Delta Health Center, Inc. in Mound Bayou was recently awarded a USDA grant for one million dollars to increase telemedicine services throughout its service area in Bolivar, Sunflower, Washington, Sharkey, and Issaquena counties.

Delta Health Center will strengthen its capacity to provide telemedicine services to 1) provide access to the full range of healthcare services for patients across its five-county service area in the Mississippi Delta, with an emphasis on substance use and behavioral health services; 2) increase effective communication and consultation among providers both internally and externally; and 3) provide learning opportunities for medical residency students, engage with faculty in team huddles, and to coordinate and communicate medical residency clinical rotations. 

This telemedicine project will enable providers to provide telemedicine visits to patients throughout the service area from its ten Hub/End User sites located in DHC clinics in Mound Bayou, Cleveland, Greenville, Hollandale, Rolling Fork, Indianola, Moorhead, and Mayersville, Miss., and with its eight end-user sites located at the school-based health clinics in Sunflower County. 

The telemedicine project will allow for greater access to healthcare services, including substance use counseling, to underserved patients residing in the Mississippi Delta's rural communities.

On October 1, 2020 a press release announced that HHS, through HRSA, would be providing an additional $20 billion in PRF funding to assist frontline workers addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers who previously received PRF payments, previously ineligible providers, and an expanded group of behavioral health providers, are invited to apply starting Monday, October 5, 2020 through November 6, 2020. For updates, check here.

The HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care has announced that health center operational site visits (OSV) will continue to be conducted virtually through at least the first quarter of 2021. Health centers due an OSV should discuss OSV plans with their project officer. HRSA has also shared that Federal Tort Claims Act reviews will shift to a virtual pilot in light of the global pandemic and travel restrictions. Selected health centers will be contacted by FTCA staff for a pre-site visit readiness assessment call. Discussions will include virtual site visit expectations, technological capabilities, document reviews, and other requirements. Please contact the association for any needs while preparing, including connecting with members who have already undergone virtual visits.

As CHCs continue to navigate the COVID-19 response, CHCAMS continues to provide the CHCAMS COVID-19 Clearinghouse for information and guidance.If you need a reminder of how to access the Clearinghouse, please email Kathryn Rodenmeyer.

All Mississippi CHCs continue with COVID-19 testing at open clinic locations, and some continue to offer testing at locations in the community with drive-thru events.

Link to flyer.

On October 2, 2020, HHS Secretary Azar renewed his declaration of a public health emergency (PHE) due to the coronavirus pandemic. The renewal is effective October 23, when the previous 90-day renewal would have expired, and extends the PHE through January 21, 2021, almost a year to the day since the Secretary first declared a public health emergency.

If you are interested in receiving BinaxNOW Rapid POC test kits, please contact Janice Sherman. Information about Abbott Laboratories tests will be posted in the COVID-19 CHCAMS Clearinghouse.

340B advocacy continues to be a priority at CHCAMS. Read our most recent advocacy piece that was shared nationally on how the 340B Program has helped Mississippians here.

A Tool Kit that addresses changes in the program is also available.

If you have a story to share or would like access to the tool kit, please contact Kathryn Rodenmeyer.

Senator McConnell called the Senate to a two-week recess as several members have tested positive for COVID-19. House and Senate Leadership have continued talks with the White House about a fourth COVID-19 stimulus package. While the President announced earlier this week that "he’s calling off stimulus negotiations with Democrats ‘until after the election’," other sources report that talks are still ongoing, and a chance remains for a small package to pass this month.

Health centers are asking for that package to include $7.6 Billion for CHCs, including look-alikes, and relief for state and local governments, preventing future budget cuts to Medicaid.

October 14: Our next National Day of Action is Wednesday, October 14, 2020!

To access the survey link, please email Wayne Miley.

To view the schedule, click here.

Register here.

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Register here.

Join the Southeast AETC for the HIV Champions Academy, a clinical conference for providers who see a low-volume of people with HIV. The program will train providers on testing, preventing, and treating uncomplicated HIV. Register here.

Rule: Title 23: Medicaid, Part 225: Telemedicine, Chapter 2: Remote Patient Monitoring Services, Rule 2.3: Covered Services

Summary: This Administrative Code is being emergency filed to provide immediate coverage for Remote Patient Monitoring for all chronic diseases as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as sickle cell in compliance with state law. This is being emergency filed to allow for emergency coverage during the PHE as well as going forward in compliance with state law. Link to the notice is here.

State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0013 Vaccines

State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0013 Vaccines, effective September 1, 2020, is being submitted to allow the Division of Medicaid to:

Rule: Title 23: Medicaid, Part 211: Federally Qualified Health Centers, Chapter 1: General, Rule 1.1 – 1.6

Summary: This Administrative Code is being submitted to correspond with SPA 20-0008 FQHC Services which includes the coverage and reimbursement methodology for FQHC services in a school setting, telehealth, group therapy and mobile units. Link to the notice is here.

The link to the amendment is here.

Grants with ongoing deadlines can be found here .