On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced nearly $27 million to expand mental health care for children through training and expert support via teleconsultation for pediatricians and primary care providers.  Phone lines for provider consultation are already available in 31 states and the District of Columbia.  Administered through HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the new program was moved into action by a national strategy to address the mental health crisis announced earlier this year.

Monday, October 3^rd was Child Health Day 2022, an observance and recommitment to the health and well-being of children and their families.  HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) released the annual National Survey of Children’s Health, the largest national- and state-level dataset on children’s health, producing key measures meant to inform research, policymaking, and public health efforts at every level of government.  MCHB funds and directs the survey, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, to learn more about child well-being on a range of topics including physical & mental health, special health care needs, and adverse childhood experiences.  There’s also a wide range of information on socio-demographics such as race/ethnicity, poverty, insurance status, and geographic location.  Recently, we reported on new research that used earlier NSCH data to discover that, though rural children face higher rates of adverse childhood experiences, they’re also more likely to report positive childhood experiences.  New information in the 2021 dataset includes various effects of COVID-19, nutrition habits for preschoolers, and a look at whether or not children face discrimination based on a disability or health condition. MCHB also provides a 2021 NSCH data brief: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Researchers analyzed data on the training and placement of 12,162 clinically active physicians who completed an accredited family medicine residency between 2008 and 2012. They found that more than 90 percent of residents had no rural training during that time and only 14 percent practiced in a rural location by 2018.  But the data showed that rural exposure during family medicine residency training is associated with a 5- to 6-fold increase in subsequent rural practice.

This Health Affairs article from the FORHP-funded Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Technical Assistance Program discusses approaches rural hospitals may take to address health workforce challenges as they consider converting to the new Rural Emergency Hospital designation. The RRPD-TA program supports graduate medical education (GME) in rural areas and provides resources to RRPD award recipients and other organizations interested in learning more about rural residency program development and GME.

​Submission period applies to PennDOT-owned projects and infrastructure

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Office of Public-Private Partnerships (P3) announced today that it is accepting unsolicited proposals for transportation projects from the private sector through October 31.

The submission period applies to PennDOT-owned projects and infrastructure. During this period, the private sector can submit proposals offering innovative ways to deliver transportation projects across a variety of modes including roads, bridges, rail, aviation, and ports. Proposals can also include more efficient models to manage existing transportation-related services and programs.

The private sector may also submit applications for non-PennDOT-owned assets directly to the P3 board during this time. Transportation entities outside of the governor’s jurisdiction, such as transit authorities, may establish their own timelines or accept proposals year-round. Unsolicited proposals are being accepted through 11:59 p.m. on October 31. Instructions on how to submit a project and information on the unsolicited proposal review process can be found on the state’s P3 website, www.P3.pa.gov.

The state’s P3 law allows PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining, and financing transportation-related projects.

As part of the P3 law, the seven-member Public Private Transportation Partnership Board was appointed to examine and approve potential public-private transportation projects. If the board determines a state operation would be more cost-effectively administered by a private company, the company will be authorized to submit a proposal and enter into a contract to either completely or partially take over that operation for a defined period of time.

The next unsolicited proposal acceptance period will occur in April 2023. To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, including active projects, visit www.P3.pa.gov.

Congratulations to the 40 fellows selected for the 2022-2023 Class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute!

This class of ARC’s leadership development program includes a diverse network of professionals representing all 13 Appalachian states and a wide spectrum of perspectives and sectors, including tourism, healthcare, education, civil service, and more.

“These leaders are already growing their Appalachian communities and will be even better equipped to drive positive change after their work with this program,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I am eager to see this class of fellows collaborate across state lines to set big goals that will help the entire Appalachian region thrive.”

Over the next nine months, the fellows will participate in sessions focused on skill-building with regional experts, peer-to-peer learning, and case study analysis. They will then join a robust network of program alumni across the region.  Click here to read about the 2022-2023 Class!

The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) made this declaration for Florida, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico after determining that the devastation of Hurricane Iain required an urgent response from the federal government.  Recent public health emergencies include COVID-19, Monkeypox, and the opioid epidemic; naming an event as such allows agencies within HHS to bypass the typically lengthy process to make grants, enter into contracts, and rapidly investigate the cause, treatment, or prevention of a disease or disorder. For natural disasters, this means putting personnel from the National Disaster Medical System on the ground in affected areas and collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and regional coordinators of HHS’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, also known as ASPR.  The Rural Health Information Hub has a wealth of information on the challenges specific to rural areas and links to resources for disaster preparedness and response.

See below for recently released information about the Inflation Reduction Act.  You can view a timeline showing when these changes happen in the Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Health Insurance Marketplace®.   Also the See Frequently Asked Questions has information about reduced drug prices and enhanced Medicare benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act.

It is FLU season and CMS has prepared Partner materials to be shared with the public!  These can be accessed on CMS.gov using the links below.

• 2022 Partner flu toolkit
• 2022 Partner flu toolkit (Spanish)
• Medicare flu shot images
• Medicare flu shot images (Spanish)

This CDC page of helpful FAQs is a great resource, too.  Remember that it’s safe to receive the updated COVID booster at the same time as the Medicare flu shot.

The federal resource telehealth.hhs.gov outlines how to build a school telehealth program and prepare students and guardians for attending telehealth appointments.  The guide is also available in Spanish.