- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
- Food Stamps Go Further in Rural Areas — Until You Add Transportation Costs
- CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in the State of Texas
- CMS Proposes New Payments for Digital Health Under CY2025 PFS Draft Rule
- Improving Public Health by Strengthening Community Infrastructure
- Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities
- Nearly Half of U.S. Counties Don't Have a Single Cardiologist
- Randolph County, Ill. Turns Unused Part of Nursing Home Into State-Of-The-Art Behavioral Health Center
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- Expert: Rural Hospitals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Increasing Cyberattacks Targeting Healthcare Facilities
- Biden-Harris Administration Invests Over $200 Million to Help Primary Care Doctors, Nurses, and Other Health Care Providers Improve Care for Older Adults
- AJPH Call for Papers Special Section on Intersections of Public Health And Primary Care
- NIH HEAL Initiative Turns Attention to Pragmatic Trials in Rural Communities
Most Unvaccinated People Have Low Incomes
More than half of unvaccinated Americans live in households that make less than $50,000 annually. Almost two-thirds of unvaccinated people who make less than $50,000 still say they either “definitely” or “probably” will get the vaccine. Making it easier for the working poor to get the COVID-19 shot could help boost vaccination rates. Vaccination has been politicized, but juggling work schedules and child care could be bigger factors than politics, as could worry about experiencing side effects and having to take unpaid time off.
A New Tool: Vaccine Hesitancy by Zip Code & County
The COVID-19 Collaborative and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine released a new tool that shows data on people’s openness to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine by zip code and county for the entire United States. With more than 30,000 zip codes, compared to only 3,000 counties, this tool offers a ten-fold increase in the localization of data on vaccine intention and will be a significant contribution to vaccine uptake efforts. Current existing visualization maps show only up to the county level. Some vaccine intention rates in counties mask the low level of intention within zip codes in those counties, so it is critical to have this level of data.
Resources Available to Support Workforce Resilience and Mental Health Needs
More than half of public health workers reported adverse mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. To help build workforce resilience, health centers may be interested in resources available on the COVID-19 Workforce Resilience/Sustainability Resources topic page. Additionally, check out this self-paced course developed by the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Association of County and City Health Officials to introduce the concept of Psychological First Aid as a leadership tool to build resilience.
Study Quantifies Impact of Vaccination on Death and Hospitalization
As the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 surges in parts of the United States, a new study from Yale University and the Commonwealth Fund finds that the U.S. vaccination campaign has significantly curbed the virus’s death toll, saving as many as 279,000 lives and averting up to 1.25 million hospitalizations. The study examined the impact of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program on the pandemic’s trajectory through July 1, 2021, considering the emergence of more transmissible variants in recent months. The findings demonstrate that the speed of the U.S. vaccination rollout prevented numerous additional COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations. Researchers warn, however, that the Delta variant’s spread among unvaccinated populations could produce a surge in new cases and reverse the downward trend of infections and deaths across the country.
Provider Relief Fund Portal Now Open
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened the portal on July 1 for providers to report how Provider Relief Fund (PRF) funding was utilized. Providers who received one or more PRF payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, during a Payment Received Period must come in and report. The deadline for PRF reporting is September 30, 2021.
Review the updated Reporting Requirements Notice (June 11) and register in the PRF Reporting Portal (if not yet completed).
For additional assistance, reference the following resources:
- Stakeholder Toolkit
- Stakeholder One-pager
- Reporting-specific Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Portal User Guides
- Registration Process
- Submitting Reporting Information
All of these resources and more may be found on the HHS Reporting and Auditing webpage. Real-time assistance is available by calling the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-3522; for TTY dial 711. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
HHS Provides $398 Million to Small Rural Hospitals for COVID-19 Testing and Mitigation
HHS announced that, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), it provided $398 million in funding through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) to 1,540 small rural hospitals for COVID-19 testing and mitigation. State Offices of Rural Health, which work with small rural hospitals to implement quality and operational improvement efforts, will receive the funding announced today to distribute to eligible small rural hospitals in their state. Hospitals will use the funds to maintain or increase COVID-19 testing, expand access to testing for rural residents, and tailor mitigation efforts to reflect the needs of local communities.
HHS Opens Provider Relief Fund Reporting Portal
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) long-awaited Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal is now open for providers who need to report on the use of funds in Reporting Period 1. Providers who are required to report during Reporting Period 1 have until September 30, 2021, to enter the Portal and submit their information. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has provided an extensive reporting guide, example excel data entry sheets, and a new edition of the FAQs.
Customizable COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Toolkit for Rural Communities
This toolkit from the HRSA-supported National Rural Health Resource Center helps rural community- and faith-based organizations, businesses, public health, schools, and health care organizations with internal and external COVID-19 vaccine communication materials. It provides easy access to customizable communication templates that include print ads, posters, brochures, social media posts and an online resource guide.
Pediatric Healthcare Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit
CDC updated their COVID-19 toolkit for pediatric healthcare professionals. CDC specifically updated their two fact sheets: COVID-19 Vaccines for Preteens and Teens and How mRNA Vaccines Work.
Researchers Calculate More than 46,000 Kids Lost a Parent to COVID-19
COVID-19 has claimed more than 600,000 lives in the U.S., and researchers writing in the journal JAMA Pediatrics calculated that for every 13 deaths caused by the virus, one child under 18 has lost a parent. According to the researchers, that means that as of June 15:
- More than 46,000 kids in the U.S. have lost a parent to COVID-19.
- Three-quarters of the children are adolescents; the others are under age 10.
- About 20 percent of the children who’ve lost parents are Black, though they make up 14 percent of the population.
These deaths have led to a shadow pandemic of bereavement that could have long-lasting effects. The loss of a parent in childhood has been linked to higher risk of substance use, mental health issues, poor performance in school, lower college attendance, lower employment and early death. Read more.