Weekly E-Blast:  
Voicing the latest news on Communities in Need
In This Issue


Have news to share with us? Want to be featured on our next E-Digest? Want to read about something in particular? Please email us at [email protected]

April 25, 2016
MACHC SPOTLIGHT
Goodbye & Good luck to 
John-Andrew Young 
Community Development Analyst, MACHC

John- Andrew (Jay)'s last day at MACHC is on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. As we bid farewell to Jay, we wish him the best of luck and blessings. Furthermore, we thank him for his commitment to service and passion in helping our member FQHCs with their data needs. 
Henceforth, please direct Jay's inquiries to Aneeqa Chowdhury ([email protected]) or Abid Jamil ([email protected]).



MACHC HAPPENINGS
  
MACHC EVENTS
   
(1) Cultural Competency Conference (Pick one day) - Dover Downs, DE
Thursday, May 19th AND Friday, May 20th, 2016

(2) 
Outreach & Enrollment Call 
Friday, May 20, 2016
11am- noon
1-866-740-1260 Access 4319483
Who: Outreach Staff
Discuss state updates, best practices, barriers/issues that need attention and provide any support and advocacy where needed.

(3) MACHC Clinical Informatics/Quality/Finance Conference 
Thursday, June 16th, 2016
Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD
Transformation inHealthcare Delivery: Shifting from Volume to Value
The Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers provides an opportunity for community health centers providers / clinicians and other safety net providers to receive professional development and ongoing education while networking with colleagues in the primary care settings across Delaware, Maryland and other states in the region. Transforming health care payment and delivery systems is essential in order to achieve improvements in health care quality and reductions in costs that are needed to achieve the Triple Aim.  This conference seeks to share information and educate attendees on concepts of volume to value in all four breakout tracks - Finance, IT, Clinical and Quality. This is a conference you will not want to miss!   Register Here
  • OTHER EVENTS

  • (1) Serving the Homeless Community: New Findings on the Impact of the ACA Medicaid Expansion  Register Here
    Tuesday, April 26 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET    
    The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion provided a significant opportunity to increase health coverage and improve access to care for individuals experiencing homelessness, who historically have had high uninsured rates and often have multiple, complex physical and mental health needs.

    (2) Refining Primary Care Quality Improvement Strategies with Project ECHO-Developing Your Professional Presence
    Wednesday, April 27th from 12:00PM to 1:00PM ET   Register Here
    Participants will review and explore the core concepts of facilitation, including the basic skills needed to run effective meetings and the use of systematic problem solving tools

    (3) NURSE Corps Scholarship Technical Assistance
    Conference Call
    Saturday, April 30
    2:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET
    This is the final session for live application Q&A. We invite you to participate as you complete the NURSE Corps Scholarship application process. Please use the information below to participate:
    • Dial in: 1-888-790-3148
    • Passcode: 2128624
    Prior to attending the conference call, we encourage you to view the on-demand pre-recorded NURSE Corps Scholarship Technical Assistance Webinar, with more information on the application process and service requirements.
    If you have any questions, please contact the Customer Care Center at 1-800-221-9393 (TTY: 1-877-897-9910), Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).
    Remember the NURSE Corps Scholarship Application deadline is Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET. 


    (4) An In-Depth Look at FTCA Coverage for Health Centers.  Learn More
    Nashville, TN - May 4 & 5, 2016
    Philadelphia, PA - June 7 & 8, 2016
    Operating a health center within the confines of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) has never been more challenging. The myriad requirements and involvement of various agencies coupled with increased accountability and responsibility can make providing health care services to your patients a risky proposition. This training provides information from trusted and experienced health center attorneys, Marty Bree, Molly Evans, and Matthew Freedus, who for years have provided advice and counsel on the day-to-day issues that arise around FTCA at health centers.

    (5) Enhancing the Role of Health Centers Working with Olmstead Populations - Thursday, May 5, 2-3:15 p.m. EST- Register Here
    Health centers and other behavioral health professionals are key service providers for people with disabilities leaving institutional care, but are often absent from planning efforts.  This webinar will address survey results to help understand the role for health centers in serving 'Olmstead Populations' (i.e., community integration of deinstitutionalized populations at risk of or experiencing homelessness), and highlight communities where health providers are actively involved in both care and planning. 

    (6) Take A Stand    June 11, 2016
    The Westin Baltimore Washington Airport-BWI
    9:00 am - 1:30 pm  Register Here
    Lunch included
    One-time, FREE workshop on raising your clinic's adult immunization rates while streamlining your practice
     This workshop is a one-stop shop to help you easily implement standing orders in your practice.
     Using standing orders for adult immunizations can help your practice be a leader in quality adult care.

    (7) SAVE THE DATE
    ParkWest's Janie B Geer Scholarship Fund Golf Classic Monday, August 8, 2016
    The Woodlands Golf Course
    2309 Ridge Road, Windsor Mill MD 21244 

    Emergency Preparedness Events: 

    SAVE THE DATE
    MACHC's ICD-400 Training 
    Facilitated by Duane Taylor, CEO MACHC    
    May 26th 2016  10:00 -12:00 p.m. EDT
    A webinar Outlook invite will be sent to Emergency Management staff
    If you would like to be included on the list of invites, please email Aneeqa Chowdhury ([email protected])
    This course provides training and resources for personnel who require advanced application of the ICS. This course expands upon information covered in ICS-100 through ICS-300 courses. These earlier courses are prerequisites for ICS-400.
    While FEMA provides standard course materials, this course is typically coordinated and taught in the field by State or other agencies. It is intended for senior personnel who are expected to perform in a management capacity in an area command or multiagency coordination entity.



    ASPR Still Seeking Partner Input for HPP Capabilities "Refresh"
    As featured in previous editions of the Update, the HHS ASPR National Healthcare Preparedness Program (NHPP) continues to seek partner and stakeholder input for refreshing theHPP Capabilities andPerformance Measures. By updating the healthcare preparedness capabilities, the U.S. healthcare system will be better able to prepare for and respond to health and medical emergencies. Refining the HPP performance measures will allow for better assessment of the healthcare system's progress, as well as the overall value of HPP.
     
    The HHS ASPR National Healthcare Preparedness Program (NHPP) has opened threads for discussion on TRACIE, their online Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway, as they work to revise the HPP Capabilities and HPP Performance Measures. The threads have been generating a lot of interest and input. Please visit the Healthcare Preparedness and Response Capabilities Revision and the Healthcare Preparedness and Response Performance Measure Revision discussion pages to read the new activity and engage in the discussion!

    March 2016 Statewide Health Alert Network (HAN) Drill: Results

    On March 30, DHMH/OP&R conducted a statewide, no-notice test of the Maryland Health Alert Network (HAN) system for healthcare partners. The goals of this drill were (1) to successfully deliver a test notification message to healthcare partners; and (2) to receive a response back that the message was received within the allotted timeframe (two hours). The test notification was sent to the following HAN user groups:
    - Acute care hospitals (designated primary and alternate contacts)
    - DHMH State Facilities emergency planner contacts
    - Community health center/FQHC emergency preparedness contacts

    Drill Results
    Number of healthcare partner HAN registrants notified: 115
    Number of healthcare partner HAN registrants that acknowledged receipt of message within allotted response timeframe: 87
    Success rate: 76%

    The observed 76% response rate shows improvement over recent drills.
    - 74% in June 2015
    - 64% in Sept. 2015 (no-notice)
    - Dec. 2015: drill results invalid due to HAN system technical issues

    Corrective actions from the drill: HPP Regional Coordinators will conduct targeted follow-up to ensure that: (1) designated healthcare contacts are registered users of HAN, and (2) contacts are reminded to log in regularly and maintain current contact information in the HAN system.

    Thanks to everyone for participating in the quarterly HAN drills! The next drill will take place in June.

    Preparedness News
     
    Amber, Silver, Yellow and Blue - What Do They Mean to You?
     
    [MJOC Quarterly Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 2 / April 2016]  You may not have known but these simple colors may be more important than you once thought. The Amber, Silver, Yellow, & Blue alerts were developed as a way of collecting and disseminating information in reference to missing subjects, hit and run incidents, and threats against law enforcement officers. There are several requirements for an Amber Alert to be activated: child under age 18, child in imminent danger, and enough descriptive information about the abduction are the top three criteria. There are several requirements for a Silver Alert to be activated: at least 60 years of age, suffers from a cognitive impairment, the disappearance poses a threat to their own safety and health, and there is enough descriptive information about the missing person. The Yellow Alert program is designed to assist law enforcement across Maryland with finding vehicles that leave the scene of a crash where someone is gravely hurt or a fatality has occurred. The Blue Alert program is designed for rapid dissemination of information to assist in locating and apprehending a missing offender who is suspected of killing of seriously injuring a law enforcement officer. Once Maryland State Police notifies the MJOC that any of these alerts have been activated, various additional notifications are made via the Emergency Alert System (EAS), facsimile to local 911 centers, the Statewide Maryland NAWAS circuit, and the MJOC alert and notification system.
     


    Get to Know Your Regional Coordinators!
    Please get in touch with your Regional Coordinators if you have not already done so and be more active in your Regional Coalition. MACHC has reached out to you in order to make sure you know who your coordinators are and has planned MINI GRANTS as incentives to help with travel for the Coalition meetings.
    You should already have their contacts in emails I have sent within this year numerous times. Please find them below: 
     
    Regions I and II Health Care Coalition 
    [Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington Counties]
    *VACANT*
    Allegany County Health Department
    12501 Willowbrook Road
    Cumberland, MD  21502
    301-759-5238 (Office)
    443-934-2232 (Mobile)
    301-777-2069 (Fax)
    [email protected] 

    [Baltimore City; Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties]
    *VACANT*
    Harford County Health Department
    120 S. Hays Street, Suite 230 
    Bel Air, MD  21014 
    410-877-1031 (Office)
    443-388-6290 (Mobile)

    Region IV 
    [Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties]
    Kristin McMenamin
    Kent County Health Department
    A.F. Whitsitt Center
    300 Scheeler Road, P.O. Box 229
    Chestertown, MD  21620
    410-778-4861 (Office)
    443-690-3091 (Mobile)
    410-778-4862 (Fax)

    Region V  Emergency Preparedness Coalition
    [Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's Counties]
    Casey Owens
    Office of Preparedness & Response
    Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
    300 W. Preston Street, Ste. 202
    Baltimore, MD  21201 


    Preparedness Resources 
    September is National Preparedness Month, a time for everyone to plan how to stay safe and communicate during the disasters that can affect your community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed resources that can help you spread the word about preparedness in your community.
    , and public service announcements. 
     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 

    How Prepared Is Your Community for an Emergency? 

    Download the kit checklist: 

    Family communication and evacuation plan: 


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    *** Look for the latest EP related updates RIGHT HERE!
    Policy, Advocacy and Legislation
    National News
    Governor Paul LePage signed into law "An Act to Prevent Opiate Abuse by Strengthening the Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program" (now PL 2015, c. 488) on April 19, 2016, making Maine the second state to pass legislation on the issue this year. In March, Massachusetts passed the nation's first law limiting first-time opioid prescriptions.
    Maine's bill introduces new language into the state laws governing licensure of physicians, nurses, podiatrists, dentists, and veterinarians. Beginning January 1, 2017, providers will not be allowed to prescribe more than a seven-day supply of opioids within a seven-day period for acute pain or a 30-day supply within a 30-day period for chronic pain. The daily supply is limited to 100 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) of medication per day, which is an aggregated total in cases where an individual receives a combination of opioids. 

    HRSA has released the FY 2017 New Access Points funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Approximately $50 million will be available for 75 awards to new and existing health centers for operational support of new primary care service delivery sites.  
    HRSA will hold a TA call for applicants on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:00 pm ET

    Applications are due in Grants.gov by 11:59 pm ET on June 17 and in HRSA's Electronic Handbook (EHB) by 5:00 pm ET on July 15.  Applicants must meet BOTH deadlines.  Contact [email protected] for questions.  

    The CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare (CAMH) is now soliciting candidates for a new Learning & Action Network work group focused on primary care- This new work group will include experts who will collaboratively develop recommendations on the critical components for primary care payment in alternative payment models (APMs), and make practical recommendations for accelerating adoption of these models, including steps to support implementation. The deadline for nominations is May 2. 

    The conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) on Friday submitted its recommendations for a Republican replacement for ObamaCare as it seeks to shape a plan being formed by a group of House chairmen. ... The proposal would replace ObamaCare's refundable tax credits with a tax deduction, which tends to provide less help to low-income people by reducing the taxes people owe rather than allowing for the possibility of getting money back in a refund. ... The law would undo ObamaCare's provision that bars insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing conditions and instead set up a system of high-risk pools for them. By repealing ObamaCare, the measure would also undo the law's expansion of Medicaid, which has provided much of the coverage gains tha
    Application cycle is now open!
    Clinical practice sites can recruit and retain providers who care about underserved communities by becoming an NHSC-approved site. The application cycle will close on June 7, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 
    Review the 2016 Site Reference Guide carefully to ensure your site meets all the requirements and to gather the required documentation.

    As the health law turned six Wednesday, federal officials proposed the expansion of a Medicare diabetes prevention program funded by the landmark measure.
    The pilot program, developed and administered by the YMCA, helped Medicare enrollees at high risk of developing the disease improve their diets, increase their exercise and lose about 5 percent of their body weight.

    The Federal Tort Claims Act University (FTCAU): Washington, DC Campus is an innovative and new training conference that is being offered to members of the health center community. FTCAU provides a great opportunity for seasoned quality and risk management professionals and new professionals to learn from experts, leaders, and government officials about FTCA, healthcare quality and risk management, and related subjects. Over the course of two days, attendees will participate in interactive presentations and exercises that are specially geared toward health center grantees in Washington, DC, and surrounding states.
    Conference dates and times: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 8:00 am - 4:35 pm
    Wednesday, September 14, 2016 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
    To Register please visit, http://www.dcpca.org/events/federal-torts-claim-act-university-ftcau
    State News
    DELAWARE
    Drop off unwanted or expired medications Saturday at 26 locations statewide on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People can drop off prescription and over-the-counter medications.
    All medications will be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
    Since 2010, Delaware has collected 52,002 pounds of expired and unused medicines through its 11 Drug Take-Back Day events. Call (302)744-4704 with questions.
    MARYLAND
    Like many public health advocates, Leana Wen is committed to helping opioid addicts get treatment. But as Baltimore's health commissioner, she has taken more steps than most to realize that aim.
    Speaking this week at a National Press Foundation event here, Wen outlined her aggressive approach to combating the opioid crisis. One of her primary goals is to help the public understand addiction as a brain disease that should treated like any other.
    "In public health, this has been known for years," she said. And yet the United States generally treats addiction as a crime, an approach she called "inhumane, unscientific and ineffective."
    Here are a few other measures Wen is working on to help Baltimore cope with its opioid addiction crisis:
    Make Naloxone widely available
    There are 620,000 people in Baltimore, and about 20,000 of them use heroin, Wen said. Naloxone, known under the brand name Narcan, is an effective antidote for heroin and opioid overdoses. Wen has authorized all the residents of Baltimore to receive a prescription for Naloxone in her name and sponsored citywide training sessions on how to use it. To date, Wen said, Baltimore has saved more than 200 lives by administering Naloxone to overdose victims.   

    The immense new CVS dominates the corner of Pennsylvania and West North avenues. Two smaller pharmacies nearby might both fit inside. One is Keystone Pharmacy, a block away on West North. Care One is five minutes on foot up Pennsylvania.
    CVS, its front shelves crammed with brightly-packaged processed foods and household cleaning supplies, is an island of abundance for this West Baltimore neighborhood, one of the city's poorest.
    It's a contrast that shows what's changed and what hasn't in the past year, since Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died of injuries sustained in police custody, unleashing days of protests. The CVS, just across from the Penn-North metro stop, was set ablaze on April 27, demolished and rebuilt, opening again just last month. Looters trashed Keystone and Care One, though both reopened within days of the protest.
    Finance & Business
    Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton give drug makers the jitters when they talk about Medicare negotiating the prices of prescription drugs. But the biggest near-term threat to the industry comes from a California ballot initiative that would test a version of that idea in the most populous state. That ballot initiative "is a grenade being rolled into the conversation, and it is being taken very seriously," says a Republican drug lobbyist in Washington, D.C. 
    The
    Latest News on ACA

    OUR WORK CONTINUES

    CMS Assister Webinar Schedule
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the biweekly assister webinar schedule.  To sign up for the CMS Weekly Assister Newsletter, which includes the webinar schedule, send a request to the Assister Listserv inbox.  Write "Add to listserv" in the subject line and please include the email address that you would like to add in the body of your email.  The next webinars are scheduled:
    • Friday, April 29 at 2:00 pm
    • Friday, May 13 at 2:00 pm
    • Wednesday, May 25 at 2:00 pm
    In states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, low-income adults were more likely to see a doctor, stay overnight in a hospital and receive their first diagnoses of diabetes and high cholesterol, according to a study published Monday.
    Yet researchers found no improvement in adults' own assessments of their health, a conclusion echoed by similar studies, the authors wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
    Two factors might explain the lack of perceived improvement. People did not sign up for Medicaid as soon as it expanded in January 2014 so there was little time to better their health. Also, survey participants' increased contact with health providers and fresh knowledge about their health might have negatively affected their opinions, the authors said.

    There's still time to register!!!!
    Enroll America Conference May 11-13, 2016
    For more info about the conference, look below:
    http://stateofenrollment.org/?utm_source=EA_homepage&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=EA_homepage
    Join Enroll America at the State of Enrollment Conference in Washington, D.C., May 11-13.
    With over two days of plenaries, workshops, trainings, and networking events, the conference offers valuable opportunities to share ideas, learn from each other and plan for the future as we continue to help Americans enroll in and retain health coverage. Connect with peers and partners from across the country as we take a critical look at what worked better during the third open enrollment period for the health insurance marketplaces, what barriers remain to enrolling and retaining consumers in health coverage, and how we can continue working as a community to build and sustain momentum in our ongoing effort to get America covered for years to come.

    A new brief from NASHP looks at how the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has and continues to be an important source of coverage for low-to-moderate income children, but federal funding for this program is uncertain beyond September 2017. With support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, NASHP convened a stakeholder group of health policy experts that included national advocates and state officials representing Medicaid, CHIP and health insurance exchanges to explore the policy options states may have to maintain children's coverage into the future. This brief provides an overview of children's current coverage options and summarizes the themes from the stakeholder group's discussions that identified potential options for ensuring strong children's coverage into the future. 

    Marketplace Announces 2017-2019 Open Enrollment Dates
    • 2017 Benefit Year (OE4): November 1st, 2016-January 31st, 2017 (coming up!)
    • 2018 Benefit Year (OE5): November 1st, 2017-January 31st, 2018
    • 2019 Benefit Year (OE6): November 1st, 2018-December 31st, 2018
    NEW: Ending Special Enrollment Period (SEP) Retroactive Coverage
    On April 1st,  the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance announcing that after March 31, 2016 the Marketplace will no longer be accepting new requests for Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for retroactive coverage back to 2015. All retro SEP requests received after this date will receive a max retro date of January 1, 2016.
    MACHC Conference Call Updates
    Marketplace Announces 2017-2019 Open Enrollment Dates
    • 2017 Benefit Year (OE4): November 1st, 2016-January 31st, 2017
    • 2018 Benefit Year (OE5): November 1st, 2017-January 31st, 2018
    • 2019 Benefit Year (OE6): November 1st, 2018-December 31st, 201

    Join MACHC's next Outreach & Enrollment Call ON FRIDAY, 
    May 20, 2016.
    We took a poll at the past conference call but would like to continue to ask you to submit the following: What would you like to included as part of Maryland & Delaware's Outreach & Enrollment assistance from MACHC? Please send Aneeqa Chowdhury an email at [email protected].

    Maryland--Call Center Note:
    Direct Line for Navigators and CAC to MHBE Call Center--Regarding the Call Center # 844-224-6762 It should be noted that: If you need customer assistance from the call center, CAC's should call this number.
    Grants & Funding Opportunities




    Ongoing Accepted Applications

    Application Deadline: None 
    Eligible state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations, including health centers, can obtain property that the federal government no longer needs through the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program.

    Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
    Funding for hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, healthcare, and education to those who are underserved. 

    Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
    Provides seed funding to emerging nonprofits, or to new projects of established organizations in the areas of education; environment; health and human services; and hunger and nutrition. Pennsylvania is one of 13 eligible states.

    Application Deadline:  Applications Accepted on an Ongoing Basis
    The Community Response Fund supports organizations, activities, and events that address access to needed oral health care and community resources that improve oral health. Programs that address an immediate response to an urgent issue that impacts access to clinical care, provide short-term access to needed care for the underserved, or sustain organizations experiencing short-term challenges are the focus. A limited number of program concepts that provide longer term solutions or essential services for particularly underserved populations will also be considered. The program will also support Missions of Mercy clinics.


    Rural Health Funding Opportunities

    Community Response Fund
    The Community Response Fund supports organizations, activities, and events that address access to needed oral healthcare and community resources that improve oral health. Programs that address an immediate response to an urgent issue that impacts access to clinical care, provide short-term access to needed care for the underserved, or sustain organizations experiencing short-term challenges are the focus. A limited number of program concepts that provide longer term solutions or essential services for particularly underserved populations will also be considered. The program will also support Missions of Mercy clinics.
    DEADLINE: ongoing basis
    ELIGABILITY: The DentaQuest Foundation makes grants to a variety of organizations that are engaged improving oral health. Grants are not made to individuals.
    CONTACT: Matthew Bond, Grants and Programs Manager: [email protected] 

    340B Peer-to-Peer Program
    The purpose of the 340B Peer-to-Peer Network is to connect 340B entities and stakeholders with high performing sites, called leading practice sites that have exemplary 340B pharmacy service offerings. These sites serve as guides for covered entities that are interested in improving patient care. This approach provides the opportunity for practice sites to reach their peers and strengthen the 340B program from inventory management to quality care initiatives.
    Sites that receive the status of a 340B Peer-to-Peer recognized site will be asked to dedicate two members of their team to share their expertise and leading practices - for a limited amount of time per month - with other safety-net organizations to help these organizations achieve results and establish sound business practices.
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: Peer-to-Peer annual stipends of $10,000/year
    ELIGABILITY: Applications must be submitted by a 340B entity listed on the Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) 340B database as a participating 340B entity.
    Healthcare Connect Fund
    The Healthcare Connect Fund provides funding to healthcare providers for telecommunications and internet access services, as well as network equipment, at a flat discounted rate of 65%. Participants can apply as a member of the consortium or a stand-alone entity.
     
    FUNDING AVAILABLE: Participants will receive a flat rate discount of 65%. There is an annual spending cap of $400,000,000.
    ELIGIBLITY: Rural public or nonprofit healthcare providers (HCPs) are eligible. Consortia may be comprised of both rural and non-rural HCPs. All consortia must consist of more than 50% rural participation within three years of receipt of the first funding commitment obtained through the HCF Program. Connections to, and equipment located at, eligible off-site data centers and administrative offices are eligible for support.
    USAC Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program
    Health care providers are permitted to apply to receive reduced rates for a variety of telecommunications services under the Rural Health Care Program. Health care providers may seek support for multiple telecommunications services of any bandwidth and for monthly Internet service charges.
     
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: The level of support depends on the HCP's location and the type of service chosen. Health Care Providers are permitted to apply to receive reduced rates for a variety of telecommunication services under the RHCD program. HCPs may seek support for multiple telecommunications services of any bandwidth.

    As a result of recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action, health care participants may be eligible to receive a 25% discount on their monthly Internet service charges. These services are limited to the monthly Internet net access charge, monthly charges for web hosting and web addresses.
    ELIGIBILITY: Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants
    Wells Fargo Corporate Giving Programs
    Wells Fargo supports nonprofit organizations that work on a community level in the areas of human services, arts and culture, community development, civic responsibility, education, environmental consciousness, and volunteerism.
    CONTACT: Ashley Williams -- Community Support Rep -- Wells Fargo
     
    Maryland Small Grants Program
    The Maryland Small Grants Program awards funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to poor and vulnerable populations.
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: Award Ceiling: $50,000
    CONTACT: Amy Kleine, Program Director, Basic Human Needs
    410-654-8500, ext. 268
    Email: [email protected]


    Accelerating Community-Centered Approaches in Health
    Accelerating Community-Centered Approaches in Health will support innovative population health programs and policies that work to improve health at the community level, including the use of new financial models to achieve cost effective solutions.
    CONTACT: Phone: 248.643.9630
     

    Commonwealth Fund Health Grants
    The Commonwealth Fund promotes a high performing healthcare system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including people with low-incomes, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
    The Fund supports independent research on healthcare issues and makes grants to improve healthcare practice and policy. The Commonwealth Fund actively seeks to support projects on innovative approaches to addressing problems within its areas of focus.
    CONTACT: Email: [email protected]
    Phone: 212.606.3800

    USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program
    The USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program provides loans, grants, and loan guarantees for essential community facilities in rural areas. Priority is given to healthcare, education, and public safety projects. Funds may be used to construct, enlarge, or improve facilities.
    AVALIABLE FUNDING: Amount varies. Grants are authorized on a graduated scale. Applicants located in small communities with low populations and low incomes will receive a higher percentage of grants.
    CONTACT: Bill McGowan, State Director
    1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200
    Dover, DE  19904
    Voice: (302) 857-3580 www.rd.usda.gov/de
    www.rd.usda.gov/md
    PCMH Corner 
    No PCMH News this week, please check next week :)
    Clinical Quality 

    SAMHSA is sponsoring its sixth round of Communities Talk

    Town Hall Meetings to Prevent Underage Drinking - Health centers are invited to host, attend, or support a meeting in their community.  Find more information on the Stop Alcohol Abuse website. Send questions to [email protected]


    Evidence on Effectiveness of Medications for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
    A new AHRQ-funded systematic review found evidence to support current clinical guidelines identifying metformin as the recommended first-line agent to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. The conclusion is based on the medication's beneficial effects on hemoglobin A1c, weight, cardiovascular mortality (versus sulfonylureas) and relative safety profile. Researchers evaluated more than 200 studies of different diabetes drugs, more than half of which were new since AHRQ's 2011 report on the comparative effectiveness of diabetes medicines. Diabetes affects more than 9 percent of the U.S. population. Most patients with type 2 diabetes eventually require medication to reduce long-term complications. Classes of diabetes drugs differ in their effects on glucose-lowering, safety and other important outcomes.
    Health Observances This Week

      
    National Infertility Awareness Week

    What Is National Infertility Awareness Week?
    National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) is a project of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. The goal of the week is to raise awareness about infertility, to encourage grassroots advocacy, and help couples with infertility cope with their disease.
    The week provides a time for those with infertility to "come out" to their friends and families, if they wish.
    It encourages the fertility challenged to not feel ashamed.
    RESOLVE typically hosts a number of activities, both online and off, for those that wish to participate. Most activities focus on advocacy and public education.
    Of course, there's no wrong or right way to celebrate NIAW.

    When Is National Infertility Awareness Week?
    In 2016, NIAW is April 24th - 30th.
    It is usually during the last full week of April, timed to occur slightly before Mother's Day in May.

    Why Do We Need National Infertility Awareness Week?
    Infertility is a frequently misunderstood condition.
    The media tends to focus on the extreme, like the "Octomom" or "Kate Plus Eight" stories. Also, many newspapers and magazines report poorly on infertility or present a skewed picture.
    For example, feature stories often focuses on the female side of infertility. But infertility isn't only a "woman" problem, it affects men as well.
    Or, news reports focus on age-related infertility (which makes infertility look like only a "career-woman" problem).
    Another example, in 2010, a study on fertility and stress led to headlines stating that "Stress Causes Infertility."
    While the study did find some connection between stress hormones and fertility, the study did not show that stress causes infertility. Only that stress might possibly lead to a couple more months of trying to conceive.
    However, the media spun the research in a way that fed into a common infertility myth.
    NIAW is also needed to spread awareness of infertility to the general public.
    With infertility affecting 1 in 8, it's likely that everyone has at least one friend or family member living with infertility.
    When the general public understands infertility better, fertility challenged couples will be freer to talk about their condition, possibly experience less shame, and receive more support.

    Infertility and Advocacy
    NIAW is also needed to let lawmakers know who we are and what we need from them. Also important, it lets them know that we are voters that matter.
    Insurance coverage for infertility is only available in 15 out of 50 states in America.
    Many lawmakers believe that including fertility treatments would raise the cost of insurance for everyone. When, in fact, paying for fertility treatments may actually save money.
    When fertility treatment is not covered by insurance, couples may choose treatments that have a higher risk of triplets and other high-order multiples.
    IUI, for example, is cheaper than IVF, but comes with a higher risk of multiples.
    Also, because IVF is expensive for couples, when insurance does not cover treatment, patients and doctors are more likely to transfer more embryos per cycle than they should. They do so in hopes of having success quickly, despite the higher risk of multiples. With single embryo transfer, many IVF patients can get pregnant with one baby at a time.
    However, because it may take a few cycles to achieve success, families are often unable or unwilling to give it a try when they are paying out of pocket.
    Researchers have found that in states that cover fertility treatment, the number of high-order multiples is lower.
    Because high-order multiples are often born prematurely, this makes for a huge savings to insurance companies. Hospital preemie care is an extremely expensive. According to the March of Dimes, one preterm baby costs the United States, on average, $51,600. (One set of twins would be just over $100,000 together.) In 2005, that added to up $26.2 billion. That far exceeds what it would cost to cover fertility treatment instead.
    There have been situations where laws meant to target abortion have threatened fertility treatment.
    Other times, laws targeted fertility treatment itself.
    Just after the Octomom story broke, some lawmakers tried to pass legislation to prevent a future super high-order multiple birth from happening in their state.
    But because their understanding of infertility and fertility treatment was poor, the laws proposed threatened successful treatment for all infertile couples.

    What Can You Do for National Infertility Awareness Week?
    During NIAW, RESOLVE hosts a number of activities, including blogging challenges and awareness walks.
    Check out the RESOLVE website for more specific information.
    Other things you can do to raise awareness include:

    Has your FQHC joined the National Branding Campaign?

     

    With more than 43 billion people  eligible to enroll in private insurance starting this October 1, FQHCs strive to create an identifiable unifying identity for themselves. This is where the National Branding Campaign for Our Health Centers comes into place. 

    The campaign is a national branding effort to strengthen recognition of our Health Centers as a unified and nationwide network of quality community-based primary care providers.  Initially created at the state level by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) and its membership, the National Association of Community Health Centers has expanded the campaign nationwide.

     

    The FQHC Brand Components  

    MACHC recently hosted a Branding Webinar for MD and DE Health Centers with CEO of PACHC, Cheri Reinhart and Event and Communications Coordinator, Kirsten Keyes, as guest speakers. If you missed the webinar and would like access, please click here.

    Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers | | [email protected] |