Federal Update

Below is a selection of recent health policy and regulatory news and information relevant to health centers and PCAs. For regular updates, subscribe to Capital Link’s blog, or access NACHC’s blogs and the HRSA’s health center webpage.

Health Center Funding Included in FY19 Spending Bill

September 28, 2018 – President Trump signed the appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 into law keeping the government open through December 7, 2018. The comprehensive bill provides $1.63 billion for health centers. At least $200 million will go toward quality improvement and substance use services, and $105 million will go to the National Health Service Corps to expand the health center workforce in FY19. Learn more here.

U.S. Treasury Awards $202.2 Million to Support Economic Growth in Low-Income Communities 

 
HRSA Awards ~$400 Million to Combat Opioid Crisis 

September 19, 2018 – HRSA announced nearly $400 million in awards to health centers, academic institutions, and rural organizations to combat the opioid crisis in communities across the U.S. Health Center Program investments include:

• Expanding Access to Quality Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services (SUD-MH) awards: $352 million in funding will expand access to substance use disorder and mental health services at 1,232 community health centers across the nation. SUD-MH will expand access to integrated services by increasing personnel and enhancing infrastructure. Learn more about SUD-MH awards here.

• Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) and Enhancing Behavioral Health Workforce (EBHW) awards: $18 million in funding supports partnerships between 21 academic institutions and 54 HRSA-funded health centers. Together, these award recipients will increase the number of professionals and paraprofessionals who are trained to deliver integrated behavioral health and primary care services as part of health care teams in HRSA-supported health centers.

For more information on these awards, click here.

HRSA Awards $60 Million to Health Centers Impacted by Hurricanes

September 6, 2018 – HRSA awarded nearly $60 million to 161 health centers in six southern states and two U.S. territories that were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) funding will help ensure continued access to primary health care services at community health centers in areas affected by the hurricanes. Visit HRSA's website for more information and a complete list of the award recipients.

HRSA Awards $21 Million for Health Center Participation in NIH’s All of Us Program

September 11, 2018 – HRSA awarded $21 million to 46 health centers to support their participation in NIH’s All of Us Research Program, an effort to advance individualized prevention, treatment, and care for people of all backgrounds. NIH and its more than 100 partners are calling upon one million or more people from every walk of life to share their health information for at least a decade through surveys, biological specimens, electronic health record data, and, in some cases, wearable devices. Visit HRSA’s website for a complete list of the award recipients.

Celebrating Health Center Quality Improvement

August 15, 2018 - HRSA announced $125 million in Quality Improvement Awards (QIAs) to 1,352 US health centers across recognizing the highest performing health centers nationwide as well as those health centers that have made significant quality improvement gains from the previous year. Health centers will use these funds to build upon their 2017 achievements to continue to improve quality, efficiency, and the value of health care delivery in the communities they serve. Learn more here.