December 9: HRSA awarded nearly $350 million to 1,471 HRSA-supported health centers to increase COVID-19 vaccinations in their communities, with a specific focus on underserved populations. This funding supports the Biden Administration’s efforts to get more Americans their updated COVID-19 vaccine before the end of the year. Read the White House fact sheet and HHS press release.
The fiscal year (FY) 2023 Expanding COVID-19 Vaccination (ECV) funding will support health centers in addressing the urgent need to increase access to and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. Health centers can use these one-time funds to expand outreach and education, community engagement, and coordinated events to increase COVID-19 vaccinations through mobile, drive-up, walk-up, or community-based vaccination events, including working with community and faith-based organizations.
Health centers will have until Sunday, January 8, 2023, to submit information about planned activities and costs to be supported by the funding. Award recipients must add their H8G grants to their HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) portfolio to view and complete the submission in EHBs.
Source: HRSA
December 9: The CDC recommended the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines:
These recommendations follow FDA’s authorization of these products on Thursday, December 8. CDC’s updated Fall Vaccination Operational Planning Guide (PDF) includes details about updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines for patients ages 6 months-5 years.
Source: CDC
HRSA will be performing a major Infrastructure upgrade on the Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) January 13 at 8 p.m. through January 16 at 8 p.m. ET. The EHBs will be unavailable during this upgrade.
To prevent an unintentional loss of data, please make sure you save your work and log off before the upgrade begins.
Source: HRSA
December 20: The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be awarding approximately $12 million through 12 grants for the 2023 Delta States Rural Development Network Grant Program (Delta Program). This three-year program will support integrated health care networks to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services and associated health outcomes; and strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. HRSA intends for the Delta Program to address gaps in service, enhance systems of care, and expand capacity of the local rural health care system.
The Delta Program’s goals are to:
FORHP will hold a webinar for applicants on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, from 2-3:30 p.m. ET. Log-in information is below:
View the Notice of Funding Opportunity at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=340905
Source: HRSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) seeks public comment on the revised draft of the updated Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Certification Criteria. Since the creation of the model in 2014, Congress and the Administration have taken a number of steps to expand the number of CCBHCs nationally to enhance access to and coordination of behavioral health services. CCBHCs offer a broad range of services and SAMHSA is asking for recommendations and input on the revised draft of the CCBHC Criteria by emailing CCBHCCriteria@samhsa.hhs.gov no later than January 20, 2023.
Source: HRSA
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