HRSA Funding Announcement: Service Area Competition (SAC)

The purpose of the SAC funding opportunity is to ensure continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services for communities and vulnerable populations currently served by the Health Center Program, however, the populations served cannot be limited to a single age group (e.g., children, elderly) and/or service line (e.g., dental, behavioral health). The funding opportunity announcement details the SAC eligibility requirements, review criteria, and awarding factors for organizations seeking funding for operational support to provide primary and preventive health care services. Faith-based and community-based organizations, Tribes, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply.  

àFor application criteria and guidelines click here.

àApplications due September 6, 2016.
[Source:  HRSA]

HRSA Funding Announcement: Service Area Competition (SAC)

The purpose of the SAC funding opportunity is to ensure continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services for communities and vulnerable populations currently served by the Health Center Program. The funding opportunity announcement details the SAC eligibility requirements, review criteria, and awarding factors for organizations seeking funding for operational support to provide primary and preventive health care services. Faith-based and community-based organizations, Tribes, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply.
Applications due August 29, 2016. For application criteria and guidelines click here.

Funding Opportunities' Deadline Reminder

Women's Wellness Connection Targeted Outreach Program:
Due June 10, 2016
The Colorado Health Foundation Advance Care Planning:
Due June 15, 2016
The Colorado Health Foundation Activating Places and Spaces Together:
Due June 15, 2016
HRSA New Access Points:
Due by June 17, 2016
HRSA Using Community Health Workers to Improve Linkage and Retention in HIV Care:
Due July 12, 2016

HRSA Funding Opportunity: Using Community Health Workers to Improve Linkage and Retention in HIV Care

This announcement solicits applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 to support a single organization that will serve as the Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center (TAEC) for a new initiative entitled Improving Access to Care: Using Community Health Workers to Improve Linkage and Retention in HIV Care.  The goal of this three year cooperative agreement is to increase the utilization of community health workers (CHW) to improve access to and retention in health care; and to improve health outcomes for people living with HIV (PLWH) by strengthening the health care workforce, building healthier communities, and achieving health equity among racial and ethnic minority populations. [Source:  HRSA]

HRSA New Access Points Funding Opportunity

"HRSA has a funding opportunity for new and expanded services offered by health centers that provide health services to medically underserved populations". Awards of $50,000 per site are available. Apply by June 17, 2016.
[Source: HRSA]
                                                        

HRSA New Access Points Funding Opportunity

"HRSA has a funding opportunity for new and expanded services offered by health centers that provide health services to medically underserved populations". Awards of $50,000 per site are available. Apply by June 17, 2016.
[Source: HRSA]

HRSA presents a Health Information Technology and Quality Webinar

"Free Continuing Education Resources for Safety Net Health Professionals from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality" - Friday, July 12 at 2:00pm ET

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are hosting a webinar to announce an exciting new HRSA website that provides HRSA grantees and safety net providers, such as health center providers, rural health providers, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other safety net health professionals with free, clinically relevant modules to support continuing education and workforce training.  These free, accredited continuing education resources cover a variety of disease areas.  Click here to view the modules and for more information.

Furthermore, HRSA staff will discuss how these clinical training modules align with the work of HRSA grantees and debut the new user-friendly HRSA website for safety net providers to access these AHRQ resources. Register here.

For more information and to send questions to presenters email healthit@hrsa.gov.

FTCA for Free Clinics

Program Assistance Letter (PAL) 2013-06, “Calendar Year (CY) 2014 Free Clinics Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Program Policy Guide” – This year, all applications must be submitted electronically through the Free Clinic deeming module within HRSA’s EHB. The EHB system will be available to begin receiving CY 2014 deeming applications on June 3, 2013.   To learn more about the submission process, listen to the archived instructional webinar on the BPHC Free-Clinics site. All applications are due by August 2, 2013.

[Webinar] Using an Electronic Health Record to Create Patient Problem Lists

When: Friday, May 17, 2:00 PM ET

"This webinar will focus on how safety net primary care providers can meaningfully use electronic health records (EHR) to create and maintain patient problem lists.  Created by EHRs, patient problem lists are a core requirement of Meaningful Use. This function serves as a powerful tool for maintaining a patient’s medical history while also helping to engage patients to better track and manage their health care.

Presenters will demonstrate how patient problem lists are created and maintained by EHRs, and share their strategies on how providers can use them for quality improvement and patient engagement.  Lastly, staff from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will discuss the importance of patient problem lists in achieving Stage 1 and 2 of Meaningful Use...."  Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

FTCA Information and Webinar

"As a part of continued efforts to streamline and automate the application process, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has developed a Free Clinic FTCA application process within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Electronic Handbooks (EHB).  To prepare Free Clinics for the transition to EHB and to familiarize them with the EHB Free Clinic Application Module, HRSA has arranged for webinar EHB trainings...The webinar is scheduled for May 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. (EST). Please reserve this date and time on your calendar. The webinar will include information about:

•      HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHB) system
•     Creating user accounts to access the EHB system
•     Navigating through EHB
•     Completing the Free Clinic FTCA Deeming/Supplemental Application

Free Clinic Webinar link; Conference Line: 888-323-9924; Participant passcode: 7178154

*Pre-registration is not required. The link to the webinar and the conference call line will be activated on the day of the event.*"  [Source: National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics]

[Webinar] Using an Electronic Health Record for Health Information Exchange and Interoperability for Safety Net Providers

When: Friday, April 26, 2013, 2 PM ET

"This webinar will focus on how safety net providers can electronically exchange health information and achieve interoperability using electronic health records (EHRs).  Exchanging electronic health information with other providers is a requirement under Stage 2 of Meaningful Use and has been shown to reduce costs and duplication of services, increase patient engagement, enhance patient safety, and improve healthcare quality..." Click here to register.  [Source: Health Resources and Services Administration Health Information Technology and Quality Webinar and Technical Assistance Resources]

HRSA Offers Free Vouchers for Health IT Professional Examinations

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), in collaboration with The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is offering free vouchers to take the Health IT Professional Exams (HIT Pro Exams). These exams assess competency in one of six Health IT workforce roles:

•     Clinician/Practitioner Consultant
•     Implementation Manager
•     Implementation Support Specialist
•     Practice Workflow & Information Management Redesign Specialist
•     Technical/Software Support Staff
•     Trainer

...To request a voucher or additional information, email healthit@hrsa.gov. Voucher requests End April 1, 2013.  For more information, please visit ONC’s Health IT Professional Exam website.  [Source: HRSA]

[Webinar] Using Clinical Decision Support in Safety Net Provider Settings

When:  Friday, March 22, 2:00 PM (ET)

"This webinar explores how safety net providers can implement and use a clinical decision support (CDS) system.  A CDS complements an electronic health record, helping to ensure that all patients in a practice receive appropriate and timely preventive services and the right test, the right medication, and the right treatment. Meaningful use requires that each clinician implement one CDS rule relevant to his/her specialty or clinical priority along with the capability to track compliance with the rule.
...Issues to be discussed include:

• How CDS can be integrated into the existing workflow
• How to use CDS to ensure quality care across various health care providers
• How to leverage internal or external data to track compliance

Presenters are:

• Clinical and Quality Leaders from the Community Health Center, Inc., Middletown, Connecticut
• Lisa Gall, DNP, RN, CFNP, LHIT-HP, Health IT Consultant, Stratis Health/REACH, Bloomington, Minnesota"

 Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

[Webinar] “Using an EHR and Quality Data to Improve Hypertension”

When: Friday, February 22, 2013, 2 pm EST

"In recognition of “National Heart Month,” in February, this webinar will focus on how safety net providers can utilize health information technology (HIT) to improve health outcomes in patients with hypertension. ..Presenters for this webinar are safety net providers from rural inpatient and community health center settings, who will share their best practices for helping patients control their hypertension."  Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program 2013 Application Cycle Open!

The 2013 application cycle is now open for the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program! The deadline to apply is February 28, 2013, at 7:30 pm EST. Click here to learn more about program eligibility and requirements and click here to begin your application.

[Webinar] Upgrading and Optimizing an Electronic Health Record System for Safety Net Providers

When: Friday January 18, 2:00 PM ET

"Even after successfully adopting an electronic health record (EHR), the need to upgrade or optimize the system may create unforeseen challenges.  On Friday, January 18, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will present a webinar featuring safety net providers from rural inpatient and health center settings who have successfully upgraded or optimized their EHR systems.  The presenters will offer insights on how to enhance clinical workflow, improve productivity, and manage organizational change. Upgrading an EHR and health IT systems is an ongoing process for safety net providers; these presenters will offer strategies on how to streamline this process..."Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

[Webinar] Meaningfully Using Computerized Order Entry: Experience From Two Safety Net Providers.

When: Date: Fri, Dec 14, 2012 from 12:00 PM MTN - 1:00 PM MTN

Health IT and Quality webinars are technical assistance for HRSA grantees and other safety net providers. Each features experts with hands-on experience from within the safety net community, as well as speakers with various grantee experiences and federal expertise.  Click here to register.  [Source: HRSA]

Webinar: "Patient Charting and Documentation in an Electronic Health Record for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals"

When: Friday, November 16, 2pm ET

This webinar focuses on how nurses and allied health professionals use electronic health records (EHR) for patient charting documentation. These individuals are usually the first clinicians that patients encounter to assess their healthcare needs and concerns. This assessment often includes documenting patient data into an electronic health record and chart to provide the patient’s care team with accurate information to help identify treatment options. As health centers, critical access hospitals, and rural health clinics increasingly become meaningful users of health information  technology, it is critical to train, support, and fully integrate nurses into system and clinical transformations. Webinar presenters include two nurses who will share their experiences from a health center and primary care perspective, as well as from that of a rural provider viewpoint.  Click here to sign up.  [Source: HRSA]

New Meaningful Use Case Studies Available

"The National Learning Consortium (NLC) is a nonprofit, web-based education program that was designed to provide stakeholders with timely and relevant information on health IT and health information exchange in the United States. In partnership with the ONC, the National Learning Consortium recently released Meaningful Use Case Studies that detail the experiences of providers across the country on their journeys to achieve Meaningful Use. These case studies are based on actual provider experiences and each focuses on a specific subset of the Stage 1 Meaningful Use requirements, including a section on key challenges and lessons learned.

Please click here to access the case studies...For more information, please visit HRSA’s Health IT Website or the ONC website..."  [Source: HRSA Health IT]

How to do the Managed Care Dance – What You Need to Know to Participate in Networks

Date: October 16, 2012, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EDT
Don’t miss an important webinar led by speakers with extensive experience in the managed care industry.  Managed care and managed behavioral healthcare play a critical role in the delivery of behavioral healthcare services. Whether Medicaid, Medicare, or commercial insurance, providers need to know how to effectively participate in managed care networks. SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions will host a webinar for community-based providers — whether they are community health centers, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment organizations, HIV/AIDS clinics, maternal and child health organizations, or others — to learn how to effectively apply and gain acceptance on managed care provider panels. For integrated care to succeed, providers and managed care and managed behavioral healthcare organizations need to work together effectively on behalf of enrollees..." Click here for more information and to register.