December 2023

As we wrap up 2023, we are thankful for dedicated Network members, collaborative partners, engaged community leaders, and passionate staff that have made it possible for all of LORHN's successes this past year.

In 2023, LORHN distributed thousands of education materials to rural residents on a various of topics including opioids and substance use, COVID prevention and vaccines, and health insurance enrollment. LORHN Community Health Advocates (CHAs) have identified and worked one-on-one with hundreds of rural residents to link them with health care and human services, like financial assistance programs to assist with home energy bills, medication costs, access to medical equipment, and more.

This has been a year of continued growth and development for me as a professional. As a Rural Health Fellow, through the National Rural Health Association (NRHAI had the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and bolster my understanding of various ways to effectively advocate for our rural communities. I also met and developed connections with amazing professionals entrenched in serving rural populations in different communities across the country. As a part of the experience, we worked in small groups to explore a pertinent policy issue. We chose to delve into the relatively lower vaccination rates in rural communities. Ultimately, we developed several policy recommendations that were presented to and adopted by the policy-making body of NRHA (The Rural Health Congress). 

Our staff has also continued investing time and effort into professional development. They completed trainings to earn various certifications and even prepared to teach and train others. Our Program Director completed Florida Health Equity Train-the-Trainer for Providers and LORHN’s Community Health Advocates are now trained Leaders to facilitate both Chronic Disease Self-Management and Diabetes Self-Management Program workshops.

As we move into 2024, LORHN remains committed to our pillars of focus: infrastructure, community outreach, access to care, education, technology, and emerging needs/critical health focus area(s). We will continue exploring opportunities to expand our work throughout the service area to support growing and emerging needs – please let us know how we can help support your organization and community. 

Wishing you a wonderful, safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Andrea Stephenson Royster

CEO, Lake Okeechobee Rural Health Network

LORHN is delighted to share the exciting news and recent recognition Hendry Regional Medical Center has earned from The Joint Commission. The mission of The Joint Commission is to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. In addition to earning these prestigious recognitions, Hendry Regional Medical Center has been a collaborative partner of LORHN since it's founding in 1994 and helped share information, link patients to care, and connect with numerous partner agencies.

Congratulations to HRMC, it's dedicated leadership and staff for their dedication and excellence!

All of LORHN's program staff are Certified Application Counselors with the Marketplace. We are available via in-person, telephone, or virtual settings to provide information and resources, discuss and compare options, navigate the enrollment/application process, and help rural residents coordinate health care services once enrolled.

Don't wait to enroll - without health insurance you are more likely to:

• Delay seeking care
• Get care that does not fit your specific needs
• Get a late diagnosis of disease
• Get less care than needed
• Pay higher amounts for care and even incur medical debt

The deadline to apply for 2024 is January 17, 2024.

**After this date, you must have a qualifying event to enroll in health coverage.**

Help is available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.

Download and share our flyer with your friends and family!

Over the summer of 2023, LORHN's Community Health Advocates completed Leader Training and are ready, and excited, to facilitate these workshops with rural residents throughout our service area. These workshops are coordinated by the Self-Management Resource Center and are evidence-based programs. Each one is six weeks long with participants meeting for two-and-a half hours each week to discuss healthy eating, exercise, emotions, individual action plans and so much more. Feedback from previous residents include:

• "I understand and pay more attention to food labels now."
• "I started exercising for the first time in a long time and feel comfortable doing so."
• "This is information I will use for the rest of my life and have shared with my adult children and grandchildren" (meal planning and portion control)
• "After 25 years of being on insulin, I was able to stop taking it using what I learned."

If your organization wants to host a workshop, contact us today to schedule!

If you want to join the workshop as a participant, contact us to join the waiting list!

NCTRC Webinar Series

What Will 2024 Bring for Telehealth Policy?

January 18, 2024

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST

Virtual

U.S. Pending Telehealth Legislation & Regulation

Florida Pending Legislation & Regulation

Thank you Belle Glade Pharmacy and staff for hosting and promoting the event, to the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County's vaccine team for joining us to deliver the M-pox vaccine for rural residents, and to Health Council of Southeast Florida (HCSEF) for providing HIV testing, condoms, education, and resources!

Although the public health emergency ended earlier this year, there continue to be cases throughout Florida and the nation, thankfully at much lower rates. Vulnerable populations remain at high-risk of contracting COVID. Individuals that do not have health insurance may lack access to COVID testing and treatment. Below are resources to receive free home tests for COVID (updated to identify newer variants) and telehealth treatment options.

COVID Home Tests Available

Every home in the U.S. is again eligible to receive four (4) free at-home tests ordered at www.covid.gov. Delivery is free through the U.S. Postal Service. 

COVID Home Test to Treat

Adults who do not currently have COVID-19 or flu may enroll and receive free tests if they are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Affairs health care system, or the Indian Health Services. Individuals who are currently positive for COVID-19 can enroll to receive telehealth services for COVID-19 and treatment (if prescribed) at no cost. 

National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network

A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients. Teams of critical care clinicians - critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts – are available to deliver virtual care through telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device

Evolving overdose crisis shakes previously effective treatments



Health News Florida

November 22, 2023

The prevalence of synthetic drugs, e.g., fentanyl, xylazine, and other stimulants, is undercutting a previously effective and widely embraced treatment tactic. Now, the model pioneered in Vermont a decade ago and adopted nationwide is being forced to evolve. “You can’t inject a horse tranquilizer and think nothing bad is gonna happen” to you, said Ty Sears, 33, a longtime drug user now in recovery. Sears was referring to xylazine, a sedative used for animal surgeries that has infiltrated the illicit drug supply across the country, contributing to a steady climb in overdose deaths.

President Passidomo, Senators Burton and Harrell Announce “Live Healthy” Proposal to Grow Florida’s Health Care Workforce

Legislation Reduces Regulatory Hurdles and Makes Key Investments to Increase Access and Incentivize Innovation - December 7, 2023

Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) joined Senator Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health Policy and Senator Gayle Harrell (R-Stuart), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, to announce the Senate’s Live Healthy proposal. The Live Healthy package of legislation for the 2024 Legislative Session is designed to grow Florida’s health care workforce, increase access, and incentivize innovation. “Access to health care is important at every phase of life. Insurance does not guarantee access, as even Floridians with great insurance face barriers to care. Live Healthy is a robust package of policy enhancements and strategic investments that will help make sure Florida’s health care workforce is growing at the same pace as the rest of our great state,” said President Passidomo.

Feds award first maternal health grant to a predominantly Black rural area

Health News Florida

October 2, 2023

Mississippi has the highest rate of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in the U.S. Now, it also has a federal grant to help in rural areas. The award could signal more flexibility from federal officials. A federal program to combat the alarming rates of rural women dying from pregnancy complications has marked a first: It’s supporting an organization that serves predominantly Black counties in the Deep South.

Updates to Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing: Waiver Elimination (MAT Act)

As announced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in January 2023, clinicians no longer need a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder. Clinicians are still required to register with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications. On June 27, the DEA began to require that registration applicants – both new and renewing – affirm they have completed a new, one time, eight-hour training. 

Exceptions for the new training requirement are practitioners who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, and those who graduated from a medical, dental, physician assistant, or advanced practice nursing school in the U.S. within five years of June 27, 2023. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained between January 1, 2019 and December 29, 2022 (when Congress eliminated the waiver requirement). Approximately $889,000 in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. 

Send questions to DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov.

Sign up for LORHN's bi-weekly distribution of the GrantStation Insider Content e-newsletter or view LORHN's GrantStation Insider Content e-newsletter archive page for previous funding opportunities.

Funding for Individual & Family Assistance

Glades Electric Charitable Trust, Inc. (Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee)

Almost 70 percent of Glades Electric Cooperative members participate in Operation Round-Up, which helps people in GEC's service area who have exhausted normal avenues of financial assistance. The fund is for deserving individuals and organizations. If you know of people who need and deserve assistance and live within the Glades Electric service area (Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee counties), encourage or help them to complete an application. 

The Agricultural and Labor Program, Inc. (ALPI) (Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Martin, Polk and St. Lucie)

All applicants applying for services must have a total household income of no more than 150% Federal Poverty guidelines; be responsible for paying their home heating or cooling bills; and be a U.S. citizen, qualified alien, or permanent resident of the U.S. Programs are available for individuals, children, and families.

Palm Beach County Community Services Department

Eligible Palm Beach Country residents can apply for financial and other support services, including rental and relocation assistance, utility assistance, home repair programs, homeless services, indigent cremation program, senior services, veteran services, and Ryan White services.

Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to help low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices. Only one monthly service discount and one device discount is allowed per household. To receive the connected device discount, consumers need to enroll in the ACP with a participating provider that offers connected devices (Note: not all internet companies offer device discounts.) The internet company will provide a discount to the consumer.

State & National Grants

SAMHSA Rural EMS

The purpose of this program is to recruit and train EMS personnel in rural areas with a particular focus on addressing substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders (COD) substance use and mental disorders. Deadline: March 20, 2024

HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program

HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce provides grants to educate and train the primary care and geriatrics workforces for age-friendly and dementia-friendly care and to maximize patient and family engagement. Proposals that benefit older adults in rural, tribal, or other underserved communities/populations are a priority. Deadline: February 26, 2024

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loan Fund Program

Community development loans to local governments, public service authorities, user associations, nonprofit organizations, and other community entities for the development and/or construction of large-scale community projects. Deadline: ongoing basis

Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees

USDA Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees provide financing for telephone and broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Funds may be used to finance broadband-capable telecommunications services, including improvements, expansions, construction, acquisitions, and refinancing. Applications accepted year-round

www.grants.gov

Learn about Federal Grant forecasted, posted, and archived grants available via various Federal Government Programs. Grants Learning Center provides information about eligibility, writing, reporting, policies, systems, and more.

Knowing where to start looking for help for yourself, a friend, family member, or client can be overwhelming. LORHN has developed a community resource guide for each community of our service area. Every guide includes phone numbers for various county services as well as local medical services, senior services, medical and social support services, food, housing and utilities, pregnancy and childcare, mental health services, and employment services.

Click each geographic area below to download the community guide, please share them.

Notice something missing? Let us know!