The Western Center for Agriculture created this checklist for employers of farmworkers to decrease risk of H5NI exposure.  Available in both English and Spanish, it covers California-specific regulations in addition to guidance on written procedures, sanitation, biosecurity, training, personal protective equipment, and medical care.

In December, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced four states will participate in the Innovation in Behavioral Health Model (IBH Model). The selected states are Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. The IBH Model is a collaboration between CMS and state Medicaid agencies to build a model that provides integrated care to Medicaid and Medicare populations with moderate-to-severe mental health conditions and/or substance use disorder (SUD). Model implementation began on January 1, 2025.

– Comment by March 7.  On January 6th, 2025, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed rule to modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule to strengthen cybersecurity protections for electronic protected health information. The proposal will strengthen the Security Rule’s standards and implementation specifications with new proposals and clarifications. This rule will impact hospitals, providers, health plans, and any other entity that use or transmit electronic protected health information. Comments are due March 7, 2025.

– Apply by March 1.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is conducting a new solicitation to select 10 hospitals to participate in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration. This demonstration tests the feasibility and advisability of paying rural hospitals with fewer than 51 beds and that are not eligible to be Critical Access Hospitals cost-based reimbursement for Medicare inpatient services. Per statute, CMS can only accept applications from hospitals in the 20 least densely populated States, according to data for 2020 from the U.S. Census Bureau: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. The demonstration began in 2004 and has been extended three times. The current 5-year period of participation ends June 30, 2028. Hospitals currently participating in the demonstration do not need to complete a new application.  If you have questions about the demonstration, please email RCHDemo@cms.hhs.gov.

While H5N1 bird flu is caused by viruses that most commonly affect birds and poultry, they can also affect cows and other animals.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keeps most recent information at cdc.gov/bird-flu, including a series of brief videos – each 30-45 seconds – with answers to frequently asked questions.  See Resources of the Week below for related information.

In this brief, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) examines trends in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) telehealth utilization before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Specifically, it describes patterns of telehealth service utilization based on where enrollees and providers live and work, highlighting trends for rural and urban enrollees, and telehealth utilization in geographic health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). It concludes that the use of telehealth in the Medicaid and CHIP programs warrants continued examination in both urban and rural areas. Medicaid and CHIP are important sources of insurance coverage in rural areas covering 47 percent of children and 18 percent of adults in rural counties.

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors, alongside the Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission, held an inaugural press conference on January 9, 2025 at the Erie Crossroads Conference Center at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. The event recognized and officially swore in the appointees to the Commission and highlighted its critical mission to address population decline and the challenges facing rural regions in Pennsylvania.

Established by Act 21 of 2024, legislation with bicameral, bipartisan support, the Commission is tasked with creating reviews and recommendations to attract and retain residents in rural areas. Its work will focus on addressing the challenges posed by population shifts and changing demographics in rural communities across the Commonwealth. The Commission will also recommend necessary legislative and regulatory changes to support rural revitalization.

This Commission will play a vital role in informing medium- and long-term planning at the county, regional, and state levels. Commission findings will guide efforts to address policy issues such as workforce availability, housing, healthcare, education, and transportation.

“The Rural Population Revitalization Commission is a first-of-its-kind initiative established to make Pennsylvania a national leader in retaining, attracting, and revitalizing the population of our rural communities,” said Senator Gene Yaw, Chairman of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors. “This collaborative effort is a critical step towards reversing population decline and pressures facing our rural communities and will provide the foundation for long-term success.”

“The Rural Population Revitalization Commission demonstrates what’s possible when legislators work across party and chamber lines for the good of Pennsylvanians,” said Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, Vice Chairman of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors. “I believe these talented commissioners from across rural PA are up to the task of identifying what’s working and what needs to change to improve the well-being of all our current—and future—residents. Through their work and the support of policymakers, this commission can make Pennsylvania a national leader in addressing rural population change.”

“From education to healthcare to transportation, the Commission’s findings will have a far-reaching impact, ensuring that rural Pennsylvania remains an attractive and viable place to live and work,” said Senator Judy Schwank, member of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors and Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission. “In facing the pressures of population decline, it is imperative that we think not just about today, but about tomorrow. Planning and collaboration will be the foundation of our efforts.”

“Our report clearly shows Pennsylvania’s rural communities in decline,” said Representative Dan Moul, member of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors. “The Commission is tasked with finding solutions that will turn that around. One of the biggest obstacles will be government regulations that slow down progress and increase costs. I am hopeful they can cut through the red tape and find ways to reverse course.”

“It is an honor and privilege to serve as Chairman of the Commission, and I am confident that the appointees of this Commission will work tirelessly to achieve success in finding solutions,” said Dr. Kyle C. Kopko, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission and Executive Director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. “This Commission has the opportunity to turn the challenges facing rural communities in Pennsylvania into opportunities for revitalization, crafting meaningful recommendations that ensure the long-term vitality of our rural areas.”

The Commission’s collaborative approach, which includes input from state and local officials, nonprofit groups, business leaders, and industry experts, is essential for ensuring that rural Pennsylvania remains resilient in the years to come.

Commission appointees include:

• Dr. Kyle C. Kopko, Chairman, Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission; Executive Director, Center for Rural Pennsylvania
• Senator Judy Schwank
• Senator Judy Ward
• Representative Paul Takac
• Representative Michael Stender
• Albert Abramovic, Venango County Commissioner
• Betsy McClure, Greene County Commissioner
• Janet Pennington, School Board Member, Southeastern Greene School District
• Mark Critz, Western Regional Director, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; Executive Director, Pennsylvania Rural Development Council
• Drew Popish, Northeast Regional Director, Office of Governor Shapiro
• Lisa Davis, Director, Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health
• Dr. Karen Riley, President, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
• Jordan Grady, President, Butler County Chamber of Commerce
• Gina Suydam, President, Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce
• Nathan Lesh, Vice President, Pennsylvania Future Farmers of America

For more information, visit www.rural.pa.gov/commission.