Rural Reporter

  • Gov. Evers Extends Mask Mandate to Nov. 21
    Governor Tony Evers declared a new public health emergency in Wisconsin and has extended the statewide mask mandate until November 21, citing an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases, particularly on college campuses. The order was set to expire on Monday. Evers issued the new public health emergency order even as his authority to issue the mandate is being challenged in court. Since the school year started, the state has seen a surge in cases, especially among 18 to 24-year-olds. Wisconsin is now experiencing unprecedented, near-exponential growth of COVID-19.
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  • DHS Report: Suicide Rates Higher in Rural Areas
    A new report from the Department of Health Services says suicide continues to grow as a public health issue in Wisconsin. The suicide rate grew by 40% from 2010-2017. The suicide rate was highest among individuals ages 45-54 and higher in rural counties than in urban and suburban counties. A firearm was the most commonly used method of suicide.
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  • Essential Visitor Guidance for Nursing Homes
    Since mid-March 2020, visitor restrictions have been in place in Wisconsin nursing homes and nationwide in order to help mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Recognizing the critical role family members and other close friends have in the support of residents, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has create a new “Essential Visitors” program. DHS recommends that nursing homes develop a process to designate certain individuals as Essential Visitors, a person who the resident sees regularly and depends on for emotional support. Nursing homes are not required to implement an Essential Visitors program, but the guidance provides recommendations for those facilities that choose to do so. DHS will regularly monitor the effect Essential Visitors are having on the disease activity in nursing homes and will adjust the guidance accordingly.
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  • Medicaid Cases Swell as Pandemic Rolls On
    The number of people on Medicaid has spiked during the pandemic. Caseloads had risen on average 8.4% through July in 30 states for which researchers have enrollment data. The growing demand for Medicaid is colliding with the diminished ability of states to pay for it. Some state legislatures are eyeing Medicaid cuts as a way to address budget deficits. State governments are eliminating benefits such as optometry for adults, physical therapy, and dental care. Wisconsin is one of only 12 states that has not accepted Medicaid Expansion. Accepting the expansion would allow 80,000 Wisconsinites to qualify for BadgerCare. 
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  • UW System to Keep Students on Campus
    The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has moved all classes online for two weeks after a spike in students testing positive for the coronavirus. UW-River Falls joins UW-La Crosse and UW-Madison in pausing in-person classes since September 9. Despite the high positivity rates for the campuses, UW Systems Interim President Tommy Thompson told Wisconsin Health News that closing campuses for the rest of the semester was not on the table. Sending students home now would only spread the virus to other communities across the state, he said. Thompson is not at all surprised at how quickly cases grew. “I think we’re doing a good job. I think we’re doing an excellent job, as a matter of a fact,” Thompson said.
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  • USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant program (Deadline: 04/10/2020)
    The USDA is making $71.7 million in grants available under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant program. This program helps rural communities use telecommunications-based audio and video equipment to connect teachers, students, medical providers and rural residents with each other and the world. Applicants in rural areas of 20,000 people or less who provide education or health care services through telecommunications facilities are eligible to apply. Funding »
  • WI Partnership Program Announces COVID-19 Response Grant Program (Deadline: 04/15/2020)
    The Wisconsin Partnership Program announces its COVID-19 Response Grant Program. The program is a strategic, flexible, rapid-response mechanism designed to support innovative, responsive, high-impact projects that aim to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin by lessening the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through scientific, medical, or public health approaches and/or by supporting those most at risk or experiencing the greatest disparities in care. Priority during this funding cycle will be given to proposals taking immediate action to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding »
  • Rural EMS Training Grant (Deadline: 04/30/2020)
    SAMHSA is accepting applications for the Rural Emergency Medical Services Training grants (EMS Training). The purpose of this program is to recruit and train emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in rural areas. SAMHSA recognizes the great need for emergency services in rural areas and the critical role EMS personnel serve across the country. Funding »
  • NSF Funding for COVID-19 R&D for Small Businesses (Deadline: 03/31/2020)
    The National Science Foundation is calling for companies to submit proposals working on the development and deployment of new technologies, products and services that can address the COVID-19 crisis. The NSF is hosting a webinar for a more in-depth overview and insights for submitting a proposal. Funding »
  • Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment Announces Funding to Support Wisconsin’s COVID-19 Response (Deadline: 03/30/2020)
    The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) has announced the availability of up to $5 million in funding to support Wisconsin’s response to the new coronavirus (COVID-19). This rapid-response funding opportunity is intended for Wisconsin-based, IRS tax-exempt 501(c)3 or government organizations, as well as Medical College of Wisconsin faculty supporting COVID-19 response efforts. Applications must focus on immediate actions statewide that support prevention, risk reduction, and minimize transmission. Applicants are urged to identify opportunities that are upstream from clinical care, such as efforts to scale up effective prevention and risk reduction efforts, expand efforts to get information to the public, develop infrastructure to distribute testing resources or provide education on infection prevention, and more.  Award amounts will vary based on individual project needs.  Funding »
  • USDA Rural Water Well System Grants (Deadline: 05/31/2020)
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting Fiscal Year 2020 applications for grants to build, fix or improve household water well systems. The Household Water Well System Grants program doesn't provide funding to individual households. Instead, qualified non-profit organizations can use the funds to create a revolving loan fund; individual well owners who might otherwise be unable to qualify for a loan can then take out a low-interest loan from the non-profit. The non-profit or a third-party donor must contribute at least 10 percent in matching funds for the grant. Eligible areas are: tribal lands in rural areas, rural areas with a population of 50,000 or under. Funding »
  • NHSC Scholarship Program (Deadline: 04/23/2020)
    The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) released the 2020 application and program guidance for the NHSC Scholarship Program. The program provides scholarships to health profession students pursuing careers as primary care providers in exchange for their commitment to serve in high-need, underserved communities That scholarship includes tax-free payment of tuition, required fees, other reasonable educational costs, and a taxable monthly living stipend. Funding »
  • Hermes Monato, Jr Prize for Best Rural Health Paper by UW Students (Deadline: 06/01/2020)
    The Hermes Monato, Jr. Prize of $2,500 is awarded annually for the "best rural health paper." It is open to all students of the University of Wisconsin (any campus) as well as those who have graduated since last June 1st. Students are encouraged to write on a rural health topic for a regular class and then to submit a copy to the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative as an entry. Previous award winners as well as judging criteria and submission information are available online. Funding »
  • Tribal Opioid Response Grants (Deadline: 05/04/2020)
    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2020 Tribal Opioid Response grants (Short Title: TOR). The program aims to address the opioid crisis in tribal communities by increasing access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using one of the three FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). In addition to focusing on OUD, recipients may also address stimulant misuse and use disorders, including cocaine and methamphetamine. The intent is to reduce unmet treatment need and opioid overdose-related deaths through the provision of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for OUD and, if so desired, stimulant misuse and use disorders. Funding »
  • New GME Program Grant from WI DHS (Deadline: 04/30/2020)
    The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced a Request for Applications for the New GME Program Grant. The Grant provides up to $750,000 over three years for hospitals and sponsoring institutions to develop a new GME Program, establish a fellowship, or create a rural alternative rural tract in any physician specialty that is documented as a need in rural areas. Funding »
  • HHS-HRSA Telehealth Network Grant Program (Deadline: 04/13/2020)
    This funding is aimed towards promoting rural Tele-emergency services with an emphasis on tele-stroke, tele-behavioral health, and Tele-Emergency Medical Services (Tele-EMS). This will be achieved by enhancing telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour Emergency Department (ED) consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists. Learn more
  • University of Wisconsin Invites Participation in Teleophthalmology Project (Deadline: 05/01/2020)
    The University of Wisconsin Teleophthalmology Program (UWTOP) invites rural primary care clinics to test its toolkit for increasing diabetic eye screening using teleophthalmology.   Teleophthalmology is an evidence-based method for diabetic eye screening recommended by the American Diabetes Association that is under-utilized by U.S. health systems. The UWTOP collaborated with rural primary care clinics at Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston, WI in an NIH-funded research study to develop an implementation toolkit for teleophthalmology.    At Mile Bluff Medical Center, our toolkit sustained an increase in diabetic eye screening rates from 47% to 64% over 3 years.   UWTOP is now seeking NIH R01 funding to test its toolkit in multiple rural primary care clinics for its effectiveness and implementation costs, as well as to identify the key strategies and factors leading to significant, sustained increases in diabetic eye screening and teleophthalmology use.   For more information, please contact: Yao Liu, MD MS Principal Investigator and Director, UW Teleophthalmology Program (UWTOP) Assistant Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison yao.liu2@wisc.edu
  • Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Grants (Deadline: 04/24/2020)
    The federal Health Resources and Services Administration will award 89 multi-year grants through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.  The Program’s goal is to address barriers to treatment access in rural communities related to substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD) and to enhance coalition’s abilities to implement and sustain SUD/OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services in underserved rural areas.
  • The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Telehealth Network Grant Program (Deadline: 04/13/2020)
    The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy’s Telehealth Network Grant Program will award funding for rural tele-emergency services with an emphasis on tele-stroke, tele-behavioral health, and tele-Emergency Medical Services (Tele-EMS).  The goal is to enhance telehealth networks to deliver 24-hour Emergency Department consultation services via telehealth to rural providers without emergency care specialists.  These will be multi-year grants and no match is required.
  • USDA Rural Utilities Service Grants for Distance Learning and Telemedicine (Deadline: 04/10/2020)
    The USDA Rural Utilities Service is accepting applications for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants program.  Funds may be used for audio/video equipment, hardware/software, technical assistance and instructional programming, and other resources.  Minimum grant is $50,000 and a 15% march is required.
  • Dept of Justice Grants to Create Safer Communities for Rural Children and Young Adults (Deadline: 03/30/2020)
    The Department of Justice will provide grants to support community-based efforts to address the impact of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  The Office on Violence Against Women will award multi-year grants that focus on rural children and young adults by creating safer communities or providing school based services.  A Letter of Intent is encouraged by March 11, application due March 30.
  • HRSA Support for Opioid-Impacted Families (Deadline: 04/13/2020)
    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make 19 awards to support training for peer support and other paraprofessionals in behavioral health who can help children whose parents are impacted by opioid use and other substance use disorders. Funding »
  • SAMSHA Grants to Implement National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (Deadline: 03/23/2020)
    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) is accepting applications for grants to implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The purpose of the program is to support states and communities in advancing efforts to prevent suicide and suicide attempts among adults age 25 and older. Funding »
  • HRSA Addiction Management Fellowship (Deadline: 02/28/2020)
    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) accepting applications for 33 awards for its Addiction Management Fellowship program. The program will expand the number of fellows trained as addiction medicine specialists who work in underserved communities. Funding »
  • RWJF Change Leadership Programs (Deadline: 02/19/2020)
    The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is accepting applications for four program designed to build a Culture of Health. Eligibility varies for each of the four programs. Funding »
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