The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all sectors of health, wellness and care at the community level and the provider level. With a projected national morbidity of 200,000 in September and concerns for a second wave of infections due to unsafe re-opening, lapses in social … Read More
News & Notes
World Suicide Prevention Day
An Issue That Is Relevant To Everyone
August 26 marked four years since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first sat for the national anthem of an NFL preseason game. Kaepernick received constant criticism and negative attention for sitting and kneeling during the national anthem. Still, he proceeded to protest with … Read More
HHS Addresses Recent Fraudulent HIPAA Communications
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently sent an alert to its listservs regarding fraudulent communications that are being sent to health care organizations around the country. OCR states that it became “aware of postcards being sent to … Read More
COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund Application and Attestation
HHS recently announced that certain Medicare providers would be given another opportunity to receive additional Provider Relief Fund payments. These are providers who previously missed the June 3, 2020 deadline to apply for additional funding equal to 2 percent of their total patient care revenue from the $20 … Read More
CMS on Reducing Barriers to Using Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring for Pediatric Populations under Medicaid
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final report that identifies best practices and potential solutions for reducing barriers to using services delivered via telehealth for the treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) among pediatric populations under Medicaid. This part of … Read More
SAMHSA Updates Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19
SAMHSA just announced that they updated their Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) on matters related to the mental and substance use disorder field as they deal with COVID-19.Click here to view their resources for assistance during the pandemic. Applications for SAMHSA Centers of Excellence … Read More
Guidance on Civil Rights Protections Prohibiting Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination during COVID-19
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued guidance to stress to federal financial assistance recipients that they need to comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the … Read More
Grants.gov Resources Available for New Federal Grant Applicants
Grants.gov has made available a handful of resources for entities interested in applying for federal grant opportunities. 1. Training Videos Grants.gov has a YouTube Channel with over 50 up-to-date videos that walk users through the steps to search for opportunities on Grants.gov, create a workspace, … Read More
Modernizing Care Coordination for Americans Seeking Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the adoption of the revised Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulation, 42 CFR Part 2. The adoption of this revised rule represents a historic step in expanding care coordination and quality through … Read More