March 3, 2014
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month.
The Colon Cancer Alliance has lots of great ideas for educating your family and friends about the disease, including this Employee Engagement Kit for National Dress in Blue Day on Friday, March 7.
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for facts, data, and a celebrity PSA campaign.
In This Week’s Issue
Announcements
Funding Opportunities
Ask CHCACT!
Upcoming CHCACT Meetings
Resources
This Week in Health Policy News
Events/Educational Opportunities
Announcements
Congratulations Optimus Health Care for being recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for reaching PCMH Program Level: 3, the highest distinction!
ECRI Institute, on behalf of HRSA, presents a FREE webinar that examines common diagnostic shallenges for pediatric care and provides strategies to help minimize risks and improve patient safety and quality. The webinar will be presented March 11 from 12:00 PM -1:00 PM and repeated March 12 from 3:00 PM – 4:00PM.
Resources for the New Integrated Healthcare Workforce. The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions is offering a webinar March 6 at 2:00 PM to discuss the nine core competencies outlined in its new report “Core Competencies for Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care.” Read more about the webinar here.
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 2:00 PM-3:30 PM.
Session II: Key Financial Concepts for Clinicians Thursday, March 13th 2:00 PM-3:30 PM
For more information and to sign up for the webinars, click here.
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is releasing updated Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition standards March 24 and invites you to join a webinar on March 10 from 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM to get a first look at the new standards. Hosted by NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane, this webinar will provide an overview of these updates, explain why specific elements were included and detail how NCQA PCMH Recognition fits into the healthcare landscape.
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 New England TB Consortium announces a webinar in recognition of World TB Day, offering both primary care provider and health department perspectives. Tuesday, March 25 at 12:00 PM.
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!
Enroll America announces open registration for its first-ever national conference, June 16-18 in Washington, DC. The conference, called State of Enrollment: Getting America Covered, brings together key health coverage leaders from around the country to debrief on the first open enrollment period and hear from experts on all aspects of outreach and enrollment in Medicaid and the new health insurance marketplaces. Registration and details are available at stateofenrollment.org.
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
Today we are at #Oral Health Day at at the Capitol. DYK? 12 #CT #FQHCs provide dental care! pic.twitter.com/0sxiSKnAsQ
— CHCACT (@CTHealthCenters) February 26, 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
Have you heard all of the radio commercials about how e-cigarettes are the safe alternative to cigarettes? E- cigarettes are an unregulated method used to inhale nicotine, a very addictive substance. The health risks associated with smoking e-cigarettes are unknown. Ask your Health Educator for more information on ways to cut back your cigarette use.
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
New Modification to HRSA 14-110 funding opportunity for Mental Health 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.
The Boston Bruins offers grants to 501(c)(3) organizations working to improve the lives of children in New England. The foundation accepts applications throughout the year, but its annual deadline is April 1, 2014.
Connecticut Department of Public Health announced three Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Requests for Proposals, all due April 7, 2014:
RFP #2014-0912 Care Coordination
RFP #2014-0911 Family Professional Partnership
RFP #2014-0910 Community Collaborative
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- So what happens March 31st? When do I have to sign up by to avoid the penalty?
A: On March 31st open enrollment for Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) ends. After 3/31, you will only be able to enroll in a private insurance plan through the marketplace if you or a member of your household experiences a life changing event. Some examples of qualifying events include: moving to a new county, losing your insurance coverage, certain changes in income, and changes in family size (death, marriage, divorce, child born or adopted, etc.). Medicaid enrollment continues year round, and after March 31st you will be able to enroll through Access Health CT just like you could during open enrollment.
For the penalty, anyone who chooses a plan or Medicaid and enrolls by 3/31 will not have to pay the penalty. It is important to note that submitting your application is not enough, you must have picked a plan and enrolled in your plan by March 31st at midnight. Also, even though Medicaid enrollment continues year round, people who sign up after 3/31 and were uninsured for January, February, and March will have to pay a portion of the penalty, unless they meet an exemption. A list of exemptions can be found here: https://www.healthcare.gov/exemptions/
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Upcoming CHCACT Meetings
“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)
CFO Meeting - Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 2:00 PM at CHCACT. Please contact Andriana Evangelista at 860-667-7820 with any questions.
Public Speaking Training for SNAP Outreach Workers – This all-day training will begin at 9:00 AM on March 11 at the CHCACT office. Unfortunately, this training cannot accommodate additional participants and will only be open to SNAP OWs. For more information, please contact Heidi Elsinger (helsinger@chcact.org).
All CHCACT Staff can be reached by calling 860.667.7820.
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Resources
Stamford Hospital wants to help you fight the Flu. Share this helpful pocket guide with your networks!
The HUSKY Eligibility Manual was updated in February! Visit the CT Voices website to download the updated manual. The newest edition of reviews:
Eligibility guidelines for HUSKY A, B, and D (coverage for children, youth, parents, pregnant women and low-income adults), including common points of confusion and potential barriers to enrollment. It does not address the HUSKY C program (coverage for the aged, blind and disabled).
Eligibility rules and tips for special populations, such as newborns, young adults, 19 and 20 year-olds, and immigrants.
The applications process and resources available for assistance.
How to renew HUSKY coverage each year.
HUSKY benefits and services.
The new state marketplace, Access Health CT, the main portal through which applications for HUSKY are processed.
Resources for Population Health Improvement Workshop Video –The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Roundtable on Population Health Improvement held a workshop as part of an effort to advance the integration of primary care and public health. The workshop focused on a wide range of resources to help with population-based interventions and improving population health. View the Population Health Improvement Workshop Video.
Core Competencies and Resources for the Integrated Workforce: New Core Competencies and Resources. The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) and the Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce have released a new resource to help establish standards of excellence for team members working in integrated are settings. Use the nine competencies outlined in Core Competencies for Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care to shape workforce training, inform job descriptions, and recruit ideal candidates. Learn how to Use the Core Competencies and register for the March 6 webinar to discuss the newly released report. Be sure to visit the workforce section of the CIHS website for up-to-date resources relevant to each competency and to all parts of the integrated care team.
For the past two months, the National Council for Behavioral Health has hosted a Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence crowdsourcing project on our Conference 365 blog. The concept paper, biweekly blog posts by Dale Jarvis, and your responses are literally shaping our definition of what behavioral health centers of the future look like. Join us on March 5th for the second webinar of the Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence crowdsourcing project. This roundtable webinar will dig into the project’s details and provide an opportunity for you to learn more about the key elements of a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.
Linking Costs to Outcomes. “Value”— defined as the best patient outcomes at the most affordable prices — is the buzzword in current health reform discussions. Use this Basic Cost and Caseload Calculator to reduce patient wait times, increase staff productivity, & improve quality of documentation.
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.
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.
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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
2.27.14 USA Today: Federally Funded Health Clinics Brace for Financial Loss
State Health News
3.3.14 Hartford Business Journal: St. Francis Readies $120 M Health IT Makeover
3.2.14 CT Health I-Team: Hypertension – Disparities Widen for Black Women
2.26.14 WNPR: CT Parollees May Receive Easier Access to Health Care
2.25.14 CT Mirror: CT Mental Health Clinics Brace for State Cuts Tied to Obamacare
Health Reform
2.28.14 Kaiser Health News: Conn. Tries to Sell its Obamacare Success to Other States
2.27.14 CT NewsJunkie (Op-Ed): CT Medicaid – A Success for Us and Other States
2.25.14 CT NewsJunkie: Obamacare Appeals Getting Heard in CT
National/Other
3.2.14 Washington Post: States Increasing Home Heating Assistance to Avoid Cuts in Food Stamps
2.27.14 CT Mirror: Feds Consider Scaling Back Medicaid Estate Recovery
2.25.14 NY Times: Obesity Rate for Young Children Plummets 43% in a Decade
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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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