Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

CDC National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine – February 22-24

Beginning Monday, February 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold a virtual event over three days to promote the most effective strategies for building confidence and increasing access to the vaccine nationwide.  Community health stakeholders including pharmacies, labor associations, faith-based organizations, and academic institutions are encouraged to attend and hear from leaders at every level of government and across sectors.

Black Mental Health Matters Webinar

Black Mental Health Matters is a two-part webinar Series in honor of National Black History Month and facilitated by Dr. Eunice Peterson, a board-certified Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. The webinar is an interactive presentation with a Q&A session designed to provide participants with an understanding of how racism impacts mental health. Registration is required for this free event.

Caring for Women with Opioid Use Disorder

The HRSA Office of Women’s Health is excited to announce the availability of Caring for Women with Opioid Use Disorder: A Toolkit for Organizational Leaders and Providers (PDF – 5.8 MB). Communities throughout our nation continue to be impacted by the opioid epidemic, which has been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women are uniquely impacted by opioid use: women who use opioids progress to dependence more quickly than men, experience more cravings, and are more likely to relapse. Because opioid use disproportionately impacts those living in medically underserved areas, HRSA-supported settings are uniquely positioned to address this health crisis.

The toolkit developed by the HRSA Office of Women’s Health, with support from the HHS Office on Women’s Health, provides resources and information to bolster care coordination services for women with opioid use disorder. A webinar introducing this toolkit and how to navigate it will be held on January 28. For questions or comments related to the toolkit, please contact HRSAOWH@hrsa.gov.

NRHA’s 32nd Annual Rural Health Policy Institute Goes Virtual

NRHA will host their 32nd Annual Rural Health Policy Institute February 9-11th, 2021, via NRHA’s virtual platform. Policy Institute is the largest rural advocacy event in the nation and provides attendees the opportunity to learn first-hand about the development and implementation of rural health care policy at the federal level. This year’s event will feature key policy makers and health care leaders from the Executive Branch and Congress, as well as a dedicated time to discuss addressing health disparities facing rural communities. Come join rural health care professionals from across the nation as they discuss the critical issues facing rural communities, and don’t miss out on your opportunity to share your voice with the new Administration and 117th Congress. You can register and find more information about the event by clicking here. NRHA’s 32nd Annual Rural Health Policy Institute is an event you will not want to miss!

National Rural Health Day is November 19

Join HRSA as they celebrate National Rural Health Day on Thursday, November 19. HRSA Administrator Tom Engels will kick off the day with opening remarks at 10 a.m. ET, followed by a welcome from Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, Jeff Colyer.

Also featured will be a presentation by HRSA’s rural grantees discussing their resiliency and innovation during the COVID-19 public health emergency. HRSA will host a variety of events throughout the week which are open to the public.

View the agenda showcasing information and resources from across HRSA and HHS.

Registration Now Open for Rural Assembly Everywhere

Registration has officially begun for Rural Assembly Everywhere. You can be one of the first to claim your spot and join us Oct. 26 to 30 for a great lineup of speakers, breakouts and happy hours.

This includes all the keynote speakers we’ve announced so far, such as New York Times bestselling author and journalist Sarah Smarsh, Krista Tippett of The On Being Project, Harvard University political theorist Dr. Danielle Allen, and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

Register today to attend Rural Assembly Everywhere and take part in the conversation, free and from anywhere!

Rural Assembly Everywhere is a virtual festival for the curious and the critical, the listeners and the connectors. It’s geared toward rural allies, neighbors, and admirers. The goal of Rural Assembly Everywhere is to create an experience that will inform, entertain, inspire, and demonstrate how we belong to each other. Learn more and register at ruralassembly.org/everywhere.

Using Social Media for Back-to-School Outreach

On Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 2:00 pm, InsurekidsNow.gov will present a webinar focused on the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign. This webinar will help organizations leverage social media to reach parents and other community members at the local level and amplify messages that encourage families to enroll and renew Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) health coverage. Using the back-to-school season as a key moment in time, this webinar will provide an overview of the mostly widely used social media platforms by parents, explain the differences, discuss best practices for each, and share useful resources that can help organizations incorporate these tactics to reach more families and get them to take action in the new school yearTo participate, register here.

2021 Pennsylvania Marketplace Plan Preview Webinars

MARK YOUR CALENDAR – PACHC will be hosting two webinars to preview the 2021 PA State-based Health Insurance Marketplace plans on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. These webinars will provide enrollment assisters with information on individual plan design offerings for the upcoming enrollment period which begins on Nov. 1, 2020 and ends Jan 15, 2021. Each plan presentation will be 20-25 minutes with time for questions from attendees. Assisters need to be familiar with changes in provider networks, tiering and plan benefits to aid consumers in making the best choice for their needs.

UDS Training Save the Dates

The 2020 UDS Training will be held virtually on the mornings of Dec.3, Dec. 8, and Dec. 10 (specific time is TBD).  Please mark your calendars for all dates as this will be held in a three-part series including dedicated time for Q&A.  Attendees will:

  • Gain an understanding of UDS reporting requirements including the patient profile, clinical services and quality of care indicators, operational and financial tables, and other required UDS reporting forms.
  • Learn about the new measures and requirements included in 2020 reporting.
  • Learn tips for success including strategies for submission.

More information and registration will open at a later date.  For questions, please contact Amanda Tekely.