July 1, 2016

Announcements

• CHCACT will be closed on Monday, July 4th in celebration of Independence Day.

• The latest version of the CT Statewide Environment Report is here. This report, published 2-4 times each year, provides updated information on HUSKY enrollment, poverty and other demographic data, state budget updates and more!

• 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.

• Best wishes to former CHCACTers Jeff Hughes and Antonio Diaz-Carrera! Welcome to Corin Cunningham and Kelly Halkyard!

Trainings, Webinars & Conferences

• Please check our Calendar of Events for upcoming trainings!

Funding Opportunities

• Check out the CHCACT Funding Opportunities page here!
• Updated! 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 State of Connecticut has released an RFA for its Community & Clinical Integration Program (CCIP) through SIM. Read more!
• 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 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: Will Access Health CT be holding additional enrollment fairs for people losing HUSKY coverage?

A: Yes. The fairs are listed here and now have extended hours; Access Health CT has indicated that additional fairs will be added throughout July. Also, as always, individuals can get help enrolling in an Access Health CT Qualified Health Plan or HUSKY at any FQHC in the state.

Upcoming CHCACT Meetings

Practice Transformation Network Congress. Save the dates of September 15th-16th for CHCACT’s first PTN Congress! More information to follow.

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
6.30.16 WTNH: Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center to Receive Government Funding
6.30.16 New Haven Register: Fair Haven Community Health Center Opens Location in East Haven
6.27.16 New Haven Register: New Haven Health Centers Partner to Provide Addiction Treatment to Low-Income Patients
6.22.16 Hartford Business Journal: HHS Awards $3.2M to CT Health Centers for Oral Health Services

State Health News
6.30.16 CT NewsJunkie: State Officials Express Concern About Supply of Overdose Reversal Drug
6.30.16 Fairfield County Business Journal: Telemedicine – Health Care’s New Frontier
6.29.16 Hartford Business Journal: UConn Health, Hartford Healthcare Explore ACO Formation
6.27.16 CT NewsJunkie: Third Time Could Be the Charm for Waterbury Hospital Purchase
6.24.16 CT Mirror: Amid Opioid Crisis, Substance Abuse Treatment Programs Cut
6.24.16 CT Health I-Team: State Prepares to Tighten Prescription Monitoring

ACA/Health Reform News
6.30.16 CT Mirror: Comptroller Says Wade Should Recuse Herself on Cigna Merger
6.29.16 Hartford Business Journal: Harvard Pilgrim Expands Video House Calls
6.29.16 CT Mirror: Access Health CT Considers New Transition Fairs, Adds Hours

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