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- How the State, Tribes and Federal Government Are Working to Curb SD's Syphilis Epidemic
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- RPHARM Program Fulfills Need for Rural Pharmacists
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- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Critical More Than $1.5 Billion State and Tribal Opioid Response Funding Opportunities
- Outlining the Intersection between Health Care and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
- USDA Rural Development Seeks Input to Improve Access to Grants and Help More Communities Thrive
- Rural Telehealth Extension Reintroduced in Congress
- The South Was the Center of Rural Population Growth Last Year
- Students From Across the State Emphasized the Need for Mental Health Resources in Rural Alaska During a Conference
- How HHS SUD Confidentiality Regulations Will Impact Rural Providers
Bipartisan Congressional Caucus Addresses Payments to Rural Hospitals
A newly formed Congressional caucus hopes to help rural hospitals stay open and increase the rural health workforce.
Earlier this year, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) and Diane Harshbarger (R-Tennessee) formed the Congressional Rural Health Caucus with 47 members from both sides of the aisle. The group’s goal, the representatives said, is to help inform members of Congress about rural health issues and allow them to hear directly from patients, healthcare providers and health advocates about rural healthcare challenges.
The caucus is seeking to ensure fair and adequate reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid. Two of its members have already proposed legislation to address that.
In mid-November, U.S. Representatives Carol Miller (R-West Virginia) and Terri Sewell (D-Alabama) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at giving rural hospitals better financial stability. The Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act (H.R. 6430), would extend both the Medicare-dependent hospital program and the Medicare low-volume hospital payments program for five years.
The legislation also requires the U.S. General Accountability Office to report on rural hospital classifications to ensure that those designations are bolstering rural health care.
But Representative Miller, a caucus member, said the bill’s goal was to cut federal spending in other areas and redirect it to rural healthcare through Medicare.
“It’s just what we have to do — get rid of whatever wasteful spending that we can, and make sure that we have the money that can go into the rural areas because rural health care is very important to me,” Miller said.
USDA Invests $4.7 Million to Help People in Rural Pennsylvania Access Remote Education and Health Care Resources
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director Bob Morgan today announced that Rural Development is investing $4.7 million in seven organizations to help people in rural Pennsylvania access remote education and health care resources.
“Education and health care are vital pillars to sustaining and improving the quality of life in our rural communities,” Morgan said. “The USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine program allows rural Pennsylvanians the capital necessary to ensure their students, teachers, patients, and health care professionals have the technology necessary to stay connected virtually.”
Rural Development’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants help fund real-time, interactive distance learning and telemedicine services in rural and tribal areas to increase access to education, training and health care resources that are otherwise limited or unavailable. This effort is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal that every American has access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet. Digital equity is an important component of that mission. For instance, the DLT program gives students the opportunity to participate in classes virtually. DLT funds can also help connect rural people virtually to medical professionals without leaving their home.
In total, Rural Development is investing $4,742,260 to seven projects in Pennsylvania through its DLT grant program to the following organizations:
Geisinger Clinic in Montour County – $948,741
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip one hub site and two end-user sites throughout Montour and Northumberland counties in central Pennsylvania with innovative virtual care telemedicine devices. Medical professionals at Geisinger Justin Drive in Montour County, Pennsylvania will deliver virtual nursing care to two locations benefitting 21,551 individuals.
Cen-Clear Child Services Inc. in Blair County – $150,863
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip one hub site and seven end-user sites throughout Centre, Huntingdon, Clearfield, Blair, Elk, and Mifflin counties in central Pennsylvania with interactive telehealth equipment. Medical professionals at Cen-Clear Child Services Inc. will deliver mental health care/psychiatric services and substance/opioid use disorder treatments with medication-assisted treatments to seven locations benefitting 7,435 individuals.
Conemaugh Township Area School District in Somerset County – $939,512
This Rural Development investment will be used to connect 11 hub sites and one end-user site throughout Somerset, Cambria, Blair and Allegheny counties in western Pennsylvania with telehealth and distance learning equipment. Instructors at Penn Highlands Community College, University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center and other area colleges and museums will deliver distance learning in the form of dual enrollment courses, foreign language instruction, virtual field trips, and educational experiences benefitting 483 students.
Forest Hills School District in Cambria County – $549,589
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip 11 hub sites and two end-user sites throughout Cambria, Dauphin, and Blair counties in central Pennsylvania with telecommunications equipment. Instructors at Forest Hills School District will deliver instructional content to 13 locations benefitting 1,707 students.
Port Allegany School District in McKean County – $599,382
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip two hub sites and two end-user sites throughout McKean, Warren, and Potter counties with video conferencing equipment. In addition to the mental health care services, instructors at the University of Pittsburg – Bradford and Northern Pennsylvania Regional College will provide STEM education through coding classes benefiting the same individuals. Counselors at the University of Pittsburg – Bradford and Northern Pennsylvania Regional College will deliver mental health care to two locations benefitting 507 individuals.
Punxsutawney Area Hospital Inc. in Jefferson County – $838,749
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip six hub site and one end-user site in Jefferson County in west central Pennsylvania with audio and video telemedicine technology. Medical professionals at Punxsutawney Area Hospital, Behavioral Health Services, IRMC/ PAH Specialty Services, Indiana Regional Medical Center in Jefferson County and Tyrone Penn Highlands will deliver mental health care including substance and opioid use disorder treatment, specialty consultations, in real time to pne location benefitting 5,962 individuals.
The Harrisburg Area Community College Foundation in Dauphin County – $715,424
This Rural Development investment will be used to equip three hub sites and one hub end-user site throughout Adams, Dauphin, Lancaster, and York counties in southeastern Pennsylvania with interactive teleconferencing equipment. Instructors at Harrisburg Area Community College in Dauphin, Lancaster, and York counties will deliver Biology, Business, Criminal Justice, English, Healthcare Management, Mathematics, Mechatronics, Medical Assisting, Nursing, and Psychology courses to three locations benefiting 7,620 students.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/pa.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates in Pennsylvania, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program Guidelines Available from PA Broadband Authority
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has posted the COVID-19 ARPA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program (Facilities) guidelines for review. The Facilities Program will offer $45 million in competitive grants to community anchor institutions and units of local government for community projects to construct, acquire, or improve facilities that are, or will be open to the public and will directly enable work, education, and health monitoring at the respective facility. You can review all guideline details to include eligibility and project criteria on the website.
Guidelines will be available for review from 12.12.23 – 1.10.24. The Program will be open and begin to receive applications beginning 1.11.24 and will close 4.9.24 at 11:59 PM.
Home Test to Treat Program Launches New National Service for COVID-19 and Flu Tests
The Home Test to Treat program launched as a new national COVID-19 and flu telehealth service that launched for uninsured individuals and those receiving Medicare, Medicaid, and VA insurance. This program is full service in that it provides free access to COVID-19 and flu tests, telehealth consultations, and medications (if prescribed) all from the comfort of peoples’ homes. Home Test to Treat is a program of the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics. Please spread the word to your networks using the linked communications toolkit.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to access the communications toolkit.
National Center for Transition to Adult Health Care for Youth with Disabilities Launched
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced the Center for Transition to Adult Health Care for Youth with Disabilities, a national resource center funded by ACL’s Administration on Disabilities (AoD), has launched a new website to help young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) direct their own transition to the adult health care system. The website includes resources for youth/young adults, parents/caregivers, and clinicians/ direct service providers.
Pennsylvania Department of Health Releases Updated Basic Oral Health Screening Survey Report
The Pennsylvania Department of Health Oral Health Program released an updated report, “2021-2022 Oral Health Basic Screening Survey of Third Graders.” With support from PCOH, a basic screening survey (BSS) was conducted on third-grade children to collect data on their oral health status during the 2021-2022 academic year. This report summarizes the findings of the state-wide sample and provides valuable insights into the current oral health status of children in third grade in Pennsylvania, informing future policies and programs promoting oral health among the state’s youth. They also released a one-pager of the findings briefly summarizing the report.
Click here to read the updated report.
Click here to read the one-pager.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Legislative Update
See below for important updates on oral health legislation in Pennsylvania. For more information on the bills, please contact Nicole at nicole@paoralhealth.org.
School Screenings by Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners
House Bill 1478 would amend the Public School Code allowing school districts to utilize a Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner (PHDHP) to fulfill requirements of Section 1403 of the Public School Code relating to mandated dental screenings in districts that do not employ a Certified School Dental Hygienist. This bill successfully passed through the House in October and was approved by the Senate Education Committee yesterday. HB 1478 will now move to the full Senate for consideration.
Restoring Adult Dental Coverage for Medicaid
Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will review House Bill 1417 for its third and final consideration. The advancement of HB 1417 reiterates the impact that advocates can make along with the commitment of legislators to address the oral health needs of Pennsylvanians.
Expansion of Dental Care through Technology Act
Today, House Bill 1585 will be reviewed by the House Appropriations Committee. If passed out of committee, the bill will be returned to the House Floor for its third and final consideration. This bill would define teledentistry, and more importantly authorize the regulation of teledentistry by the State Board of Dentistry, as well as ensure that teledentistry services are covered by insurance carriers.
USDA Awards Two Housing Preservation Grants in Pennsylvania
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Bob Morgan announced two Housing Preservation Grant or HPG project awards.
The two projects were awarded to Safe Housing Inc. and DON Enterprises Inc. for a total of $551,524. The projects will support more than 36 homes across five counties in Pennsylvania. The HPG program provides grants to sponsor organizations for the repair and rehabilitation of housing owned or occupied by low- and very-low-income rural citizens.
“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are making record investments in rural America to ensure everyone in this country has a path to success,” Morgan said. “The investments we’re making today will have lasting economic and social benefits that will allow current and future generations to make a good life right at home in their rural communities.”
The investments are part of President Biden’s commitment to advance equity for all, including those who have been historically underserved, marginalized and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.
Safe Housing Inc.’s grant of $275,762 will be used to conduct housing rehabilitation of owner-occupied low and very low-income residents in eligible areas of Adams County, Pennsylvania. They plan to repair six houses within Adams County. Grant funds will be used to remove health and safety hazards, correct code violations, and/or improve accessibility, if needed. The funds are an essential tool to assist folks, in Adams County, to maintain their homes. This project will help ensure that low and very low-income homeowners have a safe and decent home in which to live.
DON Enterprises Inc.’s grant of $275,762 will be used to conduct housing rehabilitation of owner-occupied low and very low-income residents in eligible areas. DON Enterprises, Inc. plans to repair 30 houses within Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania. Grant funds will be used to remove health and safety hazards, correct code violations, and/or improve accessibility if needed. The funds are an essential tool to help folks, in counties served by DON Enterprise, Inc., to maintain their homes. These funds will go a long way to ensure that low and very low-income homeowners have a safe and decent home in which to live.
Latest Telehealth Research and Papers Published
Visit the Research Articles and Papers page to find the latest in telehealth research. Browse and search research on telehealth-related topics including rural health, behavioral health, emergency health, workforce, health equity, and more.
BPHC Kicks Off Well-Being Technical Assistance Center
The Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) is using the results of the recent Community Health Center Staff Wellness Survey to build a suite of resources and services to help increase staff wellness at CHCs. You will be hearing more in this newsletter as resources become available. But you can stay up to date with new developments and resources by subscribing to a mailing list to receive the latest news. By subscribing, you’ll benefit from immediate access to new resources and tools, timely notifications about upcoming events and webinars, and tailored information to address workforce well-being challenges.