HRSA November in Brief

HRSA celebrated National Rural Health Day on November 16 with several events and activities that highlighted the positive efforts of health care providers, communities, and organizations working to improve health in rural America. This year's theme was "Innovation in Rural Health Care Delivery."

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson participated in a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-hosted roundtable with HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare Dr. Meena Seshamani, and leading health care partners that highlighted federal initiatives to improve rural health. Read about HRSA's rural efforts and the Biden-Harris Administration's actions to support rural hospitals, bolster the rural health workforce, and improve behavioral health in rural areas.

Other HRSA-sponsored events included a virtual job fair and discussions about workforce recruitment and retention, maternal health, and the latest in rural research.

HRSA Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) Associate Administrator Tom Morris hosted a Federal Rural Partners webinar on innovations in rural health care delivery. Representatives from CDC, CMS, the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Veterans Affairs discussed innovative programs and best practices for improving access to health services in rural communities.

Associate Administrator Morris also took part in a 50th anniversary event for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Rural Health, in recognition of it as the first State Office of Rural Health in the nation.

HRSA Administrator Johnson participated in a discussion with national health leaders on investments in the community health workforce at the 2023 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit on November 7 in Washington, DC.

Administrator Johnson emphasized the importance of community health workers and HRSA’s role in supporting community health centers. She noted the success of HRSA-supported health centers in distributing more than 20 million doses of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, she highlighted HRSA’s investments in the training of community health workers and the Agency’s support for apprenticeship programs.

HRSA Administrator Johnson joined HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, North Carolina State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, and other North Carolina health leaders at the Granville Vance Public Health Department in Oxford, North Carolina, on November 3 for a roundtable discussion on child and adolescent behavioral health needs in rural communities. The Administrator highlighted HRSA's Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) and the Agency’s current work to address substance use disorder.

Through RCORP, HRSA made additional awards in FY 2023 totaling over $80 million to more than 120 organizations. HRSA invested over $3 million across North Carolina specifically to expand access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment in the state’s rural areas. HRSA has also supported over 1,900 rural communities across the country in addressing substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services, which has allowed HRSA to respond to the overdose risk from fentanyl and other opioids, including establishing treatment sites in rural areas to expand access to medications to treat opioid use disorder.

HRSA announced the top 10 percent of health centers receiving a Gold Health Center Quality Leader badge for their achievements in improving health outcomes and providing high-quality care for patients in rural and underserved communities. The badges, part of the Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badge program, honor the health centers across the country that have attained the best overall clinical quality performance.

The CHQR badge program recognizes outstanding performance in a variety of clinical areas, including behavioral health, maternal health, diabetes health, heart health, cancer screening, and HIV prevention and care, as well as overall quality performance. 

HRSA Administrator Johnson and Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) Associate Administrator Dr. Michael Warren attended the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Federal-State Partnership Meeting on November 6 in Washington, DC. The event gathered the 59 Title V MCH and Children with Special Health Care Needs directors, State Systems Development Initiative directors, maternal health champions, and HRSA leaders to discuss current issues and best practices for addressing maternal and child health.

On November 29, HRSA Administrator Johnson, Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman, and HRSA’s Office of Tribal Affairs attended the HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee November meeting in Washington, DC. 

Administrator Johnson shared updates on HRSA programs and activities crucial to tribes. Tribal leaders responded with advice and recommendations on how the Agency can better support the health workforce, expand behavioral health care, and address maternal health in Indian Country. 

The event provided a forum for strengthening the relationship between the federal government and tribal nations.

On November 9, MCHB Associate Administrator Dr. Michael Warren joined the American Hospital Association’s Advancing Health podcast to discuss how HRSA's National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA / 1-833-852-6262) helps combat the stresses new mothers can face.

The hotline provides support and resources via call or text to pregnant women, new mothers, and their loved ones. The hotline also offers a Partner Toolkit for health care organizations to help raise awareness.

On November 28, HRSA Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico) Deputy Regional Administrator Captain Chandak Ghosh presented HRSA HIV/AIDS resources during the 2023 New York State World AIDS Day and Ending the HIV Epidemic Summit in Albany, New York. Dr. Ghosh also moderated a panel on “Health Centers and HIV Care” with Apicha and Callen-Lorde community health centers, located in New York City. Approximately 900 attendees joined the event from community organizations, providers, government, and private industry.

Throughout November, HRSA hosted Grants 101 workshops to reach new populations and promote HRSA funding opportunities, especially in rural and underserved communities. These workshops highlight HRSA programs, resources, funding opportunities, and the federal grant application process.

• On November 6, HRSA Dallas staff provided a virtual Grants 101 session for 10 members of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Health Board.
• On November 29, Seattle staff hosted a virtual Grants 101 workshop for 56 attendees, including leaders from Alaska State government, tribal organizations, and rural health clinics, and facilitated a discussion between HRSA’s FORHP, SAMHSA, CMS, and IHS.
• On November 30, HRSA Seattle staff provided an overview of HRSA grants and resources for 134 participants as part of an HHS panel during Congressman Adam Smith's annual grants workshop.