Special Bulletin - HRSA June Roundup

Administrator Johnson marked Pride Month 2023 by releasing the following message: “Pride Month is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community and ensure that we continue to work together to help people to thrive. Through HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, HRSA-supported community health centers, and other programs, we’ve made important strides in expanding access to health care and are committed to delivering the care all individuals need. HRSA and the Biden-Harris Administration will always stand with the LGBTQIA+ community.

On June 21, Principal Deputy Administrator Diana Espinosa testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health about the role of HRSA programs in combatting the nation’s opioid epidemic. Principal Deputy Administrator Espinosa highlighted how HRSA programs, including the Behavioral Health Workforce Development Programs, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, National Health Service Corps, and the Health Center Program, are expanding access to mental health and substance use disorder services in underserved communities.

HRSA observed HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day on June 5 with a #HRSAHonorsHIVSurvivors campaign to honor the strength and resiliency of long-term survivors and raise awareness about their needs and journeys. The campaign, which took place between June 5 – 8, included long-term survivors sharing their stories as part of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program’s Life Beyond HIV series.

HRSA observed this year’s National HIV Testing Day on June 27 by encouraging and emphasizing the importance of HIV testing. Testing is essential to reducing HIV infections, improving health outcomes for people with HIV, and helping to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S.

This year’s theme was “Take the Test & Take the Next Step,” which emphasizes that knowing your HIV status helps you choose options to stay healthy. HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and Health Center Program recipients are committed to conducting HIV testing across the country, and connecting people to HIV care and treatment if they test positive.

On June 15, HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson participated in a discussion in Washington, DC, to discuss ways to bolster the health workforce and improve pandemic preparedness. Administrator Johnson discussed HRSA investments in clinical training programs and employee well-being to build retention in the health care workforce. She also highlighted the National Health Service Corps and the  mandatory funding cliff the program faces at the end of FY 2023.

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson participated in a panel discussion with CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and CDC Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah on “Building a Healthier America: A Federal Approach” at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) 2023 Policy Action Institute held on June 15 in Washington, DC.

Administrator Johnson highlighted the launch of HHS’ Health Workforce Initiative, as well as programs and services provided by HRSA’s Health Center Program, National Health Service Corps, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. She noted HRSA’s efforts, in partnership with CMS, to address potential coverage gaps due to the expiration of the continuous coverage requirement for people on Medicaid resulting from the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Administrator Johnson also spoke about how HRSA is addressing the need for reducing health disparities through its support for initiatives and programs that seek to reduce maternal deaths and pregnancy-related illnesses, expand the health workforce, and build partnerships with community-based organizations.

HRSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs joined forces with Somos Latino Outreach Understanding Division (LOUD), an organization that works in the Latino community, at Chicago’s Pride Fest 2023 to commemorate National HIV Testing Day. HRSA’s Antonio Vargas shared information about how to access services through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, Health Center Program, and workforce programs with festival attendees. Somos LOUD also provided HIV testing services during the event. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, HRSA celebrated National HIV Testing Day with the health department, the municipality of San Juan, and local partners.

On June 23, HRSA IEA’s Seattle Regional Office hosted a workforce event focused on programs to support the health workforce in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. HRSA convened the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, Washington Department of Health, Office of Rural Health, Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, and the ​Washington Area Health Education Center Program, among others. The event highlighted strategies to build a resilient, diverse, and sustainable workforce as well as local programs designed to train the next generation of health workers.