- Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans, and It's Not Just Due to Lack of Health Care
- Promotoras Play Essential Role in Connecting Farmworkers with Health Care in Rural NorCal
- Using Medicaid to Address Young People's Mental Health Needs in School Settings
- Across the Country, Amish Populations Are on the Rise
- Sunsets, Wildlife and Limited Care: Challenges of Aging in Place in Rural America
- City-Country Mortality Gap Widens amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access
- Tribal Environmental Impact Network
- Minnesota's Rural Ambulance Providers Look to State Capitol for Their Own Lifeline
- Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Support the Primary Care Workforce
- Over 3,000 Homes on the Navajo Nation Receive Accurate Addresses for the First Time
- Rural Population Grows for Second Consecutive Year
- Rapides Library Offers Telehealth to a Town Without Doctors
- Rural Infection Preventionists Need Community Support
- New Federal Health IT Strategy Sets Sights on a Heathier, More Innovative, and More Equitable Health Care Experience
- Upcoming Virtual Workshop: Partnering for Success: Building Partnerships for Health Workforce Training and Education
Pennsylvanians in Phase 1B Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine: 1B includes those in Congregate Care; Postal Service, Manufacturing and Transit Workers; and Clergy
Starting April 5, 2021, Pennsylvanians in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan are now eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment to become protected against the virus. Phase 1B eligible Pennsylvanians include:
- People in congregate settings not otherwise specified as long-term care facilities, and persons receiving home and community-based services
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Clergy and other essential support for houses of worship
- Public transit workers
- Education workers
Teachers and school staff for pre-K through 12 were vaccinated under a special initiative that concluded April 2 and that resulted in more than 112,500 vaccinations. Vaccinations continue for child care workers who are also part of that special initiative. All other education workers, including those in higher education, are now eligible for vaccination as part of 1B. Last week, Acting Secretary Alison Beam also announced that targeted frontline industries were eligible March 31.
“Our revised vaccination eligibility plan means more Pennsylvanians now have access to the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine as vaccine supply increases and providers and counties establish easier access to appointments,” Gov. Wolf said.
The remainder of the accelerated plan includes eligibility as follows:
- April 12 all residents in Phase 1C will be eligible to start scheduling vaccination appointments.
- April 19, all residents will be eligible to start scheduling vaccination appointments.
Pennsylvania’s vaccination plan can be found here.
Those eligible for an appointment can access the provider map available here. People without internet access can contact the Health Hotline by calling 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: 4/1/21 – Reaching Vulnerable Populations
As COVID-19 vaccines continue rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS.
With information coming from many different sources, CMS has up-to-date resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information, visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.
COVID-19 VACCINE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Many groups such as older adults and people with disabilities may have substantial challenges accessing COVID-19 vaccination services and warrant specific considerations to support equitable vaccine access. The CDC has provided guidance, tools and toolkits and other COVID-19 vaccine resources to support vulnerable populations who are a higher risk, to help them make decisions, protect their health, and communicate with their communities.
Toolkit for People with Disabilities – The CDC has created a toolkit to help people with disabilities and those who serve or care for them make decisions, protect their health, and communicate with their communities. This toolkit has several resources including:
- Guidance for Vaccinating Older Adults and People with Disabilities: Ensuring Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Access – This document summarizes what jurisdictions should consider when planning to vaccinate older adults and people with disabilities living in the community.
- Vaccine Considerations for People with Disabilities – This webpage provides information for people with disabilities or conditions and for their care providers.
- Guidance for Direct Service Providers for People with Disabilities – This webpage provides information for direct service providers who provide a wide variety of home and community-based, health-related services that support people with disabilities.
Vaccinating Homebound Persons With COVID-19 Vaccine – COVID-19 vaccination of homebound persons presents unique challenges to ensure safe and effective vaccination, This webpage provides guidance on management of vaccines and vaccination for persons vaccinated at home or in small group settings.
Toolkit for People Experiencing Homelessness – This webpage provides guidance and tools to help homeless service providers make decisions and protect and communicate with staff and with people who are experiencing homelessness.
COVID-19 vaccines for patients in dialysis clinics – The federal government is partnering with dialysis organizations, local and state jurisdictions to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines for patients and healthcare personnel in outpatient dialysis clinics. This webpage provides information for dialysis partners and public health jurisdictions to ensure equitable and effective access to COVID-19 vaccines and increase availability of COVID-19 vaccines for patients in dialysis clinics.
Other Communications Resources
April is National Minority Health Month, and this year, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focusing on the impacts COVID-19 is having on racial and ethnic minority and American Indian and Alaska Native communities and underscoring the need for these vulnerable communities to get vaccinated as more vaccines become available. The theme for National Minority Health Month is #VaccineReady.
Spread the word by accessing and sharing the resources in the National Minority Health Month Toolkit, which has resources, sample social media messages, and downloadable graphics.
To learn more about National Minority Health Month, visit our website (English | Spanish), sign up to receive email updates on news and activities, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
NEW COVID-19 Public Education Campaign – HHS just launched We Can Do This, a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures such as mask wearing and social distancing. Campaign resources and toolkits are available to reach diverse communities. More information can be found here.
Communication Resources Updates – The CDC recently updated it’s Communication Resources for COVID-19 Vaccines and the Social Media Toolkit: COVID-19 Vaccinations with the latest and most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine information.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
NEW Guidance for Providers: COVID-19 Vaccine Administration – No Out-of-Pocket Cost to Patients
NEW Resources for Medicare beneficiaries:
- Stay Protected from COVID-19 – Medicare Covers the Vaccine card
- Bring Your Medicare Card When You Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine card
For more information, please contact us at: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov
Appalachian Research Journal Publishes Coronavirus Research Results
The Journal of Appalachian Health has many research articles pertaining to the Coronavirus pandemic. Check them out HERE:
COVID-19 and Opioid Use in Appalachian Kentucky: Challenges and Silver Linings
Authors: Rachel Vickers-Smith, Hannah L.F. Cooper, April M. Young
Rural Appalachia Battling the Intersection of Two Crises: COVID-19 and Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Margaret Miller, Rebekah Rollston, Kate E. Beatty, Michael Meit
Impact of the COVID-19 Shutdown on Mental Health in Appalachia by Working Status
Authors: Erin N. Haynes, Timothy J. Hilbert, Susan C. Westneat, Kate Leger, Katie Keynton, et al.
A Description of COVID-19 Lifestyle Restrictions Among a Sample of Rural Appalachian Women
Authors: Michele Staton, Martha Tillson, J. Matthew Webster
Authors: Tauna Gulley, Teresa Tyson, Ethan Collins, Rachel Helton, Paula Hill-Collins, et al.
Advancing Cancer Prevention Practice Facilitation Work in Rural Primary Care During COVID-19
Authors: Dannell Boatman, Susan Eason, Mary E. Conn, Summer Miller, Stephenie Kennedy-Rea
Poll Finds Rural Residents More Hesitant to Get Vaccinated
Author: Tim Marema
Addressing Opioid Overdose Deaths in the Workplace
NIOSH recently published a video called Addressing Opioid Overdose Deaths in the Workplace. The video can help employers decide whether to have naloxone, an effective drug for reversing opioid overdoses, available in their workplace. The video also gives employers and workers information on how to implement and maintain a workplace naloxone program.
To learn more, see our factsheet.
NIOSH: April Is Workplace Violence Awareness Month
Workplace violence is any type of violence or threat of violence against workers. It generally occurs in the workplace but can also happen away from it. Workplace violence can range from threats and verbal abuse to more serious events that lead to physical assaults, homicides, and mass casualty events, such as those that occurred recently at workplaces in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boulder, Colorado. Because April is Workplace Violence Awareness month, we would like to share resources on what we know based on research and also where research gaps still exist.
Workplace violence can occur anywhere and at any time, but certain groups of workers are at increased risk. These groups include those who exchange money with the public; transport passengers, goods, or services; work alone or in small groups late at night or early in the morning; and come into close contact as they treat and provide patient care. Examples include retail workers, nurses, taxi drivers, and others who commonly interact with customers, clients, or patients. However, workplace violence doesn’t have to involve workers and customers or clients. Threats and assaults can also come from other employees, supervisors or managers, a domestic partner, or a current or former spouse.
Opioid and Substance Use Strategies for CAHs
The HRSA/FORHP-funded Flex Monitoring Team has released their archived webinar on opioid and substance use in rural communities. The webinar took place in February to accompany a policy brief published last year. The webinar discusses why Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) should address these issues, provides a framework to support them in this work, and provides examples of activities CAHs are participating in.
Updated Guidance on Emergency Preparedness Requirements
On March 26, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance interpreting the emergency preparedness requirements in the Burden Reduction Final Rule of 2019, which applies to all providers and suppliers. In response to the public health emergency, the guidance also provides best practices, lessons learned, and planning considerations for emerging infectious diseases.
Post-acute Care Trajectories for Rural Medicare Beneficiaries: Planned versus Actual Hospital Discharges to Skilled Nursing Facilities and Home Health Agencies
Post-acute care services are designed to help patients transition from hospitalization in acute care facilities to their homes. Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies provide the majority of post-acute care services to Medicare beneficiaries. This study from the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center used Medicare administrative data for rural, fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries to describe post-acute care trajectories following acute hospitalization and examine differences between planned discharge disposition from the hospital and actual post-acute care received.
COMING SOON: Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) will make $3.2 billion available to qualifying households to lower the cost of high-speed internet service, providing discounts on internet service bills and an opportunity for a computer or tablet. The EBB program is similar to the Lifeline program with expanded eligibility, vendors, and subsidies. We encourage you to develop a plan now to support patients to apply promptly after the application period is announced by the end of April; funds are expected to go quickly. Read more here.
HHS Reports on Risk of COVID-19 Infections in Fee-For-Service Medicare
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services points to several factors raising the risk of infections, hospitalization, and deaths. These risks vary across the country, with some geographic areas having higher concentrations of at-risk beneficiaries. This issue brief provides information on risk scores at the national, state, and county level, and includes a database of risk scores by county.