March 31, 2014
In This Week’s Issue
Announcements
Trainings & Webinars
Funding Opportunities
SBIRT
Ask CHCACT!
Upcoming CHCACT Meetings
Resources
This Week in Health Policy News
Events/Educational Opportunities
Announcements
BPHC is hosting a conference call: Health Center O/E: What Happens After Open Enrollment? Wednesday, April 2, 2014 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM to discuss expectations for O/E grantees after the conclusion of open enrollment on March 31, 2014. This call will also cover the requirements for Quarter 3 health center O/E reporting due in EHB on Thursday, April 10, 2014. Access the call the day of the session using the following dial-in information, 1-800-779-0641 passcode: 4657950.
Next week is National Public Health Week. It is celebrated by focusing attention on issues that promote health, wellness and safety across the country. To kick off Public Health Week, DPH is pleased to announce a Google Hangout and a DPH Data Day as part of the Lead Public Health series. Both will take place April 7. Visit the DPH website for all the details.
The Commission for Case Management Certification is offering the following webinar: Coordinated Care and Comprehensive Medication Management: Case Management’s Critical Role, April 2, 2014 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. One CE contact hour will be offered to registrants for a $25 fee. To register, click here.
BPHC has released PAL 2014-05, which does not change any existing policy but updates information on the process for requesting to add a temporary site to the scope of the project in response to emergency events, and consolidates the related policy into one document.
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is excited to announce the 2014 National Challenge for colorectal cancer awareness and screening projects. Show us how you are making a difference in your community to help raise colorectal cancer awareness and screening, engage in the Screening Saves Lives online community and be eligible to win prizes! The application deadline is April 7, 2014.
Mission of Mercy: All participating dental providers are eligible for insurance coverage purchased by Mission of Mercy. The coverage includes the following:
Limits of Liability: $1,000,000 per incident, $3,000,000 policy aggregate
No deductible
Coverage would be specific to the Mission of Mercy event only.
Please note that FQHC providers will not be covered under FTCA if they participate in the clinic.
The insurance application is available here and must be submitted to Brenda Jewell-Swarz (brenda@jewellpro.com) no later than Monday, April 21. For more information about the event or to register, visit cfdp.org
The New HRSA Policy Information Notice was announced recently. This PIN details Health Center Budgeting and and Accounting Requirements for non-grant funds. The entire notice is available here.
The 2014 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program is now open. All applications must be completed by May 15, 2014. Click here for program details and application packets.
The 2014 NURSE Corps Scholarship Program application cycle is now open.All completed applications must be submitted by May 22, 2014 to be considered. Click here for all program details, including upcoming informational webinars.
NACHC and CMS want to know how they can help you be ready for the ICD-10 transition by October 1, 2014. NACHC distributed a survey to all health center CEOs on Monday, March 10. CEOs should look for this survey in their inbox, complete it, or delegate to his/her designee/ICD-10 project lead. Please complete this survey as soon as possible so CMS and NACHC can better understand where FQHC’s are in the process and where to channel additional training and technical assistance to assist with the transition. For more information, please contact Shane Hickey, Director IT Support at NACHC: shickey@nachc.com
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.
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
Thx to @CTMirror for continued coverage of federal action on #SNAP. DYK? You can apply for SNAP at most #CT #FQHCs! http://t.co/fESBAbGhf8
— CHCACT (@CTHealthCenters) March 26, 2014
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New on Get-Centered
Guest Blog by Christine Hahn, UCONN MPH Student
SBIRT in Your Corner
FQHCs are currently recruiting for open Health Educator positions – check out the CHCACT Job Bank for listings.
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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Trainings & Webinars
The CT-RI Public Health Training Center is offering two upcoming training opportunities called Grant Writing 101 for Public Health Officials. Wednesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 16 both from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Click here for more details.
2014 UDS Changes Webinar – Wednesday April 9, 2014 from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM. On this call BPHC will review and discuss changes to 2014 UDS reporting, including patient characteristics (Table 4), patient counts (Table 6A), reportable services (Table 6B and 7), quality of care measures (Table 6B), health outcomes and disparities measures (Table 7), and EHR capabilities and quality recognition. Access the webinar the day of the session using this link.
FTCA Application Technical Assistance (TA) and Deeming Process Webcast Series- April 2, 9, and 10. Join BPHC for three technical assistance webcasts for health centers that plan to submit Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) redeeming or initial deeming applications. Each webcast will focus on a different application section. All webcasts will be recorded and posted on the FTCA website, but health centers are strongly encouraged to attend live sessions which are as follows:
April 2, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Topics: Application Logistics & Credentialing. Access the webcast the day of the session using the following information: http://services.choruscall.com/links/hrsa140402.html
April 9, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Topics: Application Logistics & Risk Management and Tracking. Access the webcast the day of the session using the following information: http://services.choruscall.com/links/hrsa140409.html
April 10, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Topics: Application Logistics & Quality Improvement and Quality Assurance. Access the webcast the day of the session using the following information: http://services.choruscall.com/links/hrsa140410.html
The Health Workforce Technical Assistance Center is offering the following webinar: How can we transform the workforce to meet the needs of a transformed health system? April 9, 2014 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Dr. Erin Fraher will discuss new and emerging roles for health workers and the challenge to reshape the education and training system to deliver new competencies to the workforce. Visit this link to register for the webinar.
The Sylvia Ratelle STD/HIV Prevention Training Center of New England in collaboration with Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers present a program for Connecticut School Based Health Center Clinicians called, Keeping It Real: Responding to the Sexual Health Needs of Adolescents on April 25, 2014 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Click here for details and a printable flyer.
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.
The CT Department of Public Health announces Programa de Manejo Personal de la Diabetes, a program designed to help empower Spanish-speaking persons with diabetes to build self-confidence and to better manage their diabetes. Training dates are May 29-30 and June 5-6. More information and requirements can be found here.
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Funding Opportunities
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
CT Health Foundation announces the availability of funding to increase the diversity of consumers participating in health reform engagement and advocacy. CT Health anticipates funding 4 to 6 grant requests ranging in size from $25,000 to $50,000, with a deadline of April 21, 2014. To learn more about this opportunity, click here.
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!
William Simmons answers this week’s question.
Will Simmons, Community HealthCorps Member, answers this week’s question.
Q: Hi Will, what are my options for health care coverage if I don’t enroll by the March 31 deadline?
A: I would encourage you to check if you’re eligible for HUSKY. If this is the case, you will be able to enroll year-round. Also, you may be eligible to obtain health care coverage during a special enrollment period outside of the open enrollment period. If you experience a qualifying life event (including moving to a new state, certain changes in your income, losing your current coverage, and changes in your family size–getting married, divorced, or having a baby).
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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)
All CHCACT Staff can be reached by calling 860.667.7820.
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Resources
Scope of Project Webpage: HRSA has released a new “Scope of Project” Page on the BPHC website. This page provides a “one-stop-shop” for Health Center Program Scope of Project and Change-in-Scope policy, process, and resources. View the new Scope of Project webpage.
New Rural Mental Health and Substance Abuse Toolkit Launched. The Rural Assistance Center, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center, and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis launched this toolkit, designed to help rural communities and organizations develop and implement programs that meet the targeted mental health needs of communities based on proven approaches and strategies.
ECRI has developed Asthma Care for the Pediatric Patient. Asthma is a challenging, common, chronic childhood illness associated with significant school absenteeism, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions. Racial and ethnic disparities in both asthma management and outcomes put safety net populations at particular risk. This self-assessment checklist will help healthcare providers assess and develop a patient-focused asthma treatment plan.
ECRI Institute has archived recordings of many webinars and trainings including the Optimizing Healthcare Outcomes for the Pediatric Population webinar. Visit the website here to browse a list of the archive. A login is required to access the recordings. If you would like a login, email Clinical_RM_Program@ecri.org or call (610) 825-6000 ext. 5200.
Be Involved in Your HealthCare Brochure – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released an easy-to-read brochure for patients to help them be prepared before, during, and after medical appointments.
Intimate Partner Violence in the U.S. Report – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released Intimate Partner Violence in the United States – 2010, a report describing the prevalence and impact of intimate partner victimization (IPV) using data from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. The report also includes opportunities for IPV prevention and ways to interrupt IPV patterns.
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 care 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. 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.
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.
AmeriCorps has developed this infographic which shows all the great ways they impacted America’s health in one year.
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 Stories
3.31.14 Yale Daily News: CT Residents Rush for Coverage (feat. CHCACT)
3.30.14 New Haven Register: With Hours Left to Sign Up for Insurance, DeLauro Makes Door-to-Door Push (feat. CS-Hill Health Center)
3.29.14 CT Post: Mad Dash for Obamacare Deadline (feat. Optimus)
3.27.14 The Republican/MassLive: Rashad Collins Selected for National Emerging Leader Recognition
3.25.14 CT NewsJunkie: Health Exchange Gears Up for Final Enrollment Surge (feat. First Choice Health Centers)
3.25.14 Greenwich Time: State Unveils Comprehensive Health Plan (feat. Southwest Community Health Center)
State Health News
3.31.14 WNPR: ACA Expected to Increase Demand for Primary Care Docs; Quinnipiac Responds
3.26.14 CT NewsJunkie: Free Dental Clinic, Finally, Comes to Hartford
Health Reform
3.31.14 CT Mirror: At Obamacare Deadline, Rush to Enroll, Questions About What’s Next
3.30.14 Washington Post: Maryland Gears Up for Health Exchange Redo
3.28.14 CT NewsJunkie (Op-Ed): The Health Care Industry’s Campaign of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
National/Other News
3.26.14 Governing: County Rankings Highlight Poverty, Health Disparities
3.25.14 Governing: States Fail the Grade on Health Care Price Transparency
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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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