Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently announced an approved change to include sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) data in UDS reports. Collection of SO/GI data will help better understand patient needs, provide culturally competent care, and reduce health disparities, specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people. The National LGBT Health Education Center, a program of the Fenway Institute, has prepared resources and webinars as a for guide health centers as they begin to collect SO/GI data. The webinar "Do Ask, Do Tell! Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Health Centers"  is available online for free with registration. During the webinar, participants are expected to:

The National LGBT Health Education Center is a national cooperative agreement that provides educational programs, resources, and consultation to health care organizations to optimize quality of care for LGBT people. Here is a resource that includes some example questions a health center may ask to properly identify a patient's sexual orientation and gender, as well as their preferred pronouns.

New Training Opportunity From the National Association of Community Health Centers

The National Association of Community Health Centers is currently recruiting a limited number of health centers to participate in Project ECHO® LGBT.  Health center clinicians who have no or little experience with this patient population are encouraged to enroll.

Starting April 7th, videoconference sessions will be held on the FIRST and THIRD Thursday of each month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST for a year.  Registrants are expected to attend a majority of the sessions over the year.

Designed for primary care providers by primary care providers, participants will receive specific recommendations on challenging cases from expert, multidisciplinary faculty and build knowledge on topics such as HIV prevention and care, taking a comprehensive sexual health history, conceiving and raising families, and behavioral health.

Enrollment is limited. Please see additional details in the attached flyer and contact Ashley Barrington at [email protected] for additional information.

Two Resources for Parents and Teens From Health Care Education and Training, Inc. (HCET)

Where do young people get information about sex and relationships? Ideally young people can rely on a parent or trusted adult, educator, or medical provider for this information. Too often, though, their answers come from a quick Google search, friends, significant others, or the media.

 

The first resource is called Talk2Protect. 

Teens want to talk to their parents about sex and relationships. So it's time to start the conversation. These weekly text message tips will be your guide to discussing real sex issues with your kids- empowering them to make better choices. Talk2Protect provides and easy and convenient way for parents to access evidence based and unbiased education and resources that will help them talk to their teens about sex and relationships to avoid teen pregnancy.  For more information visit: http://www.talk2protect.org/. Click here for a printable flyer.

 

The second resource is BrdsNBz Indy. 

In contrast to Talk2Protect, BrdsNBz Indy serves youth, ages 13-19, who live in Indiana.  Young people may send a sexual health question via text message and a trained health educator will respond within 24 hours with a personalized, medically accurate answer.  Text IndyTeen to 66746 and opt-in.  From there on out, a teen would send their question to the same set of numbers:  66746.  For more information visit:

http://hcet.info/brdsnbz-indy-2014/.  Click here for a printable flyer.

Update on the Zika Virus

Interim Guidance for the Prevention of Sexual Transmission of the Zika Virus - United States 2016 was published in the April 1, 2016 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).  The guidance can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6512e3.htm.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated maps that depict their best guess estimate of the potential range of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos in the United States. These maps include areas where mosquitoes are or have been previously found.  The Maps are not meant to represent risk for spread of disease. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are more likely to spread viruses like Zika, dengue, chikungunya and other viruses than other types of mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.  The good news for Indiana is that the Aedes Albopictus is the more prevalent type of mosquito found in Indiana.  The maps and additional information can be found on the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/index.html.    

Three Key Resources for the Integrated Care Workforce 

The SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - HRSA (Health Resources Services Administration) Center for Integrated Health Solutions has compiled three key resources that define the skills essential to the integrated care team and provide examples of how you can implement and maximize these skills within your team. The resources include:

Not sure which resource is right for you? View the entire table for a helpful summary of the use and purpose of each resource.  Additional information can be found on the SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions at http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/

New PAL for FTCA

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has issued a new Program Assistance Letter (PAL) 2016-03 for Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Medical Malpractice Coverage for Health Centers CY2017. Renewal applications are due on or before May 24, 2017.  HRSA encourages all eligible applicants (initial and renewing) to read the entire PAL.  Click here to view the PAL in its entirety.  

Save-the-Date

Indiana Public Health Conference

The Future of Public Health: The Integration of Policy, Practice and Research

Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis

September 15, 2016

 

2016 NHSC New Site Application Cycle

The 2016 NHSC New Site Application Cycle is now open! Clinical practice sites can recruit and retain providers who care about underserved communities by becoming an NHSC-approved site. The application cycle will close on June 7, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Apply Now . Review the 2016 Site Reference Guide  carefully to ensure your site meets all the requirements and to gather the required documentation.

 

Your facility may be eligible to become an NHSC-approved site if it:

Please note, Federally Qualified Health Centers are automatically approved sites and do not need to submit NHSC Site Applications. If you have any questions on the NHSC New Site Application Cycle or if you are an FQHC with a site that has not been approved please contact Natalie Morrison at [email protected]  or (765) 918-4431.

2016 NURSE Corps Scholarship Application Cycle Now Open!

The 2016 NURSE Corps Scholarship Program application cycle is now open and will close on May 5, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Please refer to the 2016 Application and Program Guidance for all of the program requirements. NURSE Corps Scholarship Program enables students accepted or enrolled in a diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate nursing programs, including RN to BSN, RN to MSN-NP, Direct Entry MSN-NP program to receive funding for tuition, fees and other educational costs in exchange for working at an eligible NURSE Corps site upon graduation.

Eligible Applicants

Selection Criteria

Preference is given to qualified applicants with the greatest financial need who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited nursing program or nurse practitioner program as full-time students.

Participants receive:

Technical Assistance

Applicants are encouraged to participate in the application technical assistance conference call with program staff detailed below. Applicants are also encouraged to view the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program 2016-2017 Application Technical Assistance Webinar with more information on the application process and service requirements. 

Live Q & A Conference Call

Saturday, April 30, 2016
2:30pm to 4:30pm ET
Dial in: 1-888-790-3148 
Passcode: 2128624

National Health Service Corps Offers Free Online Jobs Center

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Jobs Center is a free, online resource that Health Center Program award recipients and Look-Alikes that are NHSC approved sites can use to create a marketable profile and post job vacancies. The profile allows you to include imagery, brochures, and videos that highlight your site and surrounding community. The Jobs Center is the only place job seekers can go online to look up vacancies by HPSA, site type, and geography. It averages more than 23,000 visitors each month and can be a key recruitment tool. Don't miss this opportunity to find health care providers who are looking for you!

Complete your site profile today and start posting and marketing your job vacancies.

IHCP P rovides G uidance on P rovider E nrollment R evalidation R equirements

Pursuant to federal regulation, all providers enrolled with the IHCP before January 1, 2012, must revalidate their provider enrollments by a deadline established by the CMS. CMS has directed states to disenroll any provider that fails to revalidate. On April 29, 2016, the IHCP will disenroll providers with revalidation dates between January 2012 and March 2016 that have failed to revalidate their enrollment.

BT201613

 

FSSA Modifies Process for Making HIP Medically Frail Determinations

As announced in Bulletin BT201507, the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) includes enhanced coverage for members who have been identified as medically frail. A HIP member is considered medically frail if the individual has one or more of the following:   

Internet of Things Conference: The Technology Revolution in Healthcare & Wellness

On May 19, Ball State University is hosting an "Internet of Things" (IoT) conference to examine the growing prevalence of networked physical objects and environments (think: smart homes, smart cars, smart cities) and their impact on health-related fields. The conference is backed by Ball State, Cisco Systems, and TechPoint, Indiana's Technology Growth Initiative.

Thursday, May 19

Fishers, Indiana

Cost: $50.00 per person

Conference sessions will include:

For more information on the conference and how to register: http://indi.iweb.bsu.edu/conference.html

National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships

Indianapolis will be the site for the next National Conference for Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships.  The conference is scheduled for May 25-27, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, IN.  The conference is a gathering of coalition leaders, staff and board members; public health workers and experts; and community advocates and only occurs every two years. The goal of the 12th NCICP is to improve community health by enhancing the effectiveness of immunization coalitions and their partners.  For more information visit the Conference Website. 

To receive early bird pricing register now! Click Here to Register

 

Hotel information:

Hyatt Regency Indianapolis

1 South Capitol Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

To reserve a hotel room:  Click Here

Thursday & Friday July 21 & 22

Federal Torts Claim Act University

Holiday Inn Indianapolis Airport

8555 Stansted Dr,

Indianapolis, IN 46241