UPCOMING TRAINING
& EVENTS
click link(s) for details
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March 11
March 17
March 17-18
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 25
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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
.
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New Scope of Project 5A Accuracy Tool
(From HRSA)
-- To support health centers’ continuous compliance, BPHC has released a new tool:
Health Center Self-Assessment Worksheet for Form 5A: Services Provided
. This tool will help health centers assess and evaluate the accuracy of their HRSA scope of project, specifically the accuracy of Form 5A, and may be used to facilitate conversations between health centers and project officers.
Health centers should direct their health center-specific questions on the tool or their scope of project to their project officer. Other stakeholders can direct questions to Health Center Program Support, either
online
or at 877-464-4772 from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (Eastern), Monday-Friday (except federal holidays).
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Health Center Patient Survey
(From HRSA)
-- Your health center may be contacted by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to assist with recruiting patients to participate in the Health Center Patient Survey. Conducted approximately every five years, the survey provides robust feedback about how health centers are providing access to primary and preventive health care to patients with diverse situations and needs. Survey results come from voluntary, one-on-one interviews held in-person with patients, and are nationally representative of the Health Center Program patient population.
Questions about the survey may be directed to the Health Center Program Support online by clicking
here
.
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TPCA's Annual Hill Day
Thank you to all of the advocates who joined TPCA in Nashville on Wednesday, February 26, to share the health center story with members of the Tennessee General Assembly!
Twenty-five advocates from health centers across the state met with 36 legislators to share how health centers meet the needs of their communities and to discuss legislative priorities that will improve the health and well-being of community health center patients.
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Federal Funding
We are three months away from the May 22, 2020, deadline when mandatory health center funding will expire. Health centers received a five-month extension of funding for the Community Health Center Fund, National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Centers Program in the
year-end spending package
that was passed on December 20, 2019. The spending bill also included $1.6 billion in discretionary funding through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2020. Congress continues to work toward an agreement on surprise billing legislation that could offset the cost of a long-term extension of health center funding.
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2020 NACHC Policy & Issues Forum
(From NACHC)
-- Registration is open for NACHC’s 2020 Policy & Issues Forum, which will take place from March 16-19 in Washington. D.C.
Click here
to register. This year’s conference theme is, “America’s Health Centers -- Sustainability for 2020 and Beyond.” The four-day schedule of events includes cutting-edge topics, interactive trainings, and compelling speakers to advance health center professionals into a future of both opportunity and challenge.
On March 18, health center advocates will descend on the halls of Congress to fight for long-term and stable funding in the new decade. If you are planning on attending P&I and want to participate in TPCA’s events, including Capitol Hill visits, please
register here
. Advocates who are joining us on the Hill can participate in
NACHC’s P&I prep webinar
on Wednesday, March 4, at 3 p.m. (Eastern). For those who are unable to make it to D.C., NACHC is also hosting a
Unity for Community webinar
on Wednesday, March 5, at 3 p.m. (Eastern) to share the many additional ways advocates can support health center funding on March 18.
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Three Tennessee CHCs Receive HRSA "Ending the HIV Epidemic" Funding
(From HRSA)
-- On Wednesday, February 26, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded approximately $117 million to expand access to HIV care, treatment, medication, and prevention services. This investment is a critical component of the Administration's
Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE)
initiative, which aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by 90 percent by 2030.
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Health Centers in the News
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Behavioral Health Lunch & Learn Webinar Series
TPCA will host several behavioral health lunch-and-learn webinars this spring. Sessions will cover various aspects of billing and coding; SBIRT; and opioids and addictions in rural areas.
The first webinar will take place on Wednesday, March 11. For additional dates, detailed information, and to register,
click here
.
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Updated Toolkit Helps Primary Care Providers Manage Patients Taking Opioids
(From HRSA)
-- AHRQ recently updated their toolkit to help primary care providers manage patients who use opioids to treat chronic pain. The new
Self-Service How-To Guide
adds an important component to
AHRQ’s Six Building Blocks
opioid treatment toolkit, a structured, systems-based approach to improving management of patients who use long-term opioid therapy.
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2020 Centering Implementation Awards
(From CHI)
-- In 2018, the Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) launched a plan to expand access to the Centering model of group health care in communities where group care can have the greatest impact. This initiative offers free implementation support and facilitation training to eligible clinical practices -- primarily in community health centers. These awards address the financial barrier to starting Centering facing many practices in resource-limited communities. CHI is awarding these services to up to 50 practices on a rolling basis in 2020.
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New Diabetes Data Available
(From HRSA)
-- The CDC’s “
National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020
” provides the state of diabetes in the U.S. through analyses of the most recent health data on diabetes and related complications. The main findings include: 34.2 million Americans (1 in 10) have diabetes, and 88 million American adults (1 in 3) have prediabetes. The report discusses health complications, risk factors, mortality rates, and costs.
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The M.A.P to Improving Blood Pressure Control
(From HRSA)
-- Successfully controlling and managing high blood pressure requires a consistent combination of actions. The American Medical Association, in partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine, has developed M.A.P. checklists to help clinicians maintain consistency.
M.A.P. stands for:
- Measure accurately
- Act rapidly
- Partner with patients, families, and communities
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Input Sought on HCV Treatment and Training
Researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Department of Health have developed a brief survey to assess health centers' HCV treatment and training. Please
click here
to complete the three-question survey.
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HRSA’s National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program Application Opens
The application closes Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern)
Eligible clinicians providing primary medical, dental, or behavioral health care services or evidence-based SUD treatment can qualify for loan repayment up to $50,000 for the NHSC LRP, up to $75,000 for the NHSC SUD Workforce LRP, and up to $100,000 for the Rural Community LRP.
Click here
to learn more about eligible disciplines, site types, and service commitment.
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Now Open! 2020 Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
(From HRSA)
-- The
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
supports registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and nurse faculty by paying up to 85% of their unpaid nursing education debt. In exchange, participants serve for at least two years at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses, or an eligible school of nursing in the case of nurse faculty. Before you apply, learn about application details including eligibility and service requirements in the
2020 Application and Program Guidance
.
Applications will be accepted through Thursday, March 12.
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Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
Applications are due by Friday, April 24, in
Grants.gov
.
Successful
RCORP-Implementation
award recipients will receive $1 million for a three-year period of performance to enhance and expand substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD) and service delivery in high-risk rural communities. They will implement a set of core SUD/OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery activities that align with HHS's
Five-Point Strategy to Combat the Opioid Crisis
.
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PARTNER-SPONSORED EDUCATION & TRAINING
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West Tennessee Diabetes Awareness and Prevention Peer-to-Peer Conference, March 24-26
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare's diabetes and community outreach departments, in collaboration with Church Health, Shelby County Local Health Department, QSource, and Blue Care of Tennessee, will host the inaugural Peer-to-Peer Conference of the West Tennessee Diabetes Coalition March 24-26. Professionals can attend this free, interactive three-day conference that promotes diabetes awareness and preventive medicine, including both classroom and hands on skill building opportunities.
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