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WVPCA Weekly Outlook
A Newsletter on Community Centered Healthcare
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WVPCA News - Emergency Management News
State News - National News - Outreach & Enrollment
Funding and Financial Opportunities - Training Opportunities
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West Virginia unemployment falls to 4.8% in August
Read the entire article from WVNews here.
West Virginia COVID czar: 'Appropriate groups of people' should receive vaccine booster
Read the entire article from WVNews here.
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White House Vaccinations Coordinator
Visits to Discuss Pandemic Response
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The West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) hosted White House Vaccinations Coordinator, Dr. Bechara Choucair, and health center leaders at its office in Charleston Thursday, for a discussion about the coronavirus pandemic response. Dr. Choucair is visiting states where the rate of coronavirus spread is the highest nationally coupled with low vaccination rates to help inform solutions.
“We greatly appreciate Dr. Choucair visiting and dialoging with our health centers about their key role in pandemic response,” Sherri Ferrell, CEO of the WVPCA, said. “This is the first time in my 17-year career with the WVPCA that the White House has reached out to hear suggestions and concerns of health centers directly.”
Health centers shared thoughts and stories with Dr. Choucair concerning their role of being in the forefront of pandemic response. Topics discussed included strategies for addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, vaccine supply needs, providing monoclonal antibodies to reduce stress off of our hospital systems, workforce challenges, and vaccination mandates recently announced by the Biden administration.
Dr. Choucair started his role with the Biden administration in January 2021. Previously, among other major health leadership positions, he served as the executive director and medical director of Heartland Health Centers in Chicago, Illinois.
All Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols and best practices were followed at the meeting, such as mask wearing and social distancing. Virtual participation was also offered to health center leaders.
The WVPCA is appreciative of the opportunity and thanks Dr. Choucair for his leadership during this historic time.
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Shared Decision-Making Contraception Counseling and Support Training |
The West Virginia Primary Care Association has partnered with the WV Perinatal Partnership and WV FREE to bring a contraception shared decision-making training to health centers.
• Learn to provide shared decision-making counseling for contraception.
• Trainings are appropriate for clinical and non-clinical staff, as using the same reassuring and non-judgmental language is imperative to build rapport and allow the free flow of information.
• Health centers will receive additional free resource materials for use with your patients.
• Participants will learn how to reduce barriers to the full spectrum of contraceptive options.
• Free CEUs for nurses and social workers.
• The training will be offered live via Zoom on October 27
This training is only available to health centers serving the counties of Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam.
Below you will find the links to the registration, sign-in and pre-survey that are required for CEUs.
Registration link:
Funding for this opportunity is provided by the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.
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Health Centers Vaccine Mandates |
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has created a document to assist health centers with legal considerations regarding imposing employee vaccine mandates from an operational and policy perspective. This FAQ will be a living document that will be updated as the COVID-19 vaccination landscape evolves.
Please note: This document summarizes current legal parameters and general employment regulations when considering an employee vaccine mandate. This is not a document providing legal coverage or formal opinion and is instead intended to concisely inform the reader on key considerations and applicable guidance. Health centers should consult with local counsel to ensure compliance with state and local public health and employment requirements.
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Healthcare Providers Can Soon Apply For Additional COVID-19 Relief Funding |
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced that West Virginia’s healthcare providers can soon apply for $25.5 billion in new funding from the Provider Relief Fund, including $8.5 billion specifically for rural providers that Senator Manchin fought to include in the American Rescue Plan. This funding is distributed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and will support healthcare providers that were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers can submit their applications through an online portal beginning on September 29, 2021.
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West Virginia Leads Nation in COVID-19 Acceleration, Straining Hospitals |
West Virginia is blowing past the rest of the nation for how quickly the number of COVID-19 cases are accelerating, and hospitals are feeling the strain.
“Cases in West Virginia are speeding up faster than they ever have, and they’re speeding up faster than anywhere else in the country,” said Emory Parker, the data project manager at STAT, a national media company that investigates and reports on health, medicine and life sciences.
Parker examined how quickly COVID-19 cases are rising in each state, differentiated from overall caseload. This focused on how fast COVID-19 is spreading.
Right now, West Virginia leads the nation in that acceleration of new cases with 2.69 cases per 100,000 people per week per day.
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Lung Cancer Screening Leadership Forum |
Join colleagues in Ohio and West Virginia for a virtual learning session focusing on Lung Cancer Disease Burden, Prevention and Early Detection, COVID-19 screening challenges and solutions. The American Cancer Society will be hosting this Lung Cancer Forum on November 4, 2021 starting at 9AM ET. CE credits are available.
This program is presented in collaboration by the American Cancer Society, with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Summa Health and supported by the Ohio Partners for Cancer Control and Mountains of Hope.
Thursday, November 4, 2021 | 9:00AM ET
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Applications Open!
2022 Be Active WV Grant Program
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The Center for ActiveWV, at WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, through a partnership with WV Health Promotion and Chronic Disease, is funding projects statewide to increase physical activity. These one-time grants range from $1000-$5000.
Successful grant applications will propose a plan to improve the health of communities in West Virginia through increased opportunities for physical activity in the following areas:
- Increase physical activity opportunities for children throughout the school day and beyond
- Increase and/or improve pedestrian and bike infrastructure within West Virginia
- Implement programming and/or create opportunities for physical activity through clinical practice and community outreach.
Projects should include changes or improvements to policies, systems, or environments, address health equity, and have a plan for sustainability. Additionally, assuming that there will be continued restrictions and impacts due to COVID-19, projects must be feasible and include a plan to successfully complete the project with current restrictions and plans for possible shutdowns.
Upon completing this pre-application survey, the Project Coordinator will contact you to discuss your project and grant guidelines. A link for the full application will be provided after the initial conversation. The full application will be available on August 16, 2021 and closes on October 1, 2021, at 11:59 pm.
Please consider applying yourself or sharing this email with a friend or colleague. For more information contact the Project Coordinator, Rachel Byrne, at rbyrne2@mail.wvu.edu.
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National Recovery Month 2021 |
National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.
Did you know that about 4.2 million people in the U.S. over the age of 12 received some kind of substance use treatment within the past year (2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health)? In addition, the survey estimates that 21 million people in the same age range needed substance treatment in the past year. Considering these stats, you probably know someone fighting addiction.
National Recovery Month – now in its 32nd year – recognizes the millions of Americans in treatment for substance use, as well as recovery service providers. It also encourages those struggling with substance use to seek professional help.
The theme for 2021's Recovery Month is Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person. Every Family. Every Community.
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FQHC Telehealth Best Practices
Project ECHO Mini Series Sep-Oct 2021
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We are pleased to share with you the upcoming Project ECHO Mini-Series: “FQHC Telehealth Best Practices: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic,” hosted by the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC). This four-part series runs September 28 - October 19, 2021. Check out this flyer for sessions descriptions. You won’t want to miss it! Spread the word!
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NHSC Loan Repayment Program Open for Applications: Physician Assistants Now Eligible |
The 2022 National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service (S2S) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) application cycle is now open. This year, individuals can apply if they are a physician assistant (PA) student in the final year of school. Additionally, individuals can apply for awards of up to $120,000 if they are a final year student studying to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Medical doctor (MD/DO) or Dentist (DDS/DMD). In exchange, an individual must commit to three years of providing primary care services at NHSC-approved sites in high-need underserved areas. The application deadline is Thursday, November 4, 7:30 pm.
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2021 National Training and Technical
Assistance Needs Assessment Available Now
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The 2021 Health Center Training & Technical Assistance Needs Assessment portal is now open, and your feedback is being requested. Please see the below information as provided by National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).
About the National Needs Assessment: The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (HRSA/BPHC) has requested a national health center training needs assessment. This one-time assessment will inform the development of training and technical assistance (T/TA) necessary to support health centers improve access to primary health care as well as to advance quality and impact over the next two-three years.
All health center staff are invited to take the 20-minute assessment using the link here.
Objectives: This Needs Assessment will:
- Minimize response burden by reducing the number of needs assessments deployed to health centers.
- Improve ease in response through a streamlined questionnaire.
- Identify priority training topics for BPHC, NTTAP, PCA and HCCN attention.
Who: All health center staff! Your input will influence future T/TA offered by BPHC’s training entities, like PCAs, HCCNs and NTTAPs.
How: The assessment will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. Access the assessment via an easy on-line portal on the NACHC website. If you’re experiencing technical difficulties accessing the hyperlink above, please use the link below to access the assessment:
https://www.nachc.org/trainings-and-conferences/health-center-needs-assessment/
Timeframe: August 12 – October 1, 2021.
Your health center’s response is critical! Thank you for your participation!
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Funding and Financial Opportunities |
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Healthy Communities Grant Applications |
The Pallottine Foundation of Huntington is pleased to announce its Healthy Communities Initiative is now accepting applications. This initiative is open to nonprofits providing health-related services in the Foundation’s 20-county, tri-state region. These counties are:
- Kentucky (Boyd, Carter, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, and Pike)
- Ohio (Gallia, Lawrence, and Scioto)
- West Virginia (Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, western Putnam, and Wayne)
The Healthy Communities Initiative supports projects that address any of the two
following focus areas:
- Health and wellness projects directed at an organization’s clients or communities served
- Capacity building projects that enhance the effectiveness of an organization’s internal operations
The Board of Trustees and staff of the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington appreciate the services your organization provides to our community and look forward to partnering with you in your work to improve health in our region.
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Resources for Provider Relief Fund Reporting
Need to be Submitted by September 30
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Upcoming Training Opportunities |
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Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates
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Join Jim to hear about BPHC REACH, funding, progress reporting and more.
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021
3:00 PM ET
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Texting Strategies for COVID-19: Vaccine, Outstanding Gaps in Care, and SDOH |
This is a joint webinar co-hosted CareMessage co-founder and CEO Vineet Singal and NACHC medical director Julia Skapik. They will share an overview of recommendations for outreach to patients around COVID-19, gaps in care management, and social determinants of health.
Based upon more than 60M data points from more than 250 community health centers nationally, the CareMessage team and our partner health centers will share an overview of recommendations around outreach to patients around the COVID-19 related use cases, including the COVID-19 vaccine/Delta variant, Million Hearts, cancer screenings, gaps in care and social determinants of health.
Attendees will receive tailored messaging content, best practices to help organizations implement outreach quickly and easily, and free, limited access to CareMessage's un-integrated COVID-19 texting platform (CMLight).
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
1:00 PM ET
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Using the UDS Mapper to Explore Measure of Social Need |
This webinar will review the most widely used multidimensional measures of social need, including the Social Deprivation Index (SDI), the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), and the Access Deprivation Index (ADI).
The webinar is geared toward users who are familiar with the UDS Mapper. The UDS Mapper is a collaboration between the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and is part of the HealthLandscape online mapping platform.
The webinar is open to the public and free of charge.
Monday, September 20, 2021
12:00 PM ET
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Addressing Tobacco Dependency to Reduce COVID-19 Risks and Complications Webinar Series |
Smoking is a major risk factor for most respiratory related infections. Studies show that current smokers have been more likely to access various forms of smoking cessation assistance during the coronavirus pandemic.
This offers an opportunity to offer smoking cessation services, referrals, and in-house psychological and pharmacological interventions. These two webinars will provide examples of cessation plans and resources that can be shared with patients trying to stop smoking.
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
1:00 PM ET
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Community Health Center Resources |
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Jackson Kelly attorneys provide limited consultation to all members of the WVPCA at no charge, as part of the WVPCA contract. There is no limit to the number of calls which any member may make. All inquiries within the scope of professional competence of firm attorneys will be addressed. Inquiries which require expertise not available through the firm will be promptly identified and, when requested, Jackson Kelly will assist in referring the matter to accounting firms, insurance agents, or others as circumstances warrant.
All inquiries, responses and consultation services provided by the firm lawyers will be provided without additional charge beyond the retainer amount, except for matters which require formal opinions, representation of record in litigation, transactional work, e.g. the purchase or sale of real property, or matters which require continued representation, research or consultation beyond a single inquiry or document review.
Justin M. Harrison is a labor & employment lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC. He is available for consultation through a special retainer relationship with the WVPCA. Justin can be reached at 304.340.1358 and via email at justin.harrison@jacksonkelly.com.
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Risk Management Manual for Health Centers Now Available! |
The Risk Management Manual for Health Centers is now available on the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website! Designed to support a proactive approach to risk management at health centers and free clinics, the Manual provides background, tips, and how-tos in a manageable format.
Specific areas that are covered include:
Risk Management Programs & Plans
Claims and Lawsuits
Role of the Risk Manager
Patient Grievances and Complaints
Communication with Patients
Credentialing and Privileging
Communication among Providers, Staff, and Community Partners
Tracking Systems for Diagnostic Tests, Referrals, and Hospitalizations
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Debra Boyd | Chief Financial/Chief Operations Officer
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To sign up to receive the WVPCA Weekly Newsletter: |
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1700 MacCorkle Avenue, SE
Charleston, WV 25314
Phone: 304.346.0032
Toll Free: 1.877.WVA HLTH
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This project is/was supported partially/fully by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U58CS06834 State and Regional Primary Care Associations. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. |
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