November 10 - The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced $143.5 million in American Rescue Plan funding to expand community-based efforts to conduct tailored local outreach about vaccines, build vaccine confidence and address barriers to vaccination in their communities.

“Today’s investments are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued efforts to leverage trusted local messengers and support community-based efforts to vaccinate more Americans against COVID-19,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “We have seen great progress in vaccination rates in recent months, but we know our work isn’t done in addressing misinformation and ensuring equitable access in underserved communities.”

Read the release.

Please join our 2021 World AIDS Day Virtual Event on Wednesday, December 1, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET. The event will highlight stories from people with lived experience through storytelling and artistic expression. The event is open to all HRSA recipients, subrecipients, stakeholders, and federal employees.

@HRSAgov will also post social media messages that acknowledge World AIDS Day using #HRSAHonorsWAD. We encourage you to like, retweet, and repost to your organization’s social media channels. Please also consider posting messages and photos using #HRSAHonorsWAD, - or asking your partners to post. Messages can highlight or relate to the 2021 World AIDS Day theme, Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice.

The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program offers funding toward payment of qualifying educational loans to:

• Registered nurses
• Advanced practice registered nurses
• Nurse faculty

If you receive an award, you must work two years in:

• A critical shortage facility
• An eligible nursing school, as nurse faculty

Additional loan repayment is available for a third year of service. To learn more and receive assistance with your application, join our technical assistance webinar on Thursday, December 9, 2:30–4 p.m. ET.

Application Due Date: Thursday, January 13, 7:30 p.m. ET.

The application period is now open for technical assistance support under the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program.

Funding will support eligible health care organizations in the Delta region, including Rural Health Clinics, with:

• quality improvement
• financial and operational improvement
• telehealth
• community care coordination
• workforce
• emergency medical services
• population health

Application Due Date: Wednesday, December 15.

Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act gives states an opportunity to receive a 10% increase in the federal medical assistance program for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) through Thursday, March 31. States submitted spending plans to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for review and most states have received approval or partial approval from CMS.

The National Academy for State Health Policy map shows how states are using these one-time funds to support telehealth service delivery, technology-based innovations, and data infrastructure building opportunities to address longstanding technological challenges with HCBS populations.

HRSA’s National Organizations of State and Local Officials Cooperative Agreement provided support for this resource.

State Medicaid agencies recognize that meeting beneficiaries’ social needs is important to improving overall health outcomes, especially for individuals with chronic health or behavioral health conditions. A few states, such as North Dakota, have begun to leverage federal Medicaid’s 1915(i) state plan authority to meet the social needs of people with behavioral health conditions.

The National Academy for State Health Policy case study explains how North Dakota focused its program on beneficiaries with behavioral health conditions, seeking to address priority social needs (including housing) and incorporating policies designed to meet the challenges of program members living in rural areas.

HRSA’s National Organizations of State and Local Officials Cooperative Agreement provided support for this resource.

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified existing restrictions in access to dental care in the United States. Before the pandemic, dental care for children represented a significant unmet health need; the pandemic worsened health care disparities for disadvantaged youth. 

The National Academy for State Health Policy case study shows how the Nevada Action Network pilot program addresses concerns for the oral health of school-aged children by allowing parental caregivers to apply fluoride varnish to their child’s teeth with virtual instruction from a licensed dental provider.

HRSA's National Organizations of State and Local Officials Cooperative Agreement provided support for this case study.