Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

USDA Rural Development Accepting Applications for Single Family Housing Direct Loans in Pennsylvania

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USDA Rural Development in Pennsylvania is calling for applications for Single Family Housing Direct Loans.

Also known as the Section 502 Direct Loan Program, this program assists low and very low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability. Payment assistance is a type of subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment for a short time. The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted family income.

In 2020, the program provided more than $17.5 million in funding for 103 rural Pennsylvania families. For questions regarding application requirements for the Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program, please contact:

Gary Tam
(717) 237-2183
gary.tam@usda.gov

Patrick Hanafin
(717) 237-2276
Patrick.Hanafin@usda.gov

Megan Jaxheimer
(484) 795-7615
megan.jaxheimer@usda.gov

Effective Dec. 1, 2020, the current interest rate for Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans is 2.5 percent for low and very low-income borrowers. Applications for funding for this program are accepted year round.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports housing, infrastructure improvements, business development, high-speed internet access, and community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/pa. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

U.S. Census Bureau Releases First 2020 Census Results

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Pennsylvania Continues Modest Population Growth; Loses 1 House Seat

Pennsylvania’s resident population increased 2.4 percent since the last Decennial Census to 13,002,700 total persons, according to the official 2020 Census counts released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Commonwealth is now the fifth largest state in the nation.

Pennsylvania’s apportionment population, which includes those stationed overseas and their families, was 13,011,844 which was a 2.2% increase from Pennsylvania’s 2010 apportionment population (12,734,905). As a result, the number of legislators representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives will decline for the tenth straight census, declining by one seat in Congress and reducing the state’s total number to 17.

April 27, 2021 is the first release of 2020 Census data and includes only the official national and state population counts which are used to determine how many seats in the House of Representatives each state is entitled. The U.S. Constitution requires the U.S. Census Bureau to report these results to the President.

The apportionment population total, which includes U.S. Armed Forces personnel and federal civilian employees stationed outside the United States (and their dependents living with them), determines which states gain or lose representation in Congress. Texas realized the biggest increase in congressional seats, gaining two seats. A total of six states gained at least one seat, while seven states lost one or more seats.

The resident population of the United States increased to a total of 331,449,281, an increase of 7.4 percent during the last decade. This growth-rate is below the 9.7 percent increase from 2000 to 2010 and is the slowest rate since 1940. Among the states, Utah experienced the most rapid population growth over the last decade at 18.4 percent. West Virginia had the largest percentage decrease (-3.2 percent).

By September 30, 2021, the Director of the Census Bureau will, in accordance with Public Law (P.L.) 94-171, furnish the Governor and State legislative leaders with 2020 census population counts for state legislative districts, counties, municipalities, census tract, and other geographies. In addition to apportioning congressional seats and supporting each state’s redistricting process, data from the 2020 Census will influence how much state and federal funding communities receive over the course of the decade.

Access the data at: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-apportionment-data.html

APHA Releases Statement on Oral Health Care for Pregnant Women

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The American Public Health Association (APHA) released a new policy statement regarding the importance of improving oral health care access for pregnant women. Oral health is integral to overall health and a healthy pregnancy, yet less than half of pregnant women in the United States report receiving routine dental care during pregnancy. Oral diseases during pregnancy can negatively impact birth outcomes and women’s quality of life. The policy statement describes this major public health problem, along with opposing arguments, evidence-based strategies and action steps, at federal, state, and local levels.

Click here for more information.

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: 4/22/21 – HHS Campaigns and Initiatives

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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 encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information, visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.

SPREAD THE WORD

As of Monday, April 19, 2021, every person 16 years and older in the United States will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. You can help spread the word so every adult knows they are now eligible. Use the NEW COVID-19 Community Corps Social Media Toolkit to spread the word about expanded eligibility.

HHS Campaigns

HHS just launched a COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, We Can Do This, which is 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. NEW toolkits are now available for different populations including:

These toolkits include helpful resources such as fact sheets, videos, posters, print ads and social media. For more information, go to the Campaign Resources and Toolkits page, and search the available resources by audience, format and language to find what you need for the people that you serve.

Share VaccineFinder: Call, text, or forward this email to people you know who are having trouble finding a vaccine in their area. Vaccination is the best tool to defeat this pandemic – access shouldn’t be a barrier. You can find the VaccineFinder here.

HHS Initiatives

April is National Minority Health Month. This year, HHS 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.

Visit the website (English | Spanish), sign up to receive email updates on news and activities, and follow HHS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

For more information, please contact us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov

New Hospital Rankings Assess Hospitals’ Contributions To Community Health With A Focus On Equity

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Health Affairs

Authors:  Caroline F. Plott , Rachel L. J. Thornton, Irene Dankwa-Mullan, Ekta Punwani, Hema Karunakaram, Kyu Rhee, Kelly Jean Thomas Craig, and Joshua M. Sharfstein

US hospitals have some of the most highly trained practitioners, advanced medical treatments, and highest per capita health care spending in the world. Yet, people living in the US have worse health outcomes compared to most high-income nations. From 2015 to 2017, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy in the US declined for the first time in nearly a century. In addition, substantial health disparities persist along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated and reinforced these disparities: In 2020, Black Americans’ life expectancy has been projected to decrease by three years and Hispanic Americans’ life expectancy by two years, while the country’s overall life expectancy decreased by one year compared to 2017.

This paradox is rooted in the social drivers of health. Economic, environmental, educational, and social factors impact rates of illness in the population. Solutions include investments in primary care and public health, efforts to address the social causes of disease, and a commitment to health equity, defined by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as when “everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.” The role of hospitals in contributing to these solutions is evolving. In 2017, the National Academies of Medicine found that the most effective hospital contributions to the care of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations are “community informed and patient-centered systems practices” that include (1) commitment to health equity, (2) data and measurement, (3) comprehensive needs assessment, (4) collaborative partnerships, (5) care continuity, and (6) engaging patients in their care. And the call for hospital rankings to incorporate community health and equity into their assessments is growing.

Read the full article.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Webinar Scheduled for Consumers and Outreach Partners

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On Tuesday, April 27 starting at 3:00 p.m. EDT, the FCC will host a public webinar to provide information on the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB).

The EBB was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. It is a temporary program that provides a discount of up to $50 per month ($75 on Tribal lands) off a qualifying households’ internet bill. For eligible households there is the potential for a discount of up to $100 towards the purchase of a tablet, laptop or desktop computer from a participating provider so long as the eligible purchaser contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

The webinar can be viewed live at fcc.gov/live. The webinar will provide consumers and outreach partners with an overview of the EBB program, eligibility information, and enrollment procedures. During the event, the FCC will provide an overview of the outreach tool kit materials that have been developed for partners and the public to use to create awareness about the temporary program.

Registration is not required for the webinar.

FCC Announces Round 2 COVID-19 Telehealth Program Application Portal Will Open On April 29

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Round 2 of Telehealth Program Will Provide an Additional $249 Million to Support Health Care Providers and Patients In All 50 States, DC, and Territories

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau will begin accepting applications for Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET at www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth. The filing window will last seven calendar days and close on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET. Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program is a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.

“For over a year, health care providers have fought on the front lines of this pandemic and have had to rapidly innovate to support the health and well-being of all Americans. Telehealth has been at the forefront of this effort and I’m pleased to announce that additional support is just around the corner,” said Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Today the FCC announced it will open the application process for the second half of COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding later this month. The FCC is dedicated to moving quickly to review and approve applications for this funding to support health care providers and patients across the country.”

The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional information on eligibility and the application process, review the Application Process Guidance available on the Universal Service Administrative Company’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program webpage at https://www.usac.org/about/covid-19-telehealth-program/.

Questions specific to the application process should be directed to Round2TelehealthApplicationSupport@usac.org.

HHS Announces the Largest Ever Funding Allocation for Navigators and Releases Final Numbers for 2021 Marketplace Open Enrollment

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that to continue its efforts to increase access to enrollment assistance for consumers, the Centers for Medicare & Services (CMS) will make $80 million available in grants to Navigators in Federal Marketplaces for the 2022 plan year. The funding, which will be used for outreach and education efforts, is the largest allocation CMS has made available for Navigator grants to date and represents an eight fold increase in funding from the previous year. CMS invested $10 million annually in the Navigator program beginning with funding awarded in 2018 for the 2019 plan year. CMS awarded $36.2 million in 2017 for the 2018 plan year, down from a high of $63 million awarded in 2016 for the 2017 plan year.

Details about the Navigator grant funding, including eligibility requirements and required Navigator duties, are available through the 2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Forecast. The 2021 Navigator NOFO will be released later this spring as indicated in the NOFO Forecast. All information contained in the forecast is subject to change, including the availability of funding. No applications are being accepted at this time.

Consumers who live in a state that operates its own Marketplace platform should visit their state Marketplace website or call center for more information about enrolling in coverage.

Pennsylvania Ag Secretary Hosts Virtual Discussion Encouraging Confidence in Science to Pennsylvania Ag Industry

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With all Pennsylvania adults now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding hosted a virtual discussion with Pennsylvania farmers who have already received the COVID-19 vaccine. They were joined by Dr. Mark Goedecker, regional medical director for WellSpan Health, who discussed the value of vaccinated Pennsylvanians sharing their story to boosting confidence and acceptance among others.

“This vaccine is as essential as our agriculture industry and we want to arm them with the information they need to make decisions with confidence,” said Redding. “Today we heard from farmers who shared their ‘why’ for getting vaccinated and that commonly included something more essential than food and health: family.

“We’ve all missed out over the past year, and one thing we can’t afford to lose is more time with those we love. Parents, children, brothers and sisters – there’s nothing to replace them. They are the ultimate reason.”

Those who work in Pennsylvania’s essential food and agriculture industry and choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine are protecting themselves, their family, their co-workers, and their community. In addition to this, they’re protecting the availability and accessibility of food. Vaccination is a personal decision which is highly influenced by confidence. Vaccine champions – those who have already been successfully vaccinated – are critical to building community confidence.

“At WellSpan Health we are committed to decreasing vaccine hesitancy, and it starts with educating those in our communities on the science, while also working to remove barriers to accessing the vaccine,” explained Goedecker. “We can and will overcome this pandemic, but it takes all of us doing our part to make that a reality. This shot of hope is a huge step in getting us there.”

Dr. Goedecker discussed the importance of those interested in learning about the COVID-19 vaccine to find information from credible sources that are regularly updated. And while the internet is a useful tool for research, when it comes to health-related issues the internet should not replace a discussion with a healthcare professional.

During a Facebook Live event, three Pennsylvania farmers discussed their reasons for choosing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Chris Hoffman, PA Farm Bureau Vice President, Mifflin & Juniata County Farmer

“I got the COVID-19 vaccine to protect my health and my family’s health,” said Hoffman. “Plus, if I do get COVID down the line, the antibodies from the vaccine will lessen the affect and decrease my risk for serious illness.

“I understand that getting the vaccine is a personal choice, but I have chosen to trust the science…just as I do on the farm. We use vaccine to protect the health and safety of our animals in our herd. If we accept science and technology in farming, we should do the same for our own health.”

John Good, The Good Farm, Lehigh County Organic Vegetable Farmer

“We operate a small family farm with a three- to five-person field-crew. One of our greatest fears over the past year was getting sick with COVID-19 and unable to work for a few weeks,” said Good. “This would be incredibly difficult for us to deal with during any season on a vegetable farm, when production schedules are always extremely tight. It could ruin our entire season. Another reason that was very important for us was to be able to spend more time with our parents, who are high-risk individuals.”

Recognizing some farmers are on the fence and leery about the process, John provided some advice and perspective.

“It’s worth it for so many reasons. The sense of relief you will feel after you get your shots and know it’s one less thing you will have to worry about in the background of an always busy farming season is probably reason enough,” said Good. “But also, the only way we are going to end this pandemic once and for all is through vaccination. We felt it was our duty as responsible citizens to be a part of that solution.

“The vaccination process was very efficient and simple. We had minor side effects like a sore arm and feeling a little under the weather for a day, but nothing too big. We are so happy to see widely available vaccinations and a decreasing level of community spread in our county,” added Good.

Phoebe Brubaker, Village Acres Farm, Juniata County Vegetable and Flower Farmer

“I couldn’t wait to get vaccinated. It gave me so much hope that we could safely return to our farmers markets and distribution sites this summer without worrying about spreading a dangerous virus to our customers,” said Brubaker. “It’s also a way for me to protect my mom, who is in her late seventies, and a very integral part of our farming operation.”

Phoebe talked about the impact of COVID-19 on rural communities. While COVID-19 hit them later than more urban areas of Pennsylvania, hospitals were quickly overwhelmed.

“We need to do our part to protect our communities and our elders,” Brubaker added. “They hold a wealth of information about farming and many have weathered the hardships of small pox and measles outbreaks. They did their part to get vaccinated then and control the disease. Now it’s our turn.”

State Resources

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.