HRSA Launches New Consumer-Focused Web Pages and Services 

HRSA launched several new web pages and features in December to help people find health services supported by HRSA.

• New HRSA Homepage – links to consumer-focused health services
• En Español Landing Page – offers Spanish versions of consumer-focused health services and a new glossary page
• Services Landing Page – this new page (available in English and Spanish) is focused specifically on services HRSA offers to consumers
• Healthy Start and Home Visiting consumer pages – these new pages help people get connected to these services in their community

Source: HRSA

2024 UDS Reporting Period Open

The 2024 Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting period began on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. All Health Center Program awardees and look-alikes are required to submit complete and accurate UDS legacy reports by Saturday, February 15, 2025.

Visit the UDS Training and Technical Assistance (TA) webpages to access the 2024 UDS Manual (PDF) and other resources to help you submit accurate, timely, and complete UDS reports. For additional assistance:

• UDS Help Desk: Assists with UDS measures and requirements. Call 866-837-4357 (866-UDS-HELP) or email udshelp330@bphcdata.net.
• BPHC Contact Form: Helps with completing aggregated UDS reports and UDS+ submissions.
  • For guidance on viewing UDS legacy reports: Uniform Data System (UDS) > UDS Reporting > Accessing UDS Reports in EHBs.
  • For technical issues with HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs): Technical Support > EHBs Tasks/EHBs Technical Issues.

UDS Patient-level Submission (UDS+)

Health centers will submit some de-identified 2024 UDS patient-level data using Health Level Seven International (HL7)-developed Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) R4 standards (learn more on FHIR’s website). HRSA announced the minimum UDS+ requirements in a bulletin in August.

2024 UDS+ submission requirements include a portion of legacy UDS data elements. The UDS+ submission reporting period begins mid-February, after the deadline for legacy UDS reports. UDS+ reports are due by Wednesday, April 30, 2025. For more information, visit the UDS Modernization Initiative webpage. Submit questions via the BPHC Contact Form (Uniform Data System (UDS) > UDS Modernization > Patient-level submission (UDS+)).

Source: HRSA

New Look-Alike Initial Designation Instructions

HRSA published updated instructions for Look-Alike Initial Designation (LAL-ID) applications (PDF). They include an overview of changes made from the previous version. HRSA will continue to add TA resources to the LAL-ID TA webpage.

If you are submitting an LAL-ID application, be sure to carefully read the new instructions.

If you submitted an LAL-ID application between September 6 and December 13, HRSA will review it based on these updated instructions.

Submit questions via the BPHC Contact Form (Look-Alike Designation > Initial Designation (LAL-ID)).

Source: HRSA

Telehealth Policy Updated

Recent legislation authorized an extension of many of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities. This includes:

• Waiving geographic and originating site requirements through March 31, 2025.
• Expanding practitioners eligible to furnish telehealth services through March 31, 2025.
• Allowing Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to serve as distant site providers through March 31, 2025. For 2025 and 2026, FQHCs and RHCs will be paid for telehealth services under the FQHC prospective payment system or the RHC all-inclusive rates, respectively.
• Delaying the in-person requirements for tele-mental health services through April 1, 2025.
• Allowing audio-only telehealth through March 31, 2025.

Read more here.

Source: Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

Behavioral Health: Join a Community of Practice

Come together with experts and peers to boost your behavioral health efforts. Behavioral health professionals may earn CME for attending sessions. Get individualized support during the 30-minute office hour that follows each session. Visit the registration pages for dates, times, and more details.  Sessions begin on January 29, 2025.

A Behavioral Health Integration Primer for Health Centers

New to behavioral health integration or need a refresher? Experts will help you implement and sustain effective integrated care models for their care settings. Visit the registration page.

Strategies to Support School-Based Youth Behavioral Health

This opportunity is for school-based health center staff. Join to gain resources and learn about approaches you can use to build safe and affirming environments, train staff, enhance collaboration with community organizations, and promote positive peer relationships. Visit the registration page.

Source: HRSA

Is Your Health Center in the Treatment Locator?

Last month, the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) launched their enhanced treatments locator to aid patients and health care providers in quickly finding medications for COVID-19 and flu. HRSA-supported health centers are one of several kinds of entities represented in the locator. You can voluntarily opt in if you have in stock treatments for COVID-19 and/or flu (regardless of where your stock came from). You do not need to say how much you have, just that it’s in stock. Visit the locator website for more information.

As mentioned in the November 18th BPHC bulletin, you can join or continue participating in their COVID-19 therapeutics program. They will provide free Paxlovid from the ASPR-procured supply until their inventory is depleted or until December 31, 2028, whichever comes first. The ASPR-distributed supply must remain available to patients for free. 

The U.S. Government Patient Assistance Program, operated by Pfizer under an agreement with ASPR, is another option for you to provide free COVID-19 therapeutics. ASPR announced some changes with this program that will take place in the new year. Visit ASPR’s COVID-19 therapeutics announcements to learn more.

Source: HRSA