June 21, 2016

Announcements

• 340B Training: The Bi-State Primary Care Association, serving New Hampshire and Vermont, will host a 340B Training on June 30, from 9:30AM to 4PM. Health centers from other states are invited to participate.here to guarantee your place!  

• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Corps: The MHFA is expanding! This is your opportunity to join this exciting program as an AmeriCorps member host site. The MHFA Corps is an innovative AmeriCorps program that supports implementation of Youth MHFA in communities across the nation. To learn more about this program, click here.

Trainings, Webinars & Conferences

• Please check our Calendar of Events for upcoming trainings!

Funding Opportunities

• Check out the CHCACT Funding Opportunities page here!
• NEW! The State of Connecticut has released an RFA for its Community & Clinical Integration Program (CCIP) through SIM. Read more!
• NEW! HRSA has released the Delivery System Health Information Infrastructure funding opportunity. Applications must be submitted into EHB by July 20th. Learn more!
• The CT Health Foundation announces the availability of funding to continue to increase the diversity of consumers participating in health reform engagement and advocacy. To qualify, organizations mustbe 501 (c)(3) and meet two or more of the following criteria (learn more!):
  • Nonprofit is led (e.g., executive director, CEO) by a person of color (PoC); and/or
  • Nonprofit is governed by a board composed of a majority (51%+) of PoC; and/or
  • Nonprofit serves populations/communities of color.
• The NBC 21st Century Solutions grant is seeking organizations that are implementing progressive programs that address emerging or ongoing community challenges in the areas of: Civic Engagement, Education, Environment, Jobs and Economic Empowerment, Media, and Technology for Good. Learn more!
• The State of Connecticut has released its RFP for participating entities in the State Innovation Model (SIM) Medicaid Quality Improvement Shared Savings Program (MQISSP). This program is open to FQHCs and “advanced networks.” Learn more!
• The HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau is pleased to announce a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for Leadership Training for People of Color living with HIV. Learn more!
• The RGK Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations in the general areas of education, community and health/medicine. These grants are not geographically-restricted and are awarded on an ongoing basis. Learn more!

Ask CHCACT!

“Ask CHCACT” features Outreach & Enrollment and other questions from health center staff, answered by your favorite CHCACT staff members! Send your questions to ask@chcact.org!

Arianne Cacciatore answers this week’s question:

Q: Can you tell me more about how veterans can utilize FQHC services?

A: Yes. The Veterans’ Choice Program was created to help veterans receive care in more settings, outside the VA, to reduce wait times and improve access. To learn more about this program and how to determine if veterans are eligible, click here.

Upcoming CHCACT Meetings

Community HealthCorps Monthly Member Meeting. The Community HealthCorps Monthly Member meeting will be held on Friday, June 24th, 2016 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm as part of the Connecticut Multicultural Health Partnership Annual Meeting, which is at the Lyceum Resource and Conference Center, 227 Lawrence Street, Hartford. For more information, please contact Rashad Collins.

All CHCACT Staff can be reached by calling 860.667.7820.

This Week in Health Policy News

Here is a sampling of health policy news from around the state. If you see something in your local newspaper that you would like featured here in future weeks, please contact Deb Polun at dpolun@chcact.org. Check out all the Health Policy News from the past month here!

Featured Stories 
6.19.16 Greenwich Free Press: Southern CT Presents Annual Haitian Health Fair (feat. Optimus)
6.11.16 New Haven Register: Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven to Showcase Pulitzer Prize Winner’s Play (feat. Fair Haven)

State Health News
6.15.16 CT NewsJunkie: Barnes Warns of Criticism as State Agencies Implement Spending Cuts

ACA/Health Reform News
6.16.16 CT Mirror: Ethics Panel to Rule if Wade Has Conflict in Anthem-Cigna Merger
6.15.16 Hartford Business Journal: Insurers Want to Hike Obamacare Premiums 10% for 2017

Resources

CHCACT maintains and regularly updates resources on clinical issues, human resources, HIPAA, SNAP and more! Click here to check out CHCACT’s Resources!*

• The Connecticut Department of Public Health has new information about the Zika Virus on its web site, including symptoms and testing guidelines.
• Scope of Project Webpage: HRSA has released a new “Scope of Project” Page on the BPHC website. This page provides a “one-stop-shop” for Health Center Program Scope of Project and Change-in-Scope policy, process, and resources. View the new Scope of Project webpage.
• Capital Link Publications. As part of their assistance to health centers, Capital Link has developed a collection of resource publications to assist health centers in accomplishing specific tasks related to the capital development process. These publications are provided to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Primary Care Associations (PCAs) free of charge. Their resources, including publications, reports, and past webinars are available here.

* Some Resources are password-protected. If you would like a password for www.www.chcact.org, please contact Tasheenah Brown.

Events/Educational Opportunities