CHCs Tell Congress: Reauthorize Our Funding NOW!
Community Health Centers from New York joined CHCANYS and health center leaders from across the country September 10 in Washington, DC to urge Congress to reauthorized health center funding before the end of September. Health centers advocated specifically for five years of increased funding levels for the Community Health Center Fund, National Health Service Corps and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program. The funding for these programs expires on September 30.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in DC and who called in from home! New York’s congressional representatives were overwhelmingly supportive of a long-term extension for community health centers. Check out CHCANYS’ video from the day by clicking here .

NYS DOH Releases DSRIP Waiver for Public Comment
On September 17 th , the Department of Health (DOH) released its proposal to extend New York’s Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) waiver, seeking an additional $8 billion in federal funding spanning from April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2024. The proposal is open for public comment, and comments are due by November 4, 2019. DOH will submit the formal waiver request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the end of November. CHCANYS staff are reviewing the draft waiver amendment and will share additional details in the coming days. 
See You Sunday!
Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets for our annual Jeffrey T. Latman Family Day at the Races this Sunday at Belmont Park Race Track. This year marks the 22nd Anniversary of the event, which supports the Latman Scholarship Program, allowing CHCANYS to honor Jeff Latman’s enduring legacy of advocacy on behalf of Community Health Centers. It also benefits CHCANYS' mission to champion community-centered primary care in New York State through leadership, advocacy, and support of Community Health Centers. For more information, click here .
CHCANYS19 Register Now!
Date: October 28-30, 2019
Location: Tarrytown, NY
Register today for CHCANYS Annual Conference and Clinical Forum! CHCANYS19   will provide FQHC leadership, staff, and partners with an o pportunity to learn from industry experts and one-another about current issues and initiatives impacting New Yo rk’s community he alth centers – and to learn about our onsite sponsors and exhibitors.  
Click here to register . Email us at  conference@chcanys.org  with any questions.

  • CHCANYS Emergency Management Virtual Meet-Up at Annual Conference
CHCANYS Emergency Management (EM) team have set aside some dedicated time to answer questions, talk through relevant announcements, have an open conversation and provide a forum for exchanging ideas on the topic of Emergency Management. Join CHCANYS EM team in the ongoing conversation!
 
Our next “meet up” will take place during CHCANYS 2019 Annual Conference on October 29, 2019 from 7:30 am to 8:45 am . If you are attending the conference, we will see you in person, if not – you can attend virtually. If you haven’t yet registered, please do so here.
 
For additional information or with any questions, please contact us at emteam@chcanys.org .

  • Join us for the 2019 Integrated Care Summit
CHCANYS and the NYS Council for Community Behavioral Health will be hosting an Integrated Care Summit on the last day of the CHCANYS conference: Wednesday, October 30, 1 pm – 5 pm in the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY. The Summit, sponsored by the Delta Center for a Thriving Safety Net and RCHN Community Health Foundation will bring together community health centers and behavioral health providers to discuss models of integration – clinical considerations and contracting models. This event is free to attend, but advanced registration is required. If you plan to attend the CHCANYS 2019 Annual Conference, you must register for each event separately. Click here for more information and to register
Capital District Regional Meeting on Integrated Care TODAY!
Health Centers and Behavioral Health Organizations from the Capital District, Hudson Valley, and North Country will convene today with representatives from DOH, OMH, and OASAS to discuss challenges and bright spots around providing integrated health care. The meeting will be held at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in the Rite Aid Lounge from 1 pm – 4 pm. Parking is free but only available to individuals who arrive between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm, so participants are strongly encouraged to arrive on time. This meeting is free to attend and is part of a series of meetings supported by the Delta Center for a Thriving Safety Net and RCHN Community Health Foundation.

Funding opportunity: Eliminating Hepatitis C by Improving Access to Hepatitis C Care and Treatment
 The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (NYSDOH AI) Division of HIV and Hepatitis Health Care, Bureau of Hepatitis Health Care, and Health Research, Inc. (HRI) announce the availability of $4,500,000 annually in New York State (NYS) and federal funding for five (5) years to increase the number of people who are treated and cured for hepatitis C (HCV). As part of New York State’s (NYS) plan to eliminate HCV, this will be accomplished by creating a primary care-based integrated multidisciplinary model of care to serve all populations in an equitable manner, especially those currently under-served and socially disadvantaged. Funded applicants will conduct targeted outreach, linkage and care coordination to assist people with HCV and HIV/HCV in accessing timely HCV medical care and appropriate supportive services in a primary care setting.

For more information click here .
 
Public Charge Litigation Team Seeking Individual Plaintiffs
The public charge litigation team is looking to identify possible individual plaintiffs (not nonprofits) to add to their case against the final rule. They are looking for anybody who may be harmed by the rule, whether directly in their application for immigration relief or indirectly through the chilling effects. A description of the individual plaintiff they are looking for can be found here . If you or any one you know fits the description, please contact Mayra Joachin,  Joachin@nilc.org,  or David Kane,  dkane@wclp.org .
 
Payment Year (PY) 2018 Meaningful Use Attestation Deadline
September 30, 2019 is the last day to attest for payment year 2018 Meaningful Use!   Login to  Meipass  to begin your attestation. The deadline to submit an Attestation Deadline Extension (ADE) Request for PY 2018 is  October 16, 2019.  EPs may use this form to request a deadline extension by providing evidence that extenuating circumstances, beyond the provider's control, prevented the provider from attesting in MEIPASS by the deadline. NYS DOH will review all ADE requests and IF granted, EPs will have until  October 31, 2019  to attest in MEIPASS for PY2018. The ADE Request Form can be found  here  on the NY Medicaid EHR Incentive Program website and must be submitted by  October 16, 2019  to  attestation@health.ny.gov .
 
New HPSA Scores Finalized
On August 30, 2019, HRSA finalized the national Auto-HPSA update. Updated scores are available on the HRSA Data Warehouse  here . According to HRSA, Auto-HPSA Points of Contact (POCs) have received an email letting them know that the online Auto-HPSA portal is available for their use. Organizations can submit rescore requests at any time. The deadline to guarantee that their rescore requests are processed before the 2020 National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) application cycle is November 1, 2019. Please see this  HRSA FAQ  on the National Update of Auto-HPSAs and the online portal.
CHCANYS to Host New York State UDS Training Sessions
Registration Now Includes Two (2) Webinars with John Snow Inc.
Register today for the UDS Training in  Rochester or New York City!  These one-day UDS training sessions are directed at fiscal staff, including new fiscal directors; clinical staff responsible for clinical measure reporting (e.g. QI Directors, Clinical Site Directors and Medical Directors); and senior staff of new FQHCs. Those interested in attending may select either the Rochester or NYC session.
 
NEW THIS YEAR—Additional Training Support : As part of your registration for the UDS in-person training, CHCANYS, in partnership with John Snow Inc. (JSI), is offering two (2) webinars that will “book-end” the in-person trainings. The first webinar, held on  September 18, 2019, provides an overview of the changes between 2018 and 2019 UDS reporting and will be available to those who register via recording. The second webinar on  January 8, 2020  will address key NYS health center questions and challenges; we hope to provide answers to all the questions health center staff may have before and/or after the in-person sessions.

Click here for more information.
Register Today! CHCANYS Compliance & Risk Management Academy with FTLF
For our latest initiative in partnership with Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP (FTLF), CHCANYS will launch the Compliance & Risk Management Academy, a series of four training events (two in-person meetings & two virtual meetings/webinars) with the initial session taking place after the conclusion of the third day of our annual conference  CHCANYS19 . See the scheduled dates and locations below. 

  • The Health Center Landscape: Models for Compliance & Risk Management Programs
  • October 30, 2019 (1:00 PM -5:00 PM; Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown NY)
  • Focus on Fraud: Prevention, Detection, and Response
  • January 29, 2020 (1:00 PM-2:30 PM; Zoom Virtual meeting)
  • Internal Investigations 101: Planning, Conducting and Concluding Internal Investigations
  • March 12, 2020 (1:00 PM - 5:00 PM; Hispanic Federation, NYC)
  • Beyond HIPAA: Ensuring Patient Privacy and Confidentiality
  • June 23, 2020 (1:00 PM-2:30 PM; Zoom Virtual Meeting) 
 
The target audience for the academy is health center leadership and compliance officers, as well as risk management and quality improvement staff.  Please note individual registration is required for the series sessions and space is extremely limited for the in-person events .
 
 
If you have questions or need assistance with registration, please contact  questions@chcanys.org .    
Attn: Finance Directors – Cost Savings Webinars & Opportunities
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 finance services, credentialing and compliance services, 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 . Learn more about the upcoming CPG webinar on  Cash Flow Maximization September 25. 
 
CHCANYS 340B Webinars with Hudson Headwaters 340B Available On-Demand  
Join CHCANYS and  Hudson Headwaters 340B  for two webinars on navigating 340B Program Compliance. The first webinar  Staying Afloat: 340B Program Fundamentals  is available  here  and an intermediate level webinar,  Diving In: 340B Program Complexities  is available  here. There is no cost to view the webinars but registration is required. 
 
HANYS Hosts Opioid Summit
The Healthcare Association of New York State is hosting an opioid summit September 24-25 at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs. The free summit is designed for healthcare professionals delivering opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services across the continuum of care.
 
This education and networking event will explore innovative OUD programs and evidence-based strategies, offering resources, tools and best practices. Click here for more information.
 
Rockefeller Institute Hosts Opioid Forum
SUNY Empire State College and the Rockefeller Institute of Government are hosting a forum to focus on evidence-based solutions to effectively address the opioid crisis. The forum will be held Thursday, September 26, from 3-5 p.m., at SUNY Empire’s Student Center, 111 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs. Click here for more information.
 
Register for the NYS Cholesterol Management Forum
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: New York Academy of Medicine – 1216 5 th Ave., New York, NY
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS), with support from ProVention Health Foundation, invite you to join key partners – including health systems, payers, pharmacists, and more – as we seek to better understand the cholesterol management landscape, share recent successes and challenges, and begin to build a framework for action.

REGISTER HERE . If you would like more information, please contact Tiana Wyrick at  tiana.wyrick@health.ny.gov

CHCANYS Telehealth Task Force
A reminder that the CHCANYS Telehealth Task Force now convenes CHCANYS members with an interest in telehealth opportunities and challenges on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 12 pm. It is not necessary to have a telehealth program in place to join. Please email Cole Unger at  cunger@chcanys.org  to register for the September 25 Task Force meeting or with any questions.
 
PCMH Office Hours are back!
Date: Thursday, September 26 th  from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Join us for our yearly series of PCMH Office Hours with Karen Vest-Taubert, PCMH CCE at Comagine Health, and your health center colleagues to discuss annual reporting readiness, and explore other important topics that will be discussed during the course of the year. Come prepared with your questions, concerns, and challenges, and share your own tips and strategies with your colleagues during this interactive and engaging call. This call is free to attend, but advanced registration is required.  Click here  to get started. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the NYS-HCCN at  hccn@CHCANYS.org .
 
Conference on Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Care for Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Cerebral Palsy Associations of NYS Medical Directors’ Council presents the 2 nd  annual conference titled Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Care for Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). The conference will be held in Saratoga Springs on November 15, 2019. The program has been designed to meet the interest of those who provide services to people with I/DD or are interested in doing so. This includes physicians, dentists, clinicians, therapists, nurses and administrators. Click here  for details on the conference and how to register.
 
Apply for the Transgender Health ECHO Program
The National LGBT Health Education Center is accepting applications for the  November 2019-October 2020 Transgender Health ECHO program . Applications are due on October 2, 2019. TransECHO creates a network of health centers and faculty expertise to increase clinician access to knowledge and support needed to provide culturally responsible, comprehensive, primary care for transgender and gender non-binary patients. The TransECHO clinic has serviced over 150 health centers all who have come together to share cases, receive advice and learn from expert faculty. Sessions will occur the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 2pm-4pm ET starting November 13, 2019. Attendance at all 12 sessions is required. Please note that this is only available to FQHCs that have not previously participated in our TransECHO clinic.  Click here  to apply.