During this call, learn more about the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act). CMS answers your frequently asked questions on quality measures, standardized data elements, the CMS data element library, and future directions of the IMPACT Act. A question and answer session follows the presentation. 1pm CST.
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Rural Reporter
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Rural Areas Have The Highest Suicide Rates And Fewest Mental Health Workers
There is a severe shortage of mental health workers across the U.S., but the problem is most pronounced in rural areas. Sixty-five percent of nonmetropolitan counties don't have a single psychiatrist, and almost half of those counties don't have a psychologist, according to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. And even when a rural area does have some mental health workers, they alone usually can't address the entire population's needs. And the shortage can overflow on to emergency departments, which end up treating mental health needs. In the period from 2005 to 2015, county-level suicide rates increased by more than ten percent for almost all counties in the U.S., and eighty-seven percent of counties showing a more than twenty-percent increase. (Source: The Huffington Post; Image: County-Level Trends in Suicide Rates in the U.S) More »
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In Hillsboro, Gundersen St. Joseph's New Campus Gets Initial Zoning Approval
On Monday, members of the Hillsboro City Plan Commission and Common Council unanimously approved the zoning change and initial implementation plan for the new home of Gundersen St. Joseph's Hospital and Clinics. The campus is estimated to take around three years to complete and will include a new 65,000 square foot facility, including a primary care clinic, hospital services, inpatient wing, emergency services, surgery, rehabilitation and a specialty clinic. (Source and Photo: Gundersen St. Joseph's Hospital and Clinics) More »
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Study Finds Rural/Urban Split in National Emergency Department Workforce
New research again points to a severe shortage of emergency physicians in rural areas. According to a new study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, there are myriad factors leading to this health disparity, including strategic and budgetary barriers for rural physicians seeking employment. Largely, cost considerations discourage the hiring of emergency medicine physicians in rural areas. The study also broke down the numbers of emergency medicine clinicians by type, with 50,157 EM clinicians working in urban areas and 8,408 EM clinicians working in rural areas. (Source: Health Leaders Media; Map: Emergency physicians as a percentage of all emergency medicine clinicians, by county, from Hall, et al) More »
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New State Medicaid Scorecards Aim to Increase Accountability
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the first round of scorecards for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The scorecards, which rank states on key characteristics of Medicaid and CHIP, are based on a combination of voluntary data submissions from individual states and existing federal data on state health system performance. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these scorecards were designed in order to increase state and federal accountability for Medicaid programs. In fiscal year 2016, Wisconsin voluntarily reported four of twenty-one frequently-reported health care quality measures in the CHIP Child Core Set, and zero of sixteen quality measures in the Medicaid Adult Core Set. (Source: MedPage Today; Image: Medicaid.gov) More »
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Infection Control and Prevention in CAHs
Some critical access hospitals (CAHs) face significant challenges in their infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, according to new research that indicates key challenges for CAHs across the country are a lack of competency-based training programs and a failure to perform audits and feedback. As a result of the research, a new website was developed for frequently needed resources on infection control and prevention. (Source: Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; Image: Infection Control Assessment and Promotion Program) More »
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Rural Communities Opioid Response-Planning Program (Deadline: 07/30/2018)Through its parent agency, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will make awards of up to $200,000 each to support one year of community-level planning for prevention and treatment of opioid use disorder in approximately 75 high-risk rural communities. Successful awardees will partner with at least three other separately-owned entities and develop plans to implement opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery interventions. Eligible applicants include domestic public or private entities, nonprofit and for-profit, including faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations. All services must be provided in HRSA-designated rural areas. Funding »
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Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Grant (Deadline: 08/01/2018)The Department of Health Services (DHS) will award $500,000 for the purpose of increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in rural and underserved urban counties. Funding »
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Communities Thrive Challenge (Deadline: 06/19/2018)The Communities Thrive Challenge will award $1 million to ten organizations dedicated to improving local economies and expanding economic opportunity for low-income and financially insecure people. The initiative was purposely designed more like a contest than a regular grant in order to attract new kinds of potential grantees, including underfunded rural organizations. Applicants must register by next Tuesday, June 12th, 8 pm Central Time. Applications are then due the following week, on Tuesday, June 19th, at 8 pm Central Time. Applications will then be considered over a six-month period and will be considered on factors of scale, impact, community-drivenness, and leadership. Funding »
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Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grant Program (Deadline: 06/29/2018)Human services agencies or non-profit institutions that employ licensed mental health professionals who have specialized training and experience in infant and early childhood assessment, diagnosis, and treatment are invited to apply for funding from the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grant Program. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) expects to fund up to 9 grantees with up to $500,000 per year for up to five years. Funding »
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SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Funding for Underage Drinking (Deadline: 07/06/2018)Funding is available for federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes, tribal organizations, Urban Indian Organizations, or consortia of tribes or tribal organizations as well as states to acquire additional resources to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework process at the state/tribal and community levels. The purpose of this funding is to prevent underage drinking among persons aged 9 to 20. At their discretion, states/tribes may also use grant funds to target up to two additional, data-driven substance abuse prevention priorities, such as the use of marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine, etc. by individuals ages 9 and above. Funding »
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Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (Deadline: 07/02/2018)Public or private nonprofit dental or dental hygiene schools, or approved residency or advanced education programs in the practice of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry are eligible for the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Eligible applicants must have accredited training programs in dental or dental hygiene schools, or approved residency or advanced education programs in the practice of general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, or dental public health. There will be a webinar for this program on June 7th, at 1pm Eastern Time. Playback: 888-203-1112; Playback Passcode: 7186317. Funding »
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Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence to Promote Health and Well-Being Among Children (Deadline: 07/18/2018)Healthy Eating Research (HER) is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) national program, which supports research on policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies with strong potential to promote the health and well-being of children at a population level. Specifically, HER aims to help all children achieve optimal nutrition and a healthy weight. Healthy Eating Research issues calls for proposals (CFPs) to solicit scientifically rigorous, solution-oriented proposals from investigators representing diverse disciplines and backgrounds. Preference will be given to applicants that are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3). Funding »
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Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health Community Outreach/Education Grants (Deadline: 07/16/2018)This opportunity provides funding for community-based nonprofit organizations that are working to prevent agricultural injury and illness through training, educational campaigns, and media. Priority will be given to projects addressing aging, sleep deprivation, chemical safety, and mental health. Eligible applicants include: for-profit, nonprofit, and public or private institutions; local or state government and eligible federal agencies; local and state tribal government; and faith- or community-based organizations. Funding »
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Rural Cooperative Development Grant (Deadline: 07/24/2018)Institutions of higher education and nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) status can apply for the Rural Cooperative Development Grant, which aims to improve the economic condition of rural areas by assisting individuals or entities in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other business entities. Grants are awarded competitively on an annual basis to Rural Cooperative Development Centers who in turn provide technical assistance to individuals and entities. Funding »
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SAMHSA's Targeted Capacity Expansion: Medication Assisted Treatment (Deadline: 07/09/2018)The purpose of this program is to expand/enhance access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services for persons with an opioid use disorder (OUD) seeking or receiving MAT. This funding will expand access to medication-assisted treatment and recovery support services for people with opioid use disorder. This program’s focus is on funding organizations and tribes/tribal organizations within states identified as having the highest rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin and opioids per capita and includes those states with the most dramatic increases for heroin and opioids, based on SAMHSA’s 2015 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Funding »
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HRSA's Faculty Loan Repayment Program (Deadline: 06/28/2018)The Faculty Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment to faculty members from disadvantaged backgrounds with a professional health care degree or certificate in exchange for teaching at educational institutions that provide training for health care professionals. The service commitment provides a maximum of $40,000, for a two-year service commitment, and participants may apply for sequential contracts. There will be a webinar for prospective applicants on Thursday, June 7th, at 2pm Central Time. Dial-in: 1-888-889-4957; Passcode: 9769247 Funding »
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Strategic Prevention Framework - Partnerships for Success (Deadline: 07/06/2018)The purpose of this grant program is to address one of the nation’s top substance abuse prevention priorities; underage drinking among persons aged 9 to 20. At their discretion, states/tribes may also use grant funds to target up to two additional, data-driven substance abuse prevention priorities, such as the use of marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine, etc. by individuals ages 9 and above. SPF-PFS is designed to ensure that prevention strategies and messages reach the populations most impacted by substance abuse. The program extends current established cross-agency and community-level partnerships by connecting substance abuse prevention programming to departments of social services and their community service providers. This includes working with populations disproportionately impacted by the consequences of substance use; i.e., children entering the foster care system, transitional youth, and individuals that support persons with substance abuse issues (women, families, parents, caregivers, and young adults). Eligibility is limited to 1) federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes, tribal organizations, Urban Indian Organizations, or consortia of tribes or tribal organizations and 2) states/territories that are not currently receiving funds through SAMHSA’s SPF-PFS grant. Funding »
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Rural Hospital Leadership Award (Deadline: 08/31/2018)The American Hospital Association’s Rural Hospital Leadership Award recognizes small or rural hospital chief executives and administrators who have achieved improvements in local health delivery and health status through their leadership and direction. The Award is designed to provide professional development and educational opportunities to outstanding chief executives and includes a $1,500 stipend to offset the cost of attending an AHA educational program. Funding »
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AmerisourceBergen Foundation Opioid Resource Grant Program (Deadline: 07/31/2018)The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is accepting grant applications for innovative and constructive solutions to the opioid epidemic that address safe disposal and education around prevention. The Foundation will award grants, averaging $50,000 - $75,000, to nonprofit organizations for programs that focus on safe disposal and/or public education around preventing opioid misuse. Funding »
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Drug Deactivation Bag Distribution Initiative (Deadline: 07/31/2018)The Amerisource Bergen Foundation is offering resources to address opioid abuse. This initiative will provide organizations with access to drug deactivation resources that enable community members to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs in a safe and effective manner. Funding »
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Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Assistance Program (Deadline: 07/16/2018)The Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Assistance Program will provide funding for a single entity to provide targeted in-depth assistance to vulnerable rural hospitals within communities that are struggling to maintain healthcare services. Eligible applicants include domestic public or private nonprofit entities, including faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations. There will be an applicant webinar on June 4th at 1 pm Central Time (Call-in number: 888.989.6487; Participant code: 9805881). Funding »
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National Organization for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Deadline: 06/25/2018)This funding opportunity will build on the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s (NCCDPHP) efforts to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of the states’ chronic disease prevention and health promotion public health workforce. This program is expected to result in adoption of evidence-based chronic disease prevention and health promotion approaches and effective use of public health tools and resources. The following are eligible to apply: state, county, and city governments, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, small businesses, Native American tribal organizations, and public controlled institutions of higher education. Funding »
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American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Tangible Items Grant (Deadline: 08/15/2018)The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation will award grants of up to $10,000 for the purchase of tangible items such as exam tables, EHR systems, and medical equipment for free clinics. To be eligible, applicants must be a clinic nearing completion of the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) clinic development process and have an AAFP member in a leadership role. Funding »
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Compeer Financial’s Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program (Deadline: 08/31/2018)Compeer Financial’s Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program supports rural communities in their service area by funding emergency response equipment for volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments. Funding is available up to $3,000 for emergency response equipment. The application period is August 1 through 31. Funding »
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People for Bikes Infrastructure Award (Deadline: 07/23/2018)People for Bikes will award up to $10,000 to non-profit organizations for bicycle infrastructure projects. Eligible projects include bike paths and end-of-trip facilities such as bike racks, engineering, design work, and construction costs. A Letter of Interest is due July 23.
Physical Event
Rural Health Clinic Boot Camp
(
2018-06-20 to 2018-06-21
)CMS continues to address and expand the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) designated areas with an overall goal to meet the needs of our rural communities. Because many have already transitioned into the RHC status and many are scheduled to make that change this year, the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, in cooperation with WI-ORH, will provide a two-day educational RHC session.
Day One will emphasize the RHC basics: overview of the RHC program, operational effects, introduction to billing and cost reporting and necessary resources. Day Two will benefit those that have already transitioned by providing an intermediate level content reviewing survey preparations, working billing questions, CCM/TCM in an RHC, as well as provider based status issues. We invite you to attend one or both days to obtain overall concepts as well as strengthen your current knowledge and understanding of the RHC setting.
The training will take place in Prairie du Sac. The registration deadline is on June 13th. More information is available on the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative's website.
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Physical Event
The Center for Aging Research and Education at the School of Nursing invites you to attend the launch of their "Dementia Friendly Toolkit: Role Play Simulations for Care and Community Settings." The event will celebrate the release of easily accessible training materials to help healthcare staff, service providers, family members and others better communicate with and advocate for people living with dementia.
University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing at 701 Highland Avenue, 5-7 pm. Parking in nearby UW lots 60 & 64 is free after 4:30 pm.
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Physical Event
Wisconsin Zero Suicide Training
(
2018-06-21 to 2018-06-22
)Zero Suicide is a quality improvement initiative that has demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce suicides when implemented within health and behavioral health care organizations. Participants in the two-day Zero Suicide Training at the Wisconsin Dells will learn the seven elements of Zero Suicide and be guided in developing an implementation plan.
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Online
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to understand the value of developing high-quality Post-Acute Transitional Care in Critical Access Hospitals in response to a growing patient population and demands and challenges in acute care hospitals. Participants will be able to begin to quantify the opportunity, understand the critical steps to initiate, implement and track progress in developing high-quality Post-Acute Transitional. Time: 2pm CT.
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