February 18, 2014
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week begins on February 23 and runs through March 1.
Visit NEDAwareness.org for resources, webinars, infographics, and FAQ about how to find support.
In This Week’s Issue
Announcements
Funding Opportunities
Ask CHCACT!
Upcoming CHCACT Meetings
Resources
This Week in Health Policy News
Events/Educational Opportunities
Announcements
HRSA is hosting a Technical Assistance Call regarding the recently announced grant for PCMH Facility Improvements. The call is Tuesday, February 18th from 3-4:30 pm. Please call 888-950-5921, participant passcode: 8957252. For more information, click here.
Are You Ready for 340B Recertification? The Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) requires all 340b-covered entities to recertify their information each year in order to continue participating in the 340b program. Health Centers will begin the recertification process on February 10th and it is absolutely critical that contact information be updated by March 14th in order to get the latest information to ensure continued participation in the program. For more information, stay tuned to the Policy Shop blog and the Office of Pharmacy Affairs website.
Merck Childhood Asthma Network (MCAN) is hosting a webinar on Thursday, February 20 at 12 PM on “Insights and Building Blocks from a Successful Federally-Qualified Health Center-Based Asthma Management Program.” The webinar will explore challenges and opportunities from the Community Healthcare for Asthma Management and Prevention of Symptoms (CHAMPS) project.
The 2014 NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program application cycle is now open. The application cycle will close on February 27 at 7:30 PM. Eligibility is open to registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses (e.g., nurse practitioners) who have qualifying educational loans, and who are dedicated to serving the Nation’s medically underserved populations in health professions shortage area (HPSAs).
3-part webinar series: Fostering Partnership and Teamwork in the Pediatric Medical Home: A “How To” Webinar Series. The series will run from will take place on Friday, February 28, 2014, 1-2:00 pm. Register for this webinar here and find more information about the webinar series through the NCMHI 2014 Webinar Series Web site.
Community Health Center Essentials: 2-Part Webinar Series – In an effort to provide CHC staff with the tools and training necessary to successfully navigate the transformed healthcare environment, NACHC is pleased to present our free 2-part Webinar Series: Community Health Center Essentials. The purpose of this series of webinars is to help CHC staff develop a better understanding of those managed care and financial concepts that vital to CHC business operations.
Session I: Managed Care 101: ”The Basics” Thursday, March 6th 2:00pm-3:30pm
Session II: Key Financial Concepts for Clinicians Thursday, March 13th 2:00pm-3:30pm
For more information and to sign up for the webinars, click here.
Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers is offering an exciting training opportunity, Fostering Diversity in School Based Health Centers, on Friday, March 21, 2014 from 8:00 am – 2:30 pm. This training is for mental health clinicians, nurse practitioners, and all other school based health center staff. Cultural competency is now required for licensure by the State of Connecticut for all mental health clinicians, and is required for all SBHC staff in DPH-funded sites. This event will satisfy these requirements. For more information and to register, click here.
The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions Telebehavioral Health Training and Technical Assistance Series is designed to help safety net providers and rural health clinics understand and adopt telebehavioral health services. The implementation of telehealth services for mental health and substance abuse allows for increased access to these services, particularly in rural or underserved areas. The 6-session training will provide health centers with the tools/resources necessary to identify and implement a telebehavioral health program. Learn more here.
Time to vote in the Health Justice Challenge! Vote for your favorite video on outreach and enrollment by March 31!
Access is the Answer – The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) launched a new advocacy campaign called Access is the Answer to show every policymaker, and every American, that protecting and investing in Health Centers is a solution to many of the problems that still face the future of healthcare in America. To read more about the campaign and learn what you can do, click here.
Send us your success stories! How are the outreach and enrollment efforts going at your health center? How many people have you helped so far? We’d love to know. Please send your success stories to ask@chcact.org.
Tweet of the Week
#SNAP benefits for 68,000 #CT homes are at risk due to chgs in “Heat & Eat.” @GovMalloyOffice wants CT to help out: http://t.co/UrzpmDR0qs
— CHCACT (@CTHealthCenters) February 12, 2014
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New on Get-Centered
Guest Blog by Sheri Pascal, Community HealthCorps member, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Days of Service
Community HealthCorps member Caitlin Comfort assists with arts and crafts activities at the Peabody Museum in New Haven on Sunday, January 19 in honor of MLK Day.
SBIRT in Your Corner
Stay safe driving in the snow, especially after all of the recent storms. Did you know that many vehicle accidents are related to substance misuse? Driving under the influence of any substance during slippery driving conditions makes being on the roads all the more dangerous.
And, learn more about CT SBIRT here!
CT Mission of Mercy is coming!
Free Dental Clinic
April 25-26, 2014
XL Center in Hartford
Click here to register to volunteer, to donate or to learn more!
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Funding Opportunities
HRSA has announced a new funding opportunity for service expansion in behavioral health integration! Vice President Biden announced this funding of $50 million for health centers last month; applications will be due 3/3/14. Learn more here.
HRSA announces 14-102: This announcement solicits applications for a Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program National Training and Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreements: Establishing AIDS Service Organization Service Models and Engaging in Marketplace Insurance Plans under the Affordable Care Act. Due date for applications: March 6, 2014.
HHS announces Mobilization for Health: National Prevention Partnership Awards Program. The program seeks to establish integrated, collaborative local, state, regional, and tribal partnerships to increase community awareness and action on preventive health services. Learn more here.
HRSA has announced HRSA-14-055: This announcement solicits applications for a new Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) multi-site initiative entitled System-level Workforce Capacity Building for Integrating HIV Primary Care in Community Health Care Settings – Demonstration Sites. Due Date for Applications: March 10, 2014
HRSA announced 14-073: The announcement solicits applications for Affordable Care Act Patient Centered Medical Home – Facility Improvements (P-FI) Grant Program. Due date for applications: March 14, 2014.
HRSA announced 14-057: The announcement solicits applications for Health Information Technology (HIT) Capacity Building for Monitoring and Improving Health Outcomes along the HIV Care Continuum. Due date for applications: March 31, 2014.
HRSA announced three funding opportunities under the Healthy Start Initiative have been reopened. The Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health funding opportunity represents a substantial change in the program. The opportunity was originally offered between December 5, 2013 and January 21, 2014. This current competition has a deadline of March 31, 2014.
Ask CHCACT!
“Ask CHCACT,” a new advice column, will feature questions from health center staff, answered by your favorite CHCACT staff members! For the first several months, the column will focus exclusively on Outreach & Enrollment. Send your questions to ask@chcact.org! Ask CHCACT columns are also archived on the Outreach & Enrollment Resources section of the CHCACT web site. This site is now available to the public, with no log-in requirement!
Will Simmons answers this week’s question.
William Simmons
Community HealthCorps Member
Q: Hi Will – What should I do if I have patients with Medicare who also want to get insurance through the exchanges?
A: Generally (except in the case of a few rare and unusual exceptions) people with Medicare can not enroll in QHPs through the exchange, in fact it is illegal for an insurance company to knowingly sell someone who is on Medicare an exchange plan. However, many of the exchanges have forgotten to include this rule in their eligibility screenings. Additionally, so called “Medigap” plans that fill in the areas that Medicare doesn’t cover are not available on the exchanges. Here’s a useful summary of Medicare and the exchanges.
It is possible for someone on Medicare to also be eligible for Medicaid. These situations are called “dual eligible.” They would have to be elderly or disabled AND low income. The section of Medicaid they would be eligible for is HUSKY C, which is the only section that they can’t apply for online. HUSKY C is unaffected by the Medicaid expansion, and will continue to be determined under the old eligibility rules. Your Health Center’s Medicaid outreach worker would likely know how a patient who fits these criteria should proceed. But in general, for patients on Medicare the exchanges are not going to be helpful for them.
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Upcoming CHCACT Meetings
Colorectal Learning Team – The quarterly meeting of the Colorectal Learning Team will take place Thursday, February 20, 2014 from 1-3:00 pm at CHCACT (100 Great Meadow Road, Suite 400). For more information, please contact Jennifer Succi at jsucci@chcact.org.
“Coffee and En-Rolls” – a weekly meeting for Certified Application Counselors (CACs) and their supervisors, facilitated by CHCACT consultant Fran Freer and AmeriCorps member Will Simmons. Join every Thursday @ 9:00 am to share Best Practices and hear the latest news about Access Health CT and enrollment: 888-994-2509, participant passcode 519603#. (Please note new number) This month: Thursday, February 20th and 27th.
Sliding Fee Webinar – CHCACT is hosting a webinar on sliding fee scales on Tuesday, February 25th from 12-1:30 pm. More information is forthcoming.
HR Directors’ Call – This call has been rescheduled for February 25, 2014 from 10:30-11:30 am. The conference line number is 1.888.994.2509, 519603#. Contact Katie Henley with questions.
CHERN Conference Call – CHCACT will host the CHERN Conference Call, Wednesday, February 26th from 2-4:00 pm. To participate, call 888.994.2509, passcode 519603#. Contact Meaghan McCoy with questions.
Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) – *Please note date and location change* The SBIRT Supervisor Orientation has been rescheduled to Thursday, February 27, 2014 from 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM at CHCACT (100 Great Meadow Road, First Floor Conference Room, Wethersfield, CT). Those involved with or interested in the CT SBIRT program should please contact Katie Henley at khenley@chcact.org for more information.
All CHCACT Staff can be reached by calling 860.667.7820.
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Resources
Check out the FQHC Resources Library on the CHCACT web site here! It’s chock full of webinars and other informative resources and includes a message board to facilitate communication across centers. To gain access to the Resources section, contact Deb Polun, at dpolun@chcact.org.
The American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking program is a FREE 7-week program designed to provide the support needed in comfortable, confidential group settings to help people quit smoking. The program will be offered in six locations throughout eastern CT this Spring. To learn more, click here or call Carolyn Wilson at (860) 448-4882, ext. 318.
On behalf of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), ECRI Institute is providing FREE Risk Management and Patient Safety Resources. Each edition includes hot topics from clinical risk management and healthcare news and is provided every other week at no cost to your health center. To learn more about your free risk management resources go to: https://www.ecri.org/Clinical_RM_Program.
Evidence-Based Practice Program and Effective Health Care Program Reports – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released new reports that provide informative evidence-based practices and summarize the research findings on benefits and harms of different clinical treatment options. View more information on AHRQ reports.
Rural Care Coordination Toolkit – The Rural Assistance Center (RAC) and Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis launched a Rural Care Coordination Toolkit to help rural communities and organizations identify and implement a care coordination program. This toolkit contains resources to help communities develop programs that can improve quality and continuity of care, as well as patient outcomes, building on best practices of successful care coordination program models. The toolkit is available for free on the RAC website.
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This Week in Health Policy News
Here is a sampling of health policy news from around the state in the past few weeks. If you see something in your local newspaper that you would like featured here in future weeks, please contact Deb Polun at dpolun@chcact.org.
Featured
2.17.14 The Day: UCFS to Host Problem Gambling Programs
2.17.14 New Haven Register: New Haven Health Center Hopes To Team Up with Proposed Q House (feat. CS-Hill)
State
2.17.14 CT Mirror: DSS System Woes Burden CT’s Senior Centers, Aging Agencies
2.17.14 CT Health I-Team: CT Fails Consumers Seeking Info on Physician Quality
2.14.14 CT NewsJunkie Op-Ed: Opioid Overdose and What Can Be Done to Save Lives
2.12.14 CT Mirror: CT Hospital Group Recommends Notifying Patients on Facility Fees/Costs
2.11.14 CT Mirror: Malloy – Let Nurse Practitioners Work Independently of Doctors
2.10.14 Hartford Business Journal: Can a Powerful Database Improve Health Outcomes and Slow Costs?
Health Reform
2.14.14 NY Times: States Struggle to Add Latinos to Health Rolls
2.10.14 Register-Citizen: CT Surpasses Goal for Insurance Sign-Up Under Obamacare
National/Other
2.12.14 NY Times: Dental Group Advises Fluoride Toothpaste Before Age 2
2.11.14 Boston Globe: Boston Mayor Calls for All First Responders to Carry Anti-Overdose Medicine
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Events/Educational Opportunities
Click here to view our full events calendar. Click here for NACHC Seminars/Conferences/Webcasts.
Welcome to our new events calendar! The calendar is updated on a regular basis with upcoming events, webinars, educational opportunities, outreach activities and more. You can sort the calendar by category and subscribe to calendar updates by clicking here.
Comments About the Bulletin
For any questions or comments about This Week in CHCACTion, please contact Deb Polun.
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