- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- GAO Seeks New Members for Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
HHS Awards Nearly $500 Million to Workforce Programs
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a new round of funding to recruit and support primary care professionals and students for the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, and other programs building the health workforce. Through these efforts, more than 16,000 clinicians provide care to 17 million patients in underserved areas nationwide. Read more here.
Rural Infection Rate Exceeds Metropolitan Rate over 60%
By Tim Murphy and Tim Marema
Metropolitan counties accounted for more than three-quarters of the new Covid-19 cases last week. But on a per capita basis, the rate of new infections in nonmetropolitan counties is much higher.
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Domestic Violence in Rural America Increases During Pandemic
By Liz Carey
Rising economic pressures during the pandemic and limited access to transportation contributed to a rise in physical violence and abuse in rural households.
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Covid-19 Patients Swamp Rural Hospitals
By Christine Vestal
Hard-hit communities in the Midwest and Great Plains are beginning to run short on staff, beds, and ICU rooms.
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Rural Infections Break Record for Fourth Week. Rural Cases Top 1 Million
By Tim Murphy and Tim Marema
New infections climbed by 16% in rural counties last week, putting 160 more rural counties on the red-zone list.
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Tool for Rural Grant Eligibility Updated
Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer tool to include the Office of Management and Budget-revised delineations for metropolitan, micropolitan and combined statistical areas.
Surgeon General Issues HTN Call to Action
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H., issued a Call to Action urging Americans to recognize and address hypertension control as a national, public health priority. “It provides a roadmap for helping people, communities, health professionals and others improve the heart health of our nation by working together to eliminate differences in access to quality healthcare and addressing social factors that influence overall health,” stated Surgeon General Adams. “Communities can ensure that the places where people live, learn, work, play and pray support hypertension control by promoting access to and availability of physical activity opportunities, healthy food options and links between clinical services and community programs. Read the full news release.
Oral Health Education for Patients and the Chance to Win Prizes
Oral health education, be it in the classroom through school-based oral health or during the well-child visit that many families postponed, has been affected due to the current pandemic. DentaQuest and America’s ToothFairy have developed a program to help bridge that gap – just in time for Dental Hygiene Month. It is the Oral Health Action Hero Challenge that gives children a fun way to learn about good oral health habits – and win prizes – from home. Now until Nov. 9 children can complete three missions to defeat the new super-villain, BioFilm, and his gang of nasty bacteria. Finalists can win a variety of prizes, and the ultimate winner will take home a Nintendo Switch gaming console. Watch a quick video, read the press release and share the registration link with your patients!
Knock Out the Flu PA Video by Patient Safety Authority
With flu season arriving in the middle of a pandemic, it is more important than ever to encourage everyone to get their flu shot this year. Knock Out the Flu PA is a free resource provided by the PA Patient Safety Authority to share with patients, friends, family and social networks. This three-minute video explains influenza in a clear engaging way for any audience. Learn more. Watch the video.
Homeland Security Amending H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has published an interim final rule amending regulations governing the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program. The purpose of the changes is to better ensure that each H-1B worker will be working for a qualified employer in a position that meets the statutory definition of a “specialty occupation.” Comments on the interim final rule are due within 60 days of the publication of this notice in the Oct. 8, 2020 Federal Register.