As part of an ongoing effort by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) to assess the extent to which FORHP-administered grant programs align with the needs of rural communities, HRSA has published a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting public comment.  Respondents are asked to comment on whether and how the eligibility criteria governing FORHP’s community-based grant programs affect rural communities’ ability to leverage grant funding through FORHP.  RFI responses must be provided via email to RFIComments@hrsa.gov and must reference “Rural Health Grants Eligibility RFI” in the title.  Submissions are due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 23, 2019. HRSA will not accept hard-copy responses or other formats. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $2.27 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants  were awarded to cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations to support a comprehensive system of primary medical care, medication, and essential support services for people with HIV in the United States.  The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau, plays a leading role in the Administration’s new Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative.  According to most recent data, there are more than 12,000 RWHAP clients who visited only rural providers.  Of these, 85.5 percent were virally suppressed, meaning that HIV levels have an “undetectable” status following consistent use of daily antiretroviral therapy.  Access the list of grantees here.

It’s worth your time to apply. This NHSC loan repayment option has a higher acceptance rate than others because of its exclusive availability to a small cohort.

Start your application today.

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP) application has been extended and will now close on Thursday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Read the Application and Program Guidance (PDF-1.2 MB) carefully before you start your application.

About the Program: S2S LRP provides up to $120,000 in tax-free student loan repayment to medical (MD and DO) or dental (DDS or DMD) students in their final year of school.

• You commit to provide primary health care at an approved NHSC site in a Health Professional Shortage Area of greatest need after graduating.
• Service commitment is full-time for at least 3 years or part-time for 6 years.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or national and enrolled in an eligible medical or dental degree program at a U.S. accredited school.
• Installments are paid to you annually in a lump sum. When applied to qualified health professional student loans, these can significantly lower your overall student debt by reducing accrued interest.
• You may continue service through the NHSC Loan Repayment Program and could potentially pay off all of your educational debt.

Additional Resources

• Application and Program Guidance (PDF-1.2 MB)
• Fact Sheet (PDF-190 KB)
• Search for NHSC-approved sites on the Health Workforce Connector

Stories from the Field: Dr. Brian Freeman, Fairfax, VA

Trust for America’s Health released a report which highlights evidence-based and cross-sector approaches that can improve adolescents’ life circumstances, protect them from harm and can assist in creating mentoring programs and connections for teens that may help to save lives. Over the last decade, there has been an 87 percent increase in suicide rates – an alarming statistic. This report shares changes in policies, funding, and programs. To read the report, click here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “HIV stigma includes negative attitudes and beliefs about people with HIV. It is the prejudice that comes with labeling an individual as part of a group that is believed to be socially unacceptable. HIV discrimination is the act of treating people with HIV differently than those without HIV.” In response to research that has shown how providers with limited stigma reduction education are more likely to exhibit stigmatizing behavior towards their patients, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) has created Talking Points: The Resource Guide for Facilitating Stigma Conversations. This “microsite” also includes videos, tools and tips on how to implement your own stigma conversation.

Fierce Health reports that two major federal rules aimed at stopping information blocking and spurring data sharing are now one step closer to being finalized. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s (ONC) interoperability and information blocking rule is now under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the last step before publication. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed interoperability rule also is under review at OMB. That rule would require insurers participating in CMS-run programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the federal Affordable Care Act exchanges by Jan. 1 to have the capability to give 125 million patients electronic access to their personal health information at no cost to patients. The new rules are a centerpiece of the 21st Century Cures Act and are designed to drive increased efficiency and transparency in health care and expand patient access to their healthcare information. Organizations that do not comply with the new regulations, which apply to essentially any organization handling patient medical records, could face substantial penalties. The combined rules will have significant implications for healthcare providers, payers, and health IT vendors.

In celebration of National Rural Health Day, HRSA is hosting a Virtual Job Fair specifically for health care facilities serving rural communities. It takes place Wednesday, November 20, 2019 from 6:45-10:15 pm ET.  Employers and job seekers can register here. HRSA’s virtual job fairs connect job-seeking primary care trainees and practicing clinicians with health centers with employment opportunities.

An October 28, 2019 interview with Rachel Levine, MD, the Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, addressed rural hospital closures and the state’s approach to sustainability. She described the Department of Health pilot as moving from a fee-for-service arrangement to a monthly global budget, which emphasizes population health and outpatient services.  Read more.