Notice of Funding Opportunity for New Access Points Now Available

May 30, 2024: HRSA announced that applications to establish New Access Points (NAPs) are now open to expand access to affordable, high-quality primary health care, including mental health and substance use disorder services, for underserved communities and populations. HRSA will only be able to make awards for this Notice of Funding Opportunity if Congress appropriates additional funds for the Health Center Program in fiscal year (FY) 2025.  If Congress appropriates additional funding in FY 2025, these NAPs will expand the number of health centers in the HRSA Health Center Program and help HRSA-funded health centers open new locations. NAP applicants may be currently funded health centers, look-alikes, or new organizations (those not yet part of the Health Center Program).

Applications are due in Grants.gov on August 15, 2024, and in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks on September 30, 2024. Visit the New Access Points webpage for the Notice of Funding Opportunity and resources to help develop your application.

HRSA will host a Q & A webinar for applicants on Thursday, June 15th from 1 pm – 2:15 pm ET.  Register here.

Source: HRSA

HRSA to Release $55 Million in Total Funding for All Health Center Grantees

In June, HRSA will make available $55 million in one-time fiscal year 2024 funding to all health center grantees. This Quality Improvement Award funding is intended to support HRSA-funded health centers to prepare for and implement programs and technologies to ensure high-quality, patient-level data submissions as part of the modernization of the Uniform Data System (UDS+).

All Health Center Program operational (H80) grant award recipients are eligible, and awards will be provided directly to grantees. Please visit the Quality Improvement Award: UDS+ webpage for additional information.

Source: HRSA

Landmark Legislation to Protect 340B for CHC Patients

The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) applauds legislation that includes key reforms needed to protect the federal drug discount program known as 340B. For over 30 years, 340B has been vital to providing care to vulnerable patients, and a new bill brings them one step closer to ensuring these populations can acquire the treatment and medicine they need.

The landmark bill, 340B ACCESS Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), marks an important milestone in NACHC’s long standing efforts to protect 340B and bring together diverse stakeholders to align around a comprehensive solution with the launch of the Alliance to Save America’s 340B Program (ASAP 340B). NACHC has been working with ASAP 340B and leaders in Congress to craft a legislative solution that sustains 340B for safety net providers and patients. This legislation takes a comprehensive approach to 340B Reform that addresses issues of the most concern to health centers like contract pharmacies, intent of the program, and PBMs.

Help to get your members of Congress to support and get the legislation passed:

Take a Deep Dive into the Bill Text

Review the Summary

Review How it Benefits CHCs

Attend 340B Office Hours June 27th 3-4pm ET

Stay involved by signing up for NACHC’s call-in day next week June 5th

Source: NACHC

CMS Announces Updates to Include Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors for Hospice, Rural Health Clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers

May 28, 2024: CMS announced in a memo to State Survey Directors updates to the Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs), the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Conditions for Certification (CfCs), and the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) to implement provisions included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2023. The hospice CoPs’ update requires the hospice interdisciplinary group to include at least one social worker, marriage, and family therapist (MFT), or mental health counselor (MHC). Additionally, the RHC and FQHC CfCs update the staffing and personnel requirements to include MFTs and MHCs as part of the collaborative team approach to providing services. The RHC and FQHC CfC definitions were updated to include MFTs and MHCs as recognized staff alongside other health care professionals who are already eligible to provide services, and the definition of “nurse practitioner” was revised to align with current standards of professional practice.

Source: CMS

HRSA Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program

HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce provides up to $250,000 in loan repayment for behavioral health clinicians, support workers, and clinical support staff trained in substance use disorders.  According to data from the Rural Health Research Gateway, “as of March 31, 2023, there were 4,040 Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas in rural areas, with 2,141 practitioners needed to remove the designations.”  Find out more about eligibility and applications here.

Source: FORHP

FQHC Telehealth Policies Fact Sheet

HRSA’s National Policy Telehealth Resource Center released a fact sheet to help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) navigate Medicaid telehealth reimbursement.  Find updated information and policies for Spring 2024. Learn more about Billing Medicare as a safety-net provider here.

Source: HRSA Office for the Advancement of Telehealth

Apply for FY 2025 Expanded Hours Grant

HRSA is making available $60 million for approximately 120 grants to help HRSA-funded health centers expand their operating hours to make it easier for patients to get health care.

Expanded hours may include early weekday mornings, weekday evenings, and weekends when access to primary care may otherwise be limited or nonexistent in a community. By offering more times for patients to receive primary care, health centers will serve more people throughout the day and reduce wait times to see providers.

Applications are due in Grants.gov on Monday, June 24, and in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks on Tuesday, July 23. Visit the Expanded Hours webpage for the Notice of Funding Opportunity, technical assistance (TA) information, and other resources.

Join a TA webinar for applicants on Thursday, June 6th at 1 pm ET.

Source: HRSA

Overcoming Barriers to CEO Succession Planning

The Health Center Board Practices and Needs Assessment 2023 found that only 64% of respondents were satisfied with CEO succession planning, which is a common challenge for nonprofit boards. CEO succession planning is often misunderstood; it is not about picking the next CEO but rather about creating a roadmap for navigating a CEO absence if the need arises and navigating an executive leadership transition when the time comes. NACHC’s newest resource – informed by focus groups with health center board members and CEOs – identifies common obstacles to CEO succession planning and offers suggestions for overcoming them.

NACHC also has a toolkit that can assist boards with CEO succession planning. It outlines the two components of a CEO succession plan: 1) a Chief Executive Succession Policy and 2) Chief Executive Backup (Emergency) Plan. Templates for creating both are included and can be downloaded in Word format to allow centers to customize for their own needs.

Source: NACHC