- Weathering the Storm Together: Community Resiliency Hubs Hold the Promise of Local Self-Sufficiency and Supportive Mutual Aid
- Virginia Tech Researchers Bring Rural Families into the Nation's Largest Study of Early Brain and Child Development
- Expanding Access to Cancer Care for Rural Veterans
- VA: Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee, Notice of Meeting
- Scaling Rural Wellness with Clever Collaboration
- Stroudwater Associates Enhances Rural Healthcare Dashboard with New Data to Support State Rural Transformation Grant Applications
- Harvest Season Is Here: Busy Times Call for Increased Focus on Safety and Health
- HHS Dispatches More Than 70 Public Health Service Officers to Strengthen Care in Tribal Communities
- Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Team up to Form Network
- CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
- American Heart Association Provides Blood Pressure Kits at Southeast Arkansas Regional Libraries to Support Rural Health
- Broadening Access to Minimally Invasive Surgery Could Narrow Rural-Urban Health Gaps
- Instead of Selling, Some Rural Hospitals Band Together To Survive
- Help Line Gives Pediatricians Crucial Mental Health Information to Help Kids, Families
- Rural Health: A Strategic Opportunity for Governors
Pennsylvania Health Department Issues Update Guidance on COVID-19 Protocols
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) issued several Health Alert Updates to reflect the most recent guidance related to COVID-19, including updates for the general population and return to work guidance for healthcare personnel.
- 616 – UPDATE: Work Restriction Issued
- 615 – 12/30/2021 – UPD – UPDATE: Isolation and Quarantine Periods for COVID-19 for the General Population
- 614 – 12/28/21 – UPD – UPDATE: Return to Work Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19
- 613 – 12/23/21 – UPD – UPDATE: COVID-19 Treatment Options
Click here for the latest DOH Health Alerts, Advisories and Updates.
New Legislative Report Calls for Changes to Help Overcome Primary Care Physician Shortage
A new report by a Pennsylvania legislative research agency offers many recommendations to help Pennsylvania’s nine medical schools take more steps to ease a shortage of primary care doctors in the state. The report by the Joint State Government Commission looks at the training needed to become a primary care doctor and efforts by the medical schools to promote primary care as a career choice. It examines a host of issues believed to contribute to the shortage in that practice, including student debt burden, doctor burnout and low public investment in primary care. Read the report, Medical School Impact on the Primary Care Physician Shortage.
Update on Telehealth in Pennsylvania
In October, the state Senate passed SB 705 authorizing the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards and providing for insurance coverage of telemedicine. Sponsored by Senator Vogel, SB 705 is now with the House of Representatives for their consideration. The bill has language that was in the previous version of the bill that led to Governor Wolf vetoing the bill last session. PACHC is not aware that any progress has been made between the House of Representatives and the Governor’s office to address the issues from last session. At this time, the House is not expected to act on this legislation. This creates a conundrum when reviewing the OMAP Telehealth Bulletin, which notes that telehealth is allowed “if permitted according to their scope of practice, licensure, or certification.” Nothing in the practice acts “permits” telehealth. The current waiver allowing for telehealth expires on March 31, 2022. There have been rumors of a possible extension of some of the waivers, such as telehealth, beyond the March 31 deadline. PACHC is working with the legislature and the administration, along with other provider groups, to try and get clarification on the future of telehealth amidst these political issues.
New Best Practice Approach Report on Teledentistry
A new CareQuest Institute and Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) Best Practice Approach Report encourages state/territorial oral health programs and stakeholders to identify community barriers to care and consider teledentistry as part of the solution. The practical Report includes guidelines and recommendations, best practice criteria, myriad resources, and several examples of teledentistry in use across the country.
Disparities Relating to HIV and PrEP
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released two reports which may be of interest to health center providers:
- HIV and Gay and Bisexual Men: Difference in Knowledge of Status, Prevention, Treatment, and Stigma Exist by Race/Ethnicity: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hivgaybimen/
- Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Awareness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among HIV-Negative Heterosexually Active Adults at Increased Risk for HIV Infection: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7047a3.htm
America’s Youngest Adults are Overweight
According to new research conducted by Johns Hopkins and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 56% of American adults ages 18 to 25 are overweight or obese. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 8,015 people in that age bracket, the researchers compared average weights over the past four decades. In that time, that population’s average body mass index, a measure of body fat based on a person’s height and weight, had increased by 4.6 points – from 23.1 (considered normal weight) to 27.7 (considered overweight). That shifted the number of overweight young adults from about 18% in the late 1970’s to nearly 24% by 2018.
No Changes for Pennsylvania HealthChoices Physical Plans
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has confirmed that there will be no changes to the Physical HealthChoices managed care organization (MCO) assignments in early 2022. Results of two of the four MCO challenges to DHS’ decisions in response to the 2021 RFP process have been announced. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld on November 17, 2021, the state’s decision to deny protests filed by Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania and Centene/Pennsylvania Health & Wellness after the two plans failed to win contracts in the state’s recent Medicaid managed care procurement. Rulings on protests from Gateway Health Plan and UnitedHealthCare have not been released publicly. Implementation of the new contracts, originally slated for January 1, 2022, have been suspended until the protests are resolved. In Behavioral HealthChoices, Magellan will change to CCBH in Delaware County effective July 1, 2022.
The list of MCO assignments are:
- BehavioralHealth MCO’s https://www.dhs.pa.gov/HealthChoices/HC-Services/Pages/BehavioralHealth-MCOs.aspx
- PhysicalHealthChoices MCO’s https://www.dhs.pa.gov/HealthChoices/HC-Services/Pages/PhysicalHealthChoices-MCOs.aspx
- CommunityHealthChoices MCO’s https://www.dhs.pa.gov/HealthChoices/HC-Services/Pages/CHC-MCOs.aspx
Strategies to Prepare for Public Health Emergency Unwinding
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a “punch list” of strategies states and the U.S. territories can adopt to maintain coverage of eligible individuals as they return to normal operations after the end of the public health emergency. The strategies are organized around seven topics areas:
- strengthening renewal processes
- updating mailing addresses
- improving consumer outreach, communication, and assistance
- promoting seamless coverage transitions
- improving coverage retention
- addressing strains on the eligibility and enrollment workforce
- enhancing oversight of eligibility and enrollment operations
In the resource, CMS also flagged strategies expected to have the biggest impact on mitigating coverage losses. https://www.medicaid.gov/state-resource-center/downloads/strategies-for-covrg-of-indiv.pdf
Successful Community Health Worker Programs
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the Penn Center for Community Health Workers with support from the Commonwealth Fund and the Community Health Acceleration Partnership (CHAP), have published a white paper, “Critical Inputs for Successful Community Health Workers Program.” The white paper will be presented during a webinar on December 14, 2021 at 4 pm ET. Organizations employing or looking to hire Community Health Workers can learn about how to support Community Health Workers and maximize their impact. Speakers will discuss the process of developing inputs, share reactions from the field, and discuss ways to incorporate the information into current and future work.
For more information and to register for the webinar: https://ncqa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/7816376153451/WN_6BABThWqScCdBHbB-thaLA?mc_cid=c8f998257c&mc_eid=3de0fb2a18
National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Announces Launch of the Center for Advancing Healthy Communities
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) announces the launch of its Center for Advancing Healthy Communities (CAHC), which will work to foster healthy communities for all by advancing health equity and eliminating social barriers.
“Despite incredible advances in the health field, disparities across our country are profound. Access to healthy living opportunities should be available to everyone,” said John W. Robitscher, MPH, NACDD’s CEO. “Through this Center, we are committed to making public health programs in communities across states and territories more effective, more equitable, and more inclusive.”
Led by Jennie Hefelfinger, MS, the Center’s efforts will leverage best practices and evidence-based programming to impact food and nutrition security, physical activity and the built environment, tobacco cessation, obesity, social connectedness, chronic disease-related mental health, and equity/social justice. It will build upon successful NACDD-led projects such as Building Resilient Inclusive Communities, the Walkability Action Institutes, Worksite Wellness, and more.
At Center launch, programs and team members include:
- Center Director: Jennie Hefelfinger, MS
- Associate Director: Vishwarupa (Vish) Vasani, MPH
- Arthritis Portfolio: Heather Murphy; Lisa Erck, MS
- Building Resilient Inclusive Communities (BRIC) program: Mara Galic, MHSc, RD; Joann Donnelly, MA, BCC, CSM; Leah Rimkus, MPH, RD; and Crystal Doxie, MBA
- Healthy Military Communities: Catherine McCann, PhD, MSPH
- State Partnerships Improving Nutrition and Equity (SPINE) program: Patrilie Hernandez, MS and Charita James, MS, RD
- Worksite Wellness: Lisa Erck, MS and Laura DeStigter, MPH
- Walkability Action Institutes: Karma Harris, MSPH
“We want to make every community healthier and stronger. Over the years, we’ve learned that the best way to accomplish this is to work together; to listen, to share, to nurture, and to work collectively to maximize the impact of each program,” said Hefelfinger. “We are excited to launch this Center, which will coordinate programs that logically work together, provide thought leadership to our partners, and continue to advance the mission of NACDD.”
CAHC will provide technical assistance and training for program implementation while expanding capabilities and resources, promoting healthful policy and environmental change, and collaborating to foster mutually beneficial partnerships.
“Our team of public health professionals at NACDD has been implementing chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs for more than 30 years,” Robitscher said. “Not only do we know how to make the programs effective, but we know where the opportunities are to integrate programs, share best practices, and make public health more impactful.”
Visit https://chronicdisease.org/the-center-for-advancing-healthy-communities/ to learn more.