Announcements

• 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!

Trainings, Webinars & Conferences

• Please check our Calendar of Events for upcoming trainings!
• Health Management Associates is hosting its inaugural conference on The Future of Publicly Sponsored Healthcare: Building Integrated Delivery Systems for Vulnerable Populations, October 10-12, 2016, in Chicago. Click here to learn more!

Funding Opportunities

• Check out the CHCACT Funding Opportunities page here!
• NEW! The Robert Wood Johnson (RWJF) offers a grant, Optimizing Cost-of-Care Conversations Between Clinicians & Vulnerable Patients. The funding is for studies that test/examine/identify specific messages, best practices and other principles to be incorporated in resources for improving the frequency and quality of cost-of-care conversations between clinicians and vulnerable patients. Read more!
• NEW! The NIH offers a grant for Health Services Research on Minority Health & Health Disparities. This funding is to encourage innovative health services research that can contribute to the improvement of minority health and/or the reduction of health disparities at the health care system-level as well as within clinical settings. Read more!
• Updated! The State of Connecticut has released four addenda to 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!
• Eastern AHEC offers mini-grants to organizations committed to increasing insurance enrollment in Hispanic communities. Read more!
• The State of Connecticut has released an addendum to its RFA for the Community & Clinical Integration Program (CCIP) through SIM. Read more!
• Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation seeks to fund organizations in CT and NJ to improve oral health access for the uninsured and underinsured, in one of three specific populations: children, people with developmental disabilities and older adults. Learn more!
• 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 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: Arianne – I hear that you are leaving CHCACT on Friday! Whom shall I contact with questions, beginning next week?

A: Yes, my last day at CHCACT will be Friday, July 29th, and I will be taking on a new role with ConnectiCare. You can contact Deb Polun with Outreach & Enrollment questions, beginning August 1st.

Upcoming CHCACT Meetings

Community HealthCorps Member Meeting. CHCACT will be hosting a meeting for Community HealthCorps members on Friday, July 29th from 10 am-1:00 pm at CHCACT, 1484 Highland Avenue, Suite 2, Cheshire. Contact Rashad Collins with questions.
 
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
7.23.16 News Times: Edging Toward Retirement (feat. CIFC-Greater Danbury)
7.23.16 The Hour: Norwalk Community Health Center Thanks Patients with Health & Wellness Day
7.18.16 News Times: Main Street Clinic Gets New Owners (feat. CIFC-Greater Danbury) 

State Health News
7.21.16 CT Mirror: Education, Social Service Agencies Digest Budget Cuts
7.20.16 CT NewsJunkie: CT Filmmakers Make Pitch for Recovery High Schools
7.18.16 Hartford Business Journal: Hospital Consolidation Brings Competitors Closer Together

Health Insurance/Health Reform News
7.22.16 Hartford Business Journal: Access Health CT Reports HUSKY A Enrollees Finding New Insurance
7.21.16 CT Mirror: Justice Department Sues to Block Insurance Mergers 

National/Other Health News
7.24.16 NY Times: Personality Change May Be Early Sign of Dementia, Experts Say
7.22.16 NY Times: Can Statins Cause Diabetes?
7.22.16 Kaiser Health News: Diabetes Linked to Risk of Mental Health Hospitalization in Young Adults
7.20.16 Hartford Business Journal: Report – Rising Pain Med Prices Raise Questions About Reform
 

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