Safety Net Clinic Week Webinar

Safety Net Clinic Week 2014

ClinicNET hosted our first ever webinar yesterday! We talked about Safety Net Clinic Week, our Toolkit and how ClinicNET affiliates can participate in Safety Net Clinic Week 2014!

If you are a ClinicNET affiliate and you missed the webinar, don't fret. You can listen to it here, or take a look at the slides (it's only 20 minutes)!

Remember, utilize the Toolkit to have the most successful Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 as possible!

Contact the 2014 Safety Net Clinic Week Coordinator, Tom Crowe, if you have any questions at thomas.crowe@clinicnet.org or (720) 863- 7805.

HCPF Updates

“SAVE THE DATE: Colorado Health Foundation 2015 Open Enrollment Kick-Off: The Colorado Health Foundation is hosting a statewide kick-off training event in preparation of the 2015 open enrollment October 14-15 with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Colorado Division of Insurance and Connect for Health Colorado. The event will bring together health coverage guides, assistance sites, brokers and agents, community-based organizations and advocates for training on the technical aspects of enrollment as well as capacity-building for marketing, messaging and outreach. Mark your calendars now to join us for this exciting event to prepare for the 2015 open enrollment. More details will be available in August.

PEAKmobile launched: Clients and applicants can now access PEAKmobile, the mobile version of the PEAK website, from a smart phone or other mobile device with a small screen. Anyone who visits the PEAK website from a mobile device will automatically be viewing the PEAKmobile website. PEAKmobile is equipped with essential tools clients need to effectively manage their benefits. Some functions will work best using the full PEAK website.

For new clients: Selecting a Medicaid health plan and provider online: New Medicaid clients can now go online to select their Medicaid health plan and primary care medical provider through HealthColorado. HealthColorado’s new online form can only be used by first-time Medicaid clients who are not enrolled in a Medicaid health plan yet. This online form can also be used by first-time Medicaid clients who are enrolled in the Accountable Care Collaborative and want to choose their primary care medical provider. All requests made by the 28th of the month will take affect the first of the following month. For more information please see the May 2014 issue of At A Glance.

Important reminder for Clients: If you qualify for Colorado Medicaid or for financial assistance to help purchase private health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado, it is very important you keep your information up to date. Any time you have a change in your income, family size or contact information you should update it immediately. Changes to your information could impact what programs you or your family qualify to receive. Find out how to update your information.” [Source: HCPF]

CCMU 2014 Luncheon

“Improving health in Colorado is the shared responsibility of leaders, policymakers, community members, and businesses. Investing in health is a way to help communities flourish, and its role as a key part of our civic and social infrastructure is absolute. Fixing the health system can’t be achieved by any one organization or even the entirety of the health care sector—it will take a more collaborative, collective approach than ever before.

This year’s annual luncheon will feature Liz Baxter, an experienced leader and advocate for health and health care. She is currently the executive director of the Oregon Public Health Institute and board chair of Cover Oregon. We hope to see you there!

The event will be held September 23, 2014 from 11am-1pm at Space Gallery (400 Santa Fe Drive in Denver). Cost is $50. Click here to register now.” [Source: CCMU]

Follow-up from July 17th SNAC Lab and new resources

“Last week we had our third meeting this year for the Access to Care track of the SNAC Learning Lab. Here is a summary of topics covered at the meeting, including announcements about upcoming work and new resources:

The Dynamics of Demand: Access to Health Care for Immigrants in Colorado: Click here to view the slides presented by the Colorado Health Institute that contain data on the demographics of Colorado’s immigrants and their access to care.  A Food for Thought summary of the learning lab will be posted soon.

Coming Soon: Access to Care Dashboard: This tool is being developed jointly by the Colorado Health Institute and the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved (CCMU) to monitor over time whether Coloradans have access to needed care. The dashboard is split into three areas: coverage, potential access and realized access. Click here to view the draft of the metrics. Please contact Jeff Bontrager (bontragerj@coloradohealthinstitute.org) if you are interested in participating in one or two vetting meetings.

RCCO Approaches to Emergency Department Use: The latest edition of Food for Thought examines how Regional Care Collaborative Organizations (RCCOs) are approaching inappropriate ED use in Colorado’s Medicaid program.

Save the Date for upcoming SNAC Lab Meetings (12-1:30pm): September 18th is the next Track 1 – Accountable Care Collaborative meeting. October 16th is the next Track 2 – Access to Care meeting.” [Source: CHI]

RSVP for the Colorado Medical Home Community Forum – August 12th

“Click here to RSVP for the next Colorado Medical Home Community Forum on August 12, 4:30-6:45pm. The topic is: Positive Youth Development and Youth Engagement Strategies to Increase Access to Health Care for Youth in Colorado. Click here to view the agenda and speaker bios. It will be held at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Building A in DOC Room | 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South | Denver 80246. Contact Barbara Martin barbara.martin@state.co.us for more information.” [Source: CDPHE]

Aurora Student-Run Free Clinic Background Info and Item Requests

“The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Chapter of Primary Care Progress (PCP) is proud to play an integral role in the creation and implementation of The Original Aurora Interdisciplinary Clinic with the mission to: provide comprehensive and high-quality primary care to the communities surrounding The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center; create a space where educational and volunteer objectives can be reached; allow trainees to contribute to community healthcare goals; and grow interest in the suffering primary care industry.

The proposed free clinic will be based at the Fields Foundation community hub, with students across disciplines providing care supervised by Anschutz faculty and residents. Collaboration will give all students meaningful exposure to self-declared areas of interest in health care, enriched by local and national experts in health care innovation and access. Some items that we need donated currently include:

• Microscope(s) and microscope slides/slide covers
• IV pole
• Exam tables (portable/foldable, some with stirrups needed)
• Curtains and curtain tracks
• HIPAA-compliant shredder
• Adult scale with height rod
• EKG machine, leads, electrodes, and paper
• Liquid nitrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank
• Woods lamp

To donate, contact Catherine.derington@ucdenver.edu and David.choi@ucdenver.edu. For more information about the clinic, please contact PCPColorado@gmail.com." [Source: University of Colorado]

Free resources to support your ICD-10 transition

“With the passage of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, the ICD-10 compliance data has been extended. To help your practice make the best use of this extension, CMS is excited to offer the Road to 10 Program at http://www.roadto10.org.

Developed with the input of small practice physicians, Road to 10 provides free and actionable resources to support your ICD-10 transition. Whether you are just getting started or have already begun your transition, Road to 10 can help you navigate the path forward for your practice.” [Source: CRHC]

Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Resource Center Now Available

“Million Hearts® recently launched the Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Resource Center, an interactive website featuring recipes, meal plans, and articles related to heart healthy living. The Meal Plan includes 4 weeks of healthful meals, recipes, printable shopping lists, and customized calorie levels to meet weight goals. Additionally, all meals contain less than 1,500 mg of sodium. The Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Resource Center may be found here: http://recipes.millionhearts.hhs.gov/.”  [Source: COPrevent]

Activating the Network for Oral Health in Colorado Resources

“Oral Health Colorado held a gathering in late June, “Activating the Oral Health Network In Colorado,” with participants from education, business, workforce development, health and other fields to explore the state of oral health in Colorado, its impact, barriers to improving oral health, and what must be done. For key themes that emerged from this discussion, view Oral Health’s Impact on Issues and Organizations Across Colorado. Click here to view additional materials from this convening.” [Source: Oral Health Colorado]

The Colorado Health Foundation offers new funding opportunity: Consumer Advocacy

“The Colorado Health Foundation is excited to announce the opening of a new funding opportunity within our Health Coverage outcome area. In Health Coverage, our focus is to ensure all Coloradans achieve stable, affordable and adequate health coverage.

Funding Opportunity: Consumer Advocacy
The goal of this funding opportunity is to ensure Colorado has an effective field of consumer advocates and consumers proactively influencing public policy decisions regarding health coverage and cost of care. It will do this by providing general support to organizations that represent consumer interest or engage the consumer voice. Specifically, we are interested in receiving proposals from consumer health advocacy organizations that are well-positioned to advocate for policies that:

• Ensure the effective implementation of the Affordable Care Act
• Guarantee that systems are in place to support consumers in accessing and maintaining coverage
• Support payment and delivery reform that contains cost so that coverage remains affordable without compromising quality

To be considered for funding, applicants must meet specific criteria. Open deadlines: October 14 and October 2016. The Program Officer is Erica Snow (303-953-3656). Get more information about this funding opportunity by attending an informational webinar on Aug. 13, contacting the assigned program officer or visiting the website.” [Source: The Colorado Health Foundation]

FREE ICD-10 Implementation Training

“Taking advantage of the extended ICD-10 implementation timeframe gives you even more control over your practice’s ICD-10 transition. To help your practice make the best use of this extension, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is excited to offer FREE  ICD-10 training: Road to 10: A Small Physician Practice’s Route to ICD-10 on August 28th, 12:00-1:00pm at COPIC. Click here to view the flyer for more information. Click here to register.

• Study the basics, differences, and benefits of ICD-10
• Explore common codes, primers for clinical documentation, and clinical scenarios all broken out by specialty
• Create a customized Action Plan, personalized by specialty and practice details” [Source: CMS]

ACA Implementations News

Click here to view the latest edition of ACA Implementation News. [Source: HCPF]

SIRUM: Medicine redistribution in Colorado

“About SIRUM: SIRUM is a non-profit that saves lives by saving unused medicine and delivering it to where it can do the most good. We recognize that no clinic wants to see patients go without medications they need just because they cannot afford them. Our program allows clinic pharmacies to create and share a formulary of medications needed, or request medicines as the need arises. We then connect clinics with a network of institutional medicine donors that have unused expired medications, coordinating shipment directly from the donor to clinic. SIRUM’s simple system enables closed, safe, and hassle-free peer-to-peer redistribution.

Colorado Expansion: SIRUM is currently collaborating with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to promote medicine donation as an alternative to medical and hazardous waste destruction. Since January of this year, SIRUM has presented at multiple stakeholder meetings convened by CDPHE, sharing its program with health facilities, pharmacies, medical associations and state regulators. Because of the enthusiasm and cross-sectoral support, SIRUM has ready launched a pilot program in the state, and is actively seeking to connect with clinic pharmacies that are interested in establishing their own medicine redistribution programs. For more information, visit sirum.org or contact SIRUM co-founder, Kiah Williams (kiah@sirum.org). ” [Source: SIRUM]

Enhanced Dental Benefit Started July 1 – What You Should Know

“Eligible adults enrolled in Colorado Medicaid now have access to more comprehensive dental services which builds upon the basic preventative services that became available on April 1, 2014. The new dental benefit provides Medicaid adults, age 21 and over, up to $1,000 in dental services per state fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) and includes the following services: basic preventative dental exams, diagnostic and restorative dental services (e.g. x-rays, fillings), extraction, root canals, crowns, partial dentures, complete dentures, periodontal scaling, and root planning. *Please note that partial and complete dentures are not subject to the $1,000 cap per state fiscal year.

The Department has contracted with DentaQuest as its Administrative Services Organization (ASO) to help manage the benefit and provide a customer service center for Medicaid dental questions. The ASO will also help the Department grow its dental provider network. Clients may search for dental providers in their area by visiting the ASO’s website. Additional information, including frequently asked questions about the new dental benefit, can be found here.” [Source: HCPF]

Colorado MCH wants to hear from you

“Every five years the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program is required to conduct a statewide needs assessment of the health and well-being of Colorado’s women, children and youth, including those with special health care needs, and their families.  The purpose of the assessment is to identify seven to ten specific priorities that state and local MCH programs can impact during the next five years.  The selected priorities will focus MCH work from 2016-20. Your input and perspective from these conversations will inform the selection of MCH priorities.

Click here to register and view a list of regional meetings. Local public health agencies, community partners, community members, and family and youth leaders are welcome to attend. Contact Gina Febbraro at gina.febbraro@state.co.us or (303) 692-6409 with any questions.” [Source: CDPHE]

Health IT Summit Report and Recommendations

“The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment synthesized the discussion and recommendations that came out of the Health IT Summit in May 2014. The report highlights some of the opportunities to continue advancing the effective use of health information technology and clinical quality measurement in Colorado. Please view the Health IT Summit Report and accompanying Executive Summary.

Some key recommendations that are discussed in greater detail in the report include:

• A call for participants to continue convening on this topic
• A critical need for focusing on reliable and actionable data
• A tremendous interest in advancing data analytics and data aggregation statewide
• A potential for clinical quality measures simplification and agreement among diverse stakeholders
• A concentrated effort to increase patient engagement in relation to the use of health information technology
• A need to address workforce and resource development.” [Source: CDPHE]

SIM Management Team Status Update

“Progress: The SIM Management Team is pleased to report that the final proposal has been submitted, and will be uploaded to the SIM website next week!

Important Dates to Remember:  Starting in August we will have regular office hours.  Also, HHS anticipated making its decision in late October or early November.

Communications: Thank you to all who submitted a formal letter of attestation for the SIM project. A list of all these organizations who provided a letter can be found on the SIM website. The Colorado SIM website will be updated regularly with information and other relevant documents.

For questions or concerns please contact: Vatsala Pathy, Project Director, sim_grant@state.co.us.” [Source: Colorado SIM]

Save the Date: Colorado Medical Home Community Forum

“The topic of the next Colorado Medical Home Community Forum is ‘Positive Youth Development and Youth Engagement Strategies to Increase Access to Health Care for Youth in Colorado.’ It will be held August 12, 4:30-6:45pm at CDPHE - 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South | Building A in DOC Room | Denver 80246. RSVP NOW! Contact Barbara Martin barbara.martin@state.co.us for more information.” [Source: CDPHE]

Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 will be here soon!

We have been very busy! We invited all of the Colorado legislators and candidates for office to participate in site-visits at clinics in their districts during Safety Net Clinic Week 2014. We have already received responses from legislators and candidates interested in participating. We will contact you directly if they are interested in visiting your clinic!

SAVE THE DATE!

Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 Webinar

July 30th, Noon - 1:00 pm

We will be going over the toolkit, giving advocacy tips and speaking points for site-visits and highlighting past year's activities. Stay tuned for registration information!

We have created a “toolkit” to help clinics participate in Safety Net Clinic Week 2014. We encourage you to use the resources included in the toolkit to have the most successful Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 as possible! You can find the toolkit on the Safety Net Clinic Week event page. 

Our Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 Project Coordinator, Tom Crowe, is available to help you with Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 activities. Please let him know if you utilize any part of the toolkit above or if you need help in doing so! He can be reached at 720-863-7805 and thomas.crowe@clinicnet.org.

Thank you to Kaiser Permanente and COPIC for their generous support of Safety Net Clinic Week 2014!

Funding Now Available for Customized Colorado APCD Data Pulls

“CIVHC and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) are pleased to announce the availability of $500,000 in funding to enable public and nonprofit organizations to license data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD).

The funding cycle begins July 1, 2014, and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis to small non-profits, state agencies and research organizations. Data requests must be used in support of the Triple Aim of better health, better care and lower costs for Coloradans. Funding will be available through June 30, 2015 or until funds are depleted.

Click here for details on eligibility, matching fund requirements and types of data and awards available for the program, or contact ColoradoAPCD@civhc.org for more information. Also see two relevant CIVHC blog posts, ‘CIVHC is Having a Baby- and You’re Invited to Help us Raise It’ and ‘What Makes the Cut for Colorado APCD Public Reports?’” [Source: CIVHC]

Revised CRC Screening Guidelines for CCSP

“The Medical Quality Assurance Committee (MQAC) for the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program met on May 19, 2014 and approved revised CRC screening guidelines for the Program. A copy of the revised guidelines can be found here. The guidelines are consistent with the USPSTF guidelines for colorectal cancer screening. The changes from the previous guidelines have been highlighted. If you have any questions, please contact Sheryl Ogden, RN, CCSP Program Manager at 303-724-1281 or Sheryl.ogden@ucdenver.edu.” [Source: CCSP]

Become a Lifestyle Coach to Deliver the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program

“Viridian has added additional online training classes to become a Lifestyle Coach to deliver the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP). Registration is now open and seats are limited. The training is a dynamic blend of independent learning and weekly live web-based discussions facilitated by a Viridian Master Trainer. Once registered, participants will receive instructions on how to access the online training platform. Throughout the online training, participants will have 24/7 access to technical support. Click here to view available training dates. Cost $495. Click here to register.” [Source: COPrevent]

New IHI Offering for ClinicNET Affiliates

“Through a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente's Community Benefit Program, ClinicNET is pleased to be able to offer access to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) offerings. This program offers contributing ClinicNET affiliates access to registration scholarships and travel support funding to participate in IHI activities. Click here to see all offerings.  Upcoming seminars and training can also be viewed on IHI's website.

IHI just announced a new offering coming up soon: Web&Action: Rapid Cycle Evaluation for Health Care Improvement Programs. Four part web based program, starts September 30th (ends in November). You're well aware of the importance of using quality improvement (QI) projects to achieve top-notch care and reduce costs, but it's not easy work. Determining whether those projects are really leading to improvement — and why — can be a challenge.  Rapid-Cycle Evaluation for Health Care Improvement Programs can provide you with the tools and insights you need to measure the effectiveness of your QI initiatives, and to maximize their impact before spreading them to other areas.

If you are interested in a particular offering please contact Brooke Powers at brooke.powers@clinicnet.org or 720-863-7803.” [Source: IHI]

ClinicNET Conversations: July blog post by ClinicNET ED, Sharon Adams

Check out Sharon’s July Blog Post, “A Sharper Focus on Health Equity.” Click here to view past ClinicNET Conversations blog posts.

“My colleague’s uncle is convinced that the United States has the best health care in the world because we have “the best technology” and “the fanciest medicines and procedures.” On one hand, he is right. We‘ve made some great advancements as far as new treatments and technologies. But let’s face it, unless you have incredible insurance or ample financial resources, access to the latest and greatest is out of reach. Your ability to receive health care and achieve the healthiest possible you is unfortunately dependent on a number of factors.” Continue reading...

Beyond the Screening: Treatment Services under the Medicaid Benefit for Children & Adolescents – Webinar

“State Medicaid programs offer a variety of treatment services to meet the needs of children with physical and behavioral health conditions. Under federal law, Medicaid programs must cover services for children, as long as the treatments are necessary to correct or ameliorate the child's condition, even if the services are not covered for adults. Join this NASHP webinar, July 24 from 2:00-3:00pm ET, to hear a federal perspective from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on how states can leverage the Medicaid benefit for children and adolescents (also known as EPSDT) to meet the treatment needs of children. This will be followed by a conversation with presenters from Colorado and Washington about treatment services under the EPSDT benefit and their processes for determining service coverage. Register here.

This webinar is the fourth in a series on the Medicaid benefit for children and adolescents: the final webinar in the series will focus on care coordination services for children. Previous webinars in the series focused on improving service delivery for children, engaging adolescents, and promoting oral health. In conjunction with this webinar series, NASHP launched a Resource map on www.nashp.org to disseminate state-specific resources and information about strategies that state policymakers and Medicaid officials can use to deliver the Medicaid benefit for children and adolescents.

Please contact Mike Stanek (mstanek@nashp.org) with any questions on this webinar.” [Source: NASHP]

Support for Children’s Oral Health Programs

“Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children (HSHC), an initiative of the Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, is committed to improving the quality of pediatric oral health in the United States. HSHC’s Access to Care Grants support community-based initiatives throughout the country that provide dental care and ultimately serve as a Dental Home to underserved/limited access children. Special consideration will be given to programs supporting the age-one dental visit and providing care to special needs patients. These grants of up to $20,000 require cash or in-kind matching funds equal to the grant request dollar amount. Online letter of intent must be submitted by August 18, 2014. Visit the website to download the Access to Care Grants guidelines.” [Source: Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children]

Celebrate your colleagues at Public Health in the Rockies

“Recognize stellar colleagues, programs and initiatives at the Public Health in the Rockies Conference in Fort Collins, CO on September 17-19, 2014. Early-bird registration for the conference is open until August 20, 2014. Register today and join one of your public health associations for a discount on the event!

• The Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) has a variety of awards in the multi-disciplinary world of public health. For more information and descriptions for these awards and to nominate a colleague, please visit the Awards Nominations Form.
• The Colorado Society of Public Health Education (COSOPHE) is accepting nominations for the Excellence in Public Health Education Award.
• The Public Health Nurses Association of Colorado (PHNAC) also presents five awards that celebrate excellence in the field. For more information and descriptions for these awards and to nominate a colleague, please visit the Awards Nominations Form.
• The Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Health Equity is also open for nominations.
• Nominations accepted until August 8, 2014!” [Source: COPrevent]

NeedyMeds July Webinars

“NeedyMeds is offering two FREE webinars in July:

“Navigating Patient Assistance” Presented by Good Day from the Chronic Disease Fund – July 24th, 3:00pm ET. Register here. Seeking help with medical costs can be a confusing process. This presentation will help patients and caregivers navigate the complicated financial assistance maze. Clorinda Walley is the Executive Director of Good Days and will be our guest presenter for this webinar.

NeedyMeds Overview – July 30, 2:00pm ET. Register here. Whether you are new to NeedyMeds or have been using the website for years, you are sure to learn something new during this webinar. We will teach you how to use the website more efficiently to find saving for you and your patients.” [Source: NeedyMeds]

Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 "Toolkit"

Celebrate Safety Net Clinic Week 2014!

CLINIC “TOOLKIT”

In an effort to celebrate, support and raise awareness of Colorado's health care safety net, we encourage your clinic to participate in the fifth annual Safety Net Clinic Week, August 18-22, 2014. Sponsored by ClinicNET & the Colorado Rural Health Center, with support provided by COPIC and Kaiser Permanente, the week is devoted to educating the public, policymakers and other community leaders about Colorado’s Community Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs) and federally certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).

We have created a “toolkit” to help clinics participate in Safety Net Clinic Week 2014. We encourage you to use the resources included in the toolkit to have the most successful Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 as possible! Included in the “toolkit” are many easily customizable documents. Click on each item listed below to open:

• Short Overview of Safety Net Clinic Week
• Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 Logo (use as content for your website, blogs, social media, newsletters, email signatures, etc.) 
• Sample Letter to the Editor (for submission to your local media)
• Governmental Proclamation or Resolution (request a proclamation from your city and/or county)
• Safety Net Clinic Week Invitation (consider inviting your city and/or county public officials, and local business and community leaders to visit your clinic during Safety Net Clinic Week. *see helpful links below)
• Open House Invitation template (consider hosting an open house so folks can see and hear firsthand about the important work you are doing!)
• Safety Net Clinic Week Fact Sheet (include with any invitation you extend and use, in addition to specific information about your clinic, as speaking points during Safety Net Clinic Week)
• Safety Net Clinic Week Press Release (submit to your local media) 
• Social Media Guidelines
• List of all Community Safety Net Clinics and Rural Health Clinics 

ClinicNET and the Colorado Rural Health Center have requested a Proclamation of Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 from the Governor and we will be disseminating a statewide press release announcing Safety Net Clinic Week 2014. Additionally, we will be extending invitations to the Governor, Colorado’s Congressional Delegation, and all State Legislators and major party candidates for office to visit clinics in their district during Safety Net Clinic Week. We will contact you directly if they are interested in visiting your  clinic!

Our Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 Project Coordinator, Tom Crowe, is available to help you with Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 activities. Please let him know if you utilize any part of the toolkit above or if you need help in doing so! He can be reached at 720-863-7805 and thomas.crowe@clinicnet.org.

*Links to identify your local Elected Officials:
Identify your County Commissioners
Identify the members of your local government municipalities

FREE ICD-10 Implementation Training

“Taking advantage of the extended ICD-10 implementation timeframe gives you even more control over your practice’s ICD-10 transition. To help your practice make the best use of this extension, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is excited to offer FREE  ICD-10 training: Road to 10: A Small Physician Practice’s Route to ICD-10 on August 28th, 12:00-1:00pm at COPIC. Click here to view the flyer for more information. Click here to register.

• Study the basics, differences, and benefits of ICD-10
• Explore common codes, primers for clinical documentation, and clinical scenarios all broken out by specialty
• Create a customized Action Plan, personalized by specialty and practice details” [Source: CMS]

Dental Hygienist Co-Location Funding Announcement – Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation

“Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) is seeking applications from organizations that are a medical home to young children and are interested in expanding services to include preventive dental care. The Dental Hygienist Co-location 2.0 program will facilitate medical and dental integration by incorporating preventative dental care into medical settings.  The program aims to increase access to preventative dental care for young children who currently have limited access due to factors such as but not limited to geography, lack of dentists in close proximity, and insurance status. The RFA can be accessed at http://www.deltadentalcofoundation.org/.  Letters of Intent are due by August 1st at 5:00pm.” [Source: Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation]

Voter Registration Project for Safety Net Clinics

The Community Health Vote project is focused on working with safety net clinics, including ClinicNET affiliates, to register voters. This project is a partnership between Community Health Vote, Nonprofit VOTE, Fair Elections Legal Network, and the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved. Colorado Participation Project (CPP) is Nonprofit Vote’s state partner for this project in Colorado and they will work directly with the participating safety net clinics.

If a clinic chooses to participate in this project, they will receive on-the-ground training and support from CPP around voter registration and incorporating it into ongoing enrollment work happening at clinics. Clinics will work with CPP to set goals for registering voters and will receive training, tools, and technical assistance to help meet those goals over the next 12 months – with the focus being on the 2014 midterm elections. CPP will provide site visits and regular trainings, plan development and review support, check-in calls and coaching sessions, and additional support tailored to the needs of each clinic. Each participating clinic will sign an MOU with CPP and will receive a stipend for project participation of up to $2,000.

If you are interested, please contact Alice Gibbs from Colorado Community Health Network by July 16th at agibbs@cchn.org or 303-861-9531. [Source: CCHN]

2014 Corps Community Day Award Nomination Form

“Please join the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in recognizing outstanding National Health Service Corps and Colorado Health Service Corps participants and alumni. Nominate a NHSC or CHSC provider for an award to be presented at Corps Community Day, a celebration of loan repayment and primary care in Colorado. You may also nominate a student involved in a rural or urban track who has shown leadership and collaboration. The Corps Community Committee will review all nominations, and awards will be presented at the Corps Community Day and Awards Ceremony on October 10, 2014.

Nominations can address (but are not limited to): Exceptional Service to All, Outstanding Primary Care Provider, Community Leadership, Extraordinary Rural Provider, Connecting Public Health and Clinical Care, Exemplary Teaching, and Innovative and Creative Leadership. Please submit your nominations by Friday, August 29, 2014.” [Source: CDPHE]

CCMU 2014 Luncheon

“Improving health in Colorado is the shared responsibility of leaders, policymakers, community members, and businesses. Investing in health is a way to help communities flourish, and its role as a key part of our civic and social infrastructure is absolute. Fixing the health system can’t be achieved by any one organization or even the entirety of the health care sector—it will take a more collaborative, collective approach than ever before.

This year’s annual luncheon will feature Liz Baxter, an experienced leader and advocate for health and health care. She is currently the executive director of the Oregon Public Health Institute and board chair of Cover Oregon. We hope to see you there!

The event will be held September 23, 2014 from 11am-1pm at Space Gallery (400 Santa Fe Drive in Denver). Cost is $50. Click here to register now.” [Source: CCMU]

New Toolkit Provides Resources on Patient Engagement

“Patients and practices share a mission to improve patient health – a mission in which both parties play indispensable roles. A small but growing number of medical practices and other health care organizations are harnessing patient involvement as a powerful force for improving care. Patients have a unique perspective of practice function and care delivery. Involving patients in efforts to improve quality can help address challenges from practice inefficiencies to barriers to adherence. Practices that have embraced the approach of integrating patients into quality improvement efforts report undergoing a culture change – one that puts the patient at the center of care, and improves the experiences of patients and providers alike.

This toolkit from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides videos and other resources that organizations in three communities have used in their efforts to engage patients. These tools can help you recruit, orient, and train patients; clarify roles and responsibilities; and put a structure in place to foster ongoing, productive relationships. The full toolkit can be found here.” [Source: COPrevent]

Just Check It: July Workshops

“The Center for African American Health will host multiple orientations throughout the month of July for its popular, “Just Check It,” home blood pressure monitoring program. “Just Check It,” provides participants vital self-management tools, including blood pressure cuffs, information on lifestyle choices, and a system to track and share home blood pressure results with a doctor or pharmacist. The program is completely FREE of cost and any individual with hypertension or prehypertension is eligible to participate.

Encourage your patients, friends and family members to take control of their blood pressure today with “Just Check It.” To learn more about the program or to inquire about future orientations, contact Wendy Smittick at wendy@caahealth.org or 303-355-3423 ext. 110. There are three July orientation dates offered: July 9, 5-7pm; July 15, 6-8pm; and July 31, 6-8pm.” [Source: COPrevent]

Articles and Publications

Proposal to Add Skimpier ‘Copper’ Plans to Marketplace Raises Concerns
July 1, 2014 - Kaiser Health News

For more Articles and Publications, visit the ClinicNET website.

Meet the 2014 Safety Net Clinic Week Coordinator!

Tom Crowe is a senior Biology major at Colorado College. Originally from a small town on the coast of Maine, he has found a new life and home in the Rocky Mountains. Tom is passionate about improving the lives of disadvantaged people in Colorado by supporting the health care safety net. He hopes to use his experience as a member of GlobeMed at Colorado College and his time spent studying health care abroad for improving the lives and capacity of individuals around the state. He is extremely excited for the potential impact he will have as the Safety Net Clinic Week 2014 Coordinator.

A joint collaboration between ClinicNET and The Colorado Rural Health Center, the fifth annual Safety Net Clinic Week will take place from August 18th through August 22nd. This is the perfect opportunity for community safety net clinics to educate their community and leaders about their role providing access to care to low-income, often medically vulnerable, Colorado residents. With the current evolution of health care, and potential unintended realities that come with such monumental change, the importance of highlighting the diversity of the health care safety net in Colorado cannot be overstated. Seize this opportunity to highlight an aspect of your clinic such as your dedicated volunteers, new programs services or partnerships; celebrate successes and highlight your work in our Colorado communities. 

A “toolkit” will be posted next week, so stay tuned! The “toolkit” will include fact sheets, flyers, logo and templates for press releases, letters to the editor, invitations for site-visits, and governmental proclamations.

I look forward to working with you and seeing all that will come from the Safety Net Clinic Week 2014.

Tom Crowe
thomas.crowe@clinicnet.org
(720) 863-7805

CMS Issues Fact Sheets to Assist Consumers in Understanding Enrollment Options

“As part of broader Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment efforts, which continues year-round, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a number of fact sheets (available in English and Spanish) intended to assist consumers in understanding “the basics” relative to their enrollment options under Medicaid and CHIP.

The fact sheets are customizable and are designed for use by both states that have expanded Medicaid (“expansion states”) and those that have elected not to do so (“non-expansion states”) pursuant of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In addition, CMS also issued separate fact sheets available for use by groups working with American Indian/Alaskan Native Population (AI/AN communities), which delineate some of the special protections available to these beneficiaries.” [Source: HCPF]

Funding Now Available for Customized Colorado APCD Data Pulls

“CIVHC and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) are pleased to announce the availability of $500,000 in funding to enable public and nonprofit organizations to license data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD).

The funding cycle begins July 1, 2014, and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis to small non-profits, state agencies and research organizations. Data requests must be used in support of the Triple Aim of better health, better care and lower costs for Coloradans. Funding will be available through June 30, 2015 or until funds are depleted.

Click here for details on eligibility, matching fund requirements and types of data and awards available for the program, or contact ColoradoAPCD@civhc.org for more information.” [Source: CIVHC]

Voter Registration Project for Safety Net Clinics

The Community Health Vote project is focused on working with safety net clinics, including ClinicNET affiliates, to register voters. This project is a partnership between Community Health Vote, Nonprofit VOTE, Fair Elections Legal Network, and the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved. Colorado Participation Project (CPP) is Nonprofit Vote’s state partner for this project in Colorado and they will work directly with the participating safety net clinics.

If a clinic chooses to participate in this project, they will receive on-the-ground training and support from CPP around voter registration and incorporating it into ongoing enrollment work happening at clinics. Clinics will work with CPP to set goals for registering voters and will receive training, tools, and technical assistance to help meet those goals over the next 12 months – with the focus being on the 2014 midterm elections. CPP will provide site visits and regular trainings, plan development and review support, check-in calls and coaching sessions, and additional support tailored to the needs of each clinic. Each participating clinic will sign an MOU with CPP and will receive a stipend for project participation of up to $2,000.

If you are interested, please contact Alice Gibbs from Colorado Community Health Network by July 16th at agibbs@cchn.org or 303-861-9531. [Source: CCHN]

SIM Management Team Update

“Important Dates to Remember:

• All attestation letters are due to the SIM Management Team by July 7th and should be submitted to: sara.richey@state.co.us
• Colorado’s submission is due on July 21st.

Progress:

• The SIM Management team has weekly meetings and includes representatives from the Governor’s Office, CDHS, CDPHE, HCPF, CHI, CU School of Medicine and CIVHC.
• The SIM team is working with key stakeholders on all portions of the grant proposal.
• We are producing a video with the Governors endorsement of the SIM project and will keep you posted when it is uploaded to the SIM website.

Communications:

• The Colorado SIM website (www.coloradosim.org) will be updated regularly with information and other relevant documents.
• The SIM Management Team is actively seeking input from the stakeholder community on the draft proposal, which was posted to the SIM website on Friday (6/27). Review the draft proposal by clicking this link. After reviewing the proposal, please provide feedback using the comment form located on the Colorado SIM website. The deadline for comments is Friday, July 4th.

For questions or concerns please contact: Vatsala Pathy, Project Director at sim_grant@state.co.us.” [Source: Colorado SIM]