The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) leads the federal effort to support health information technology systems nationwide. For this report, ONC reviewed a survey conducted in 2017 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in which 13,585 U.S. substance abuse treatment centers were queried about their use of computers or electronic resources to store and exchange treatment records. Read the report here.
USDA Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America
The Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has updated its atlas to include county population estimates and annual unemployment/employment data for 2019. Researchers at the ERS use data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, an ongoing function of the Census that keeps track of changes in demographics, employment trends, household incomes, veterans’ status, and other factors that help determine how federal and state funds are distributed. Find the map here.
How One Hospital Transitioned a HRSA-Funded Program to Address COVID-19
A new feature article in The Rural Monitor profiles a Pennsylvania hospital that credits its previous award of the HRSA Outreach Program grant for 2015-2018 for their quick transition from in-person visits to telehealth under quarantine. Butler Memorial Hospital received the grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy for a three-year program to help patients access resources for managing chronic disease. Read the article here.
NIH Request for Information: Clinical Experience in Suicide Prevention in Primary Care Settings – August 7
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks information from the public to better understand the opportunities and barriers in the primary care community regarding efforts to care for individuals with suicide risk. Relevant topics include how suicide screening is deployed, cultural/linguistic needs of patients, reaching disparity populations, and telehealth adaptations. Find more information here.
Request for Information: Seeking Stakeholder Input on Scientific Gaps and Research Needs Related to Delivery of Cancer-related Care via Telehealth – July 30
The National Cancer Institute is seeking information on scientific gaps and research needs related to the delivery of cancer-related care via telehealth. This request for information is part of a planning effort designed to identify promising opportunities and set priorities for research in this area. Find more information here.
CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of July 20, 2020
CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.
Call details are below. Conference lines are limited so we highly encourage you to join via audio webcast, either on your computer or smartphone web browser. You are welcome to share this invitation with your colleagues and professional networks. These calls are not intended for the press.
Calls recordings and transcripts are posted on the CMS podcast page at: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts
CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Calls (Tuesdays at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern
Office Hour Calls provide an opportunity for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS’s temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to:
- Increase Hospital Capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls;
- Rapidly Expand the Healthcare Workforce;
- Put Patients Over Paperwork; and
- Further Promote Telehealth in Medicare
This week’s Office Hours:
Tuesday, July 21st at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 7477995
Audio Webcast link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=dadd7914-86896068-dadd482b-0cc47adc5fa2-cc1fccd04b4fd82b&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2289
Additional Office Hours:
Tuesday, July 28th at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1492795
Audio Webcast link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=c408e7b1-985cce9a-c408d68e-0cc47a6d17cc-d6428ab37156e652&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2297
Weekly COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Calls
CMS hosts weekly calls for certain types of organizations to provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. One to two leaders in the field also share best practices with their peers. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters if time allows.
Home Health and Hospice (twice a month on Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern)
Tuesday, July 21st at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 6080197 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=df50ec0d-8305e51e-df50dd32-0cc47adb5650-2de630be928fb779&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2312
Nursing Homes (twice a month on Wednesday at 4:30 PM Eastern)
Wednesday, July 22nd t 4:30 – 5:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1143564 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=24c25ae7-789673cc-24c26bd8-0cc47a6d17cc-8b19f356735ac629&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2332
Dialysis Organizations (twice a month on Wednesday at 5:30 PM Eastern)
Wednesday, July 22nd at 5:30 – 6:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 7692208 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=8dd709e8-d1831094-8dd738d7-0cc47adc5fa2-a95a30cf29c61d98&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2316
Nurses (twice a month on Thursdays at 3:00 PM Eastern)
Thursday, July 23rd at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 7971869 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=69050b19-35512232-69053a26-0cc47a6d17cc-d054f6ea80376c59&u=https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2341
Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19 (twice a month on Fridays at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern)
Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters.
Next Lessons from the Front Lines Save the Date:
Friday, August 7th at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In and web link will be provided soon
To keep up with the important work the White House Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=36fa2226-6aae0b0d-36fa1319-0cc47a6d17cc-2d06c219f858d641&u=http://www.coronavirus.gov/. For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.
Child Care in Pennsylvania: 2020 Fact Sheets & Mapping
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) is a proud member of the Start Strong PA campaign, focused on increasing access to high-quality child care. As a partner, we recently released our updated interactive child care map tool, allowing users to see a variety of data points around child care access and quality, down to the county or state legislative district level. After completing your search, you can also print a fact sheet by these geographical levels.
While we recently made great progress in securing $125 million in stimulus funds as part of the state’s stopgap budget and stimulus package (beyond the $106 million allocated in federal stimulus funds via the Child Care Development Block Grant), we continue our advocacy work with campaign partners on the distribution of these funds before the Wolf Administration. We continue to monitor additional federal relief that may occur as part of the next stimulus package in Washington.
Latest National Rankings for Child Well-Being Show Pennsylvania at 20th
The 2020 edition of the KIDS COUNT® Data Book, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, shows Pennsylvania ranks 20th for overall child well-being.
The report uses 16 indicators across four domains to rank each state. Pennsylvania now ranks 26th in the family and community domain, 23rd in economic well-being, 19th in health, and 7th in education.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s rankings or get additional information on the Data Book here.
Aftercare Services for Former Foster Youth Now Available to Age 23
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that Pennsylvania will now offer and provide critical aftercare services to former foster youth up to age 23. Under previous policy, youth exiting foster care on or after age 14 were eligible for a myriad of services to support them in the transition to adulthood up to age 21. However, as a result of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), the federal law allows states to opt to extend services to age 23. The Commonwealth convened a workgroup to analyze the need to adopt these provisions, and PPC was an active participant advocating for the state to implement these provisions. DHS reviewed and agreed with the workgroup’s recommendations, leading to this necessary policy change.
Transition age youth who exit the foster care system have poorer adult outcomes compared to their peers in the general population, and struggle with educational attainment, homelessness and incarceration. This is especially the case for Black and Brown youth. Adoption of these provisions shows DHS’s commitment to ensuring that we together work to reverse this trajectory.
Human Services Secretary Reminds Pennsylvanians of Food Assistance Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller visited Philabundance to assist with on-going volunteer efforts to ensure food is available for people and families experiencing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and current economic insecurity. Secretary Miller and Philabundance Chief Executive Officer Loree D. Jones reminded Pennsylvanians of food assistance resources available even and especially amidst COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
“Difficult circumstances created by the pandemic have not subsided, and many people around Pennsylvania still must endure challenges that come from COVID-19’s effect on the state’s and nation’s economies,” said Secretary Miller. “Food banks like Philabundance mobilized quickly to serve individuals and families in their communities so people affected by job or income loss would not have to go hungry, and the Wolf Administration is incredibly grateful for their unending commitment to communities they serve. If you are able, I encourage all Pennsylvanians to support their local food bank so the charitable food network can continue to be there to meet the need of people affected by this pandemic in the uncertain weeks and months to come.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food banks on so many levels,” explained Philabundance CEO Loree D. Jones. “From seeing up to a 60% increase in need across the Delaware Valley to volunteers and donations dwindling and food prices sky rocketing, Philabundance needs your generosity to continue providing our neighbors with healthy food during this crisis and beyond.”
Pennsylvanians who need help feeding themselves or their family should find and contact their local food bank or pantry through Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger-Free Pennsylvania.
Help with buying food is also available through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP helps more than 1.9 million Pennsylvanians expand purchasing power by providing money each month to spend on groceries, helping households have resources to purchase enough food to avoid going hungry. Inadequate food and chronic nutrient deficiencies have profound effects on a person’s life and health, including increased risks for chronic diseases, higher chances of hospitalization, poorer overall health, and increased health care costs. As the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic, access to essential needs like food is more important than ever to help keep vulnerable populations healthy and mitigate co-occurring health risks.
Applications for SNAP and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper documentation can print from the website or request an application by phone at 1-800-692-7462 and mail it to their local County Assistance Office (CAO) or place it in a CAO’s secure drop box, if available. While CAOs remain closed, work processing applications, determining eligibility, and issuing benefits continues. Clients should use COMPASS or the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app to submit necessary updates to their case files while CAOs are closed.
All applications for SNAP are screened the day they are received for expedited services criteria. For households with minimal income and resources, the SNAP application can be expedited and processed within five days, and all Pennsylvanians who are in a difficult financial situation due to the economic challenges of this pandemic should apply to see if they are eligible for assistance.
Secretary Miller and CEO Jones also encouraged anyone who is healthy and able to please consider taking some time to support their food bank or pantry through volunteer time or monetary donations, as this time is creating an incredible strain on charitable organizations’ volunteer efforts and resources.
Anyone interested in volunteering can find organizations in need of volunteer support on the United Way of Pennsylvania’s 211 website.
For more information about food assistance resources for people around Pennsylvania impacted by COVID-19 and the accompanying economic insecurity, visit https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Food_Security/Pages/default.aspx.