Announcements

• Congratulations to Southwest Community Health Center CEO Kathy Yacavone for being selected by the Joint Commission as one of 20 individuals across the country for her significant contributions in support of health centers achieving accreditation and PCMH certification!
• 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!
• 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!
• 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!

Deb Polun answers this week’s question:

Q: I read that about 40% of the people who lost HUSKY coverage on July 31st signed up for new coverage. That leaves 60% who likely did not get health insurance. Can they still sign up for HUSKY or Access Health CT plans?

A: Yes! Those who are eligible for HUSKY can enroll any time throughout the year. Those who do not qualify for HUSKY have until 9.29.16 to enroll in a plan through Access Health CT for coverage through December 31, 2016 (though there will be a gap in coverage, since they did not enroll by 7.31.16). Open Enrollment for 2017 plans begins on November 1.
 
Call me at any time with Outreach & Enrollment questions! 860.667.7820!

Upcoming CHCACT Meetings

SNAP Outreach Workers’ Meeting. CHCACT will be hosting a meeting for SNAP Outreach Workers on Tuesday, August 9th from 1-3:00 pm at CHCACT, 1484 Highland Avenue, Suite 2, Cheshire. Contact Gabby Torres with questions.

FQHC Dental Leaders’ Conference Call. CHCACT will be hosting a conference call for FQHC dental directors/leaders on Wednesday, August 10th from 3-4:00 pm. To participate, please call 866.670.8282, passcode 240 419 3770#. Contact Deb Polun with questions.

Practice Transformation Network Summit. Save the dates of September 15th-16th for CHCACT’s first PTN Summit! 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
8.1.16 Yale Entrepreneurial Institute: Learning Social Innovation on the Farm (feat. Fair Haven) 

State Health News
8.5.16 CT Mirror: Charlotte Hungerford, Hartford Hospital Say They Will Partner
8.4.16 CT By the Numbers: CT Has 3rd Lowest Teen Birth Rate in US
8.3.16 Hartford Business Journal: Mobile Health App for CT Hispanics Aims to Aid Health Care Decisions
8.3.16 CT NewsJunkie: Inpatient Clinic for Eating Disorders Opens at Rockville Hospital
8.2.16 CT Mirror: After Strong Push, 41% Losing Medicaid Get New Coverage 

Health Insurance/Health Reform News
8.5.16 CT Mirror: Charlotte Hungerford, Hartford Hospital Say They Will Partner
8.4.16 CT By the Numbers: CT Has 3rd Lowest Teen Birth Rate in US
8.3.16 Hartford Business Journal: Mobile Health App for CT Hispanics Aims to Aid Health Care Decisions
8.3.16 CT NewsJunkie: Inpatient Clinic for Eating Disorders Opens at Rockville Hospital
8.2.16 CT Mirror: After Strong Push, 41% Losing Medicaid Get New Coverage 

National/Other Health News
8.4.16 NY Times: Vexing Question on Patient Surveys – Did We Ease Your Pain?
8.2.16 Governing: Your Peer Specialist Will See You Now
8.1.16 CT Health I-Team: Hormones, Genetics Make Women More Susceptible to Arthritis

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.chcact.org, please contact Deb Polun.

Events/Educational Opportunities