Discussion will be led by health center colleagues, our consulting partners at Comagine Health, and special guest speakers. Make sure you register by accessing the link  here . This call is free to attend, but advanced registration is required.
 
Miss Parts I & II? Access the Zoom Meeting Recordings below:
Part I: Risk Stratification, Care Coordination & Care Management for Patients with Chronic Conditions
Part II: Risk Stratification, Care Coordination & Care Management for Patients with Chronic Conditions

Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) for NYS Community Health Centers—Train the Trainer Learning Collaborative Opportunity  
CHCANYS , in partnership with the University at Buffalo Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (ITTIC) , is excited to announce the kick-off a new, pilot, TIC, project. We will be providing details, through two introductory webinars, about the project and present opportunities for up to 10 NYS CHCs and select staff (TIC Champions) to participate in a year-long learning collaborative and train the trainer initiative. The webinars will cover TIC concepts and review the upcoming opportunity as well as requirements for CHC participating and selection of TIC Champions for the learning collaborative.
 
Join us for one of the two live webinars to learn more about this exciting and innovative TIC training approach and initiative. The webinars are free but require advance registration.
 
To register for the webinar on Tuesday, February 11 at 1pm , click here .
To register for the webinar on Thursday, February 13 at 11am , click here .

Evaluate Savings in 2020
More than forty FQHCs Statewide actively participate in CHCANYS’ unique partnership with the Commonwealth Purchasing Group (CPG) to save on operational expenses. Collectively these centers realized $2.7 million in savings last year. With an expansive portfolio of vendors including telehealth, language services, recruitment services, medical and dental suppliers and day-to-day business solutions to name a few, for 20 years CPG’s strategic contracts are designed to benefit FQHCs. To learn about a no-obligation assessment of current purchases or to discuss new site or specific project needs, please click here  or contact  rwynn@chcanys.org.