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By Hope Ladner, MAFP Lobbyist
Senate Bill 2820, which Gov. Reeves signed into law recently, creates the Mississippi Local Provider Innovation Grant Program, which will go into effect July 1, 2022. Funded by the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, Mississippi doctors can request a maximum of $250,000 in grant funds.
The regulations for the Local Provider Innovation Grant Program have now been posted: 00026324b.pdf (ms.gov)
The application has not been posted by Mississippi State Department of Health; however, we anticipate it will quickly be posted once the above regulations are official (probably early June).
The posted regulations do say that the deadline for the first round of applications must be received by the Department electronically on or before 5:00 p.m., August 31, 2022.
The posted regulations also say the following information will be required in the application:
- A description of the location(s) for which the grant monies will be expended;
- A statement of the amount of grant monies requested;
- A description of the needs of the Provider, the transitional assistance for which the grant monies will be expended and how such transitional assistance will meet the stated needs;
- Evidence that the Provider has played an active role in the community to combat the spread of COVID-19 (e.g., testing, vaccination, antibody treatment).
Keep in mind “transitional assistance” is defined as:
“Transitional assistance” means any assistance related to changing a Provider’s current health care delivery model to a model more appropriate for the community that the Provider serves, including, but not limited to:
A. Conducting a market study of health care services needed and provided in the community;
B. Acquiring and implementing new technological tools and infrastructure, including, but not limited to, telemedicine delivery methods, development of health information exchanges platforms to electronically share medical records, electronic health record optimization, purchasing connected devices, upgrading digital devices, improving broadband connectivity, public health reporting, and implementing online or mobile patient appointment management applications; and
C. Supporting the implementation of population health management.
We will keep you posted on any new developments.
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