ICD-10 Deadline Delayed Until October 1, 2015
The Senate has voted to pass H.R. 4302, the SGR/doc-fix bill which also includes an extension of the ICD-10 deadline. It is likely that the bill will be signed into law by the President and that the deadline will be extended until October 1; confirmation from CMS on that date is pending. read more >>

Grant Opportunity: Reduce Hepatitis Infections by Treatment and Integrated Prevention Services Among Non-Urban Young Persons Who Inject Drugs
This grant opportunity (RFA-PS-14-004, FOA) invites organizations to address the high prevalence of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection by developing and implementing integrated approaches for detection, prevention, care and... read more >>

NCQA PCMH 2014 Standards Released
The National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) 2014 Standards and Guidelines for Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition are now available on the NCQA website. To view an online presentation of the new standards, click here.  

Webinar: Strategies to Improve Cancer Screening
Date: Wed., April 16; Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This webinar will provide an overview of evidence based interventions that support the goals of the Prevention Agenda and how they can be included in Community Health Improvement Plans and Community Service Plans. read more >>

Webinar: Psychopharmacology and Working with the Psychiatrist
Date: Thurs., April 17; Time:12:00 – 1:00 p.m. This webinar will focus on issues with medication that may arise when working with a psychiatric patient and how to address them with both the patient and the treating psychiatric provider to better coordinate care within a collaborative model. read more >> 

Webinar: PCMH 2014 - Behind the Enhancements
Date: Wed., April 23; Time: 2:00 p.m. Join NCQA for a free webinar that will focus on the goals and enhancements of the new 2014 PCMH standards. Click here for more information and to register. 

Missed Opportunities to Prevent Cervical Cancer: Strategies to Increase HPV Vaccination
The Centers for Disease Control has declared adolescent vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) one of the top five public health priorities of 2014. Click here for a fact sheet that outlines barriers to HPV vaccination and highlights strategies health plans can use to improve uptake of the vaccines. 

Showcase Your Health Center’s Research and Innovations at the 2014 CHI Poster Session!
Submission deadline: Fri., May 2. Each year, NACHC hosts the Community Health Institute (CHI), the largest and most important annual conference of health center professionals.  This year’s conference will take place in San Diego from August 22 – 26. The poster session will take place on August 24. All health centers, networks, PCAs, researchers... read more >>

Webinar: The Community Guide for Community Health Centers
Date: Mon., May 12; Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.; Sponsored by: The Public Health Foundation, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and NACHC. Hear from one health center that used The Guide to Community Preventative Services, or “The Community Guide,” to improve their patients’ cancer screening rates. read more >> 

Citywide Colon Cancer Control Coalition (C5) 9th Annual Summit
Date:Wed., June 4; Time:  8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Location:New York University, KimmelCenter, Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square South, NYC.  The theme of this year’s summit is “Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening:  Addressing Patient and Systems Barriers.” read more >>

Public Health and Primary Care Integration Resources
Several resources explaining the benefits of integrating public health and primary care are now available. The Practical Playbook, a web-based, interactive tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the de Beaumont Foundation, and Duke Community and Family Medicine, guides users through the stages of integrated population health improvement. read more >> 

March 2014 Medicaid Update
The Office of Health Insurance Programs of the New York State Department of Health has approved the release of the March 2014 Medicaid Update. Please click here to access it.

Cancer-Related Educational Materials Available from NYSDOH
Did you know that you can order a wide variety of cancer-related educational materials, free of charge, from the New York State Department of Health? Click here for a listing of available publications, posters and other media. 

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration for Children and Families has launched a coordinated federal campaign entitled Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!, which encourages healthy child development, universal development and behavioral screening... read more >> 

AAFP Releases Joint Principals on BH/PCMH Integration
The American Academy of Family Physicians recently joined five other national family medicine organizations to release "Joint Principles: Integrating Behavioral Health Care Into the Patient-Centered Medical Home." read more >>

Registration Open! CHCANYS’ 2014 Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum
CHCANYS’ 2014 Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum, scheduled for October 19-21at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, will offer participants opportunities to engage with national and state leaders and to share best practices through workshops and networking events. Registration is now open – click here to get started. 

Sponsor/Vendor Opportunities Available for CHCANYS’ 2014 Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum
CHCANYS Statewide Conference and Clinical Forum is the venue for networking with health center decision-makers and learning about their product and service needs. This year’s event will be held on October 19-21 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains.  For more information, contact Roxanne Wynn-Trotman at rwynn@chcanys.org.

4^th Annual eClinicalWorks Health Center Summit
Date:May 12th – 14; Location: Newport Marriott, Newport, RI
Registration is now open for the 24^th Annual eClinical Works Health Center Summit  Visit the event website for further details regarding the program schedule, hotel & travel, and event sponsors. read more >>

New York State FY 2014-15 Budget: FQHC-Related Highlights  
The Legislature passed the New York State FY 2015-2015 budget on March 31, on time for the fourth consecutive year. Click here for highlights relevant to FQHCs, prepared for CHCANYS by Brown & Weinraub, PLLC. Click here to access Governor Cuomo’s press release.

New York State Medicaid Waiver Update
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) will be holding public hearings throughout the state next week to present its plan for its Medicaid 1115 Waiver. read more >>

CHCANYS’ Elizabeth Swain to Present at NYAPRS Executive Seminar on April 24
The New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services' (NYAPRS) 10th Annual Executive Seminar, scheduled for April 24-25 in Albany, will highlight presentations that prepare for two big policy movements capturing everyone’s attention for the coming year: the BH transition in managed care and the DSRIP implementation through the 1115 waiver. Elizabeth Swain will represent CHCANYS as part of a plenary session entitled "New Partnerships to Maximize Opportunities within the Medicaid Waiver." read more >>

Access is the Answer Campaign Update: NY Numbers Increased
Health center advocates across New York State helped to kick off the Access is the Answer campaign by collecting over 7,000 petition signatures during the month of March. Special kudos to Lutheran Family Health Centers, William F. Ryan Community Health Network and Open Door Family Medical Centers for gathering over 1,000 signatures ... read more >>

Congressional “Dear Colleague” Letter Update: Strong Response from New York Delegation
Thanks to all advocates who contacted their Members of Congress and asked them to sign on to the Stabenow-Wicker (Senate) and Bilirakis-Pallone (House) “Dear Colleague” letters that were circulated on the Hill during the final two weeks of March. read more >> 

SCAA Launches Dental Health Campaign
Earlier this week, The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (SCAA) launched Keep NY Smiling, a campaign focused on creating stronger State-level policies to protect and promote oral health and foster local partnerships to demonstrate that communities can achieve measurable improvements in dental health through evidence-based... read more >>

NY State of Health: 865,000+ Enrolled as of April 1^st
NY State of Health (NYSOH) has reported that 865,487 individuals enrolled in health coverage between October 1, 2013 and April 1, 2014.  More than 70 percent of these New Yorkers were uninsured at the time of application. Nearly 134,000 New Yorkers enrolled via the marketplace during the last week in March; approximately 38,000 individuals enrolled on March 31st alone. read more >>

FTCA Deeming Deadline: May 23, 2014
Program Assistance Letter (PAL) 2014-03: Calendar Year 2015 Requirements for Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Medical Malpractice Coverage for Health Centers, recently released by HRSA, describes the process by which Health Center Program grantees must submit Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) deeming applications for calendar year 2015. Applications are due by Fri., May 23. Click here to access the PAL. read more >>  

NYC Transit Seeking Proposals for Solicitation No. RFP65192 – Assessment Services for Paratransit and Reduced-Fare MetroCard Eligibility 
NYC Transit is seeking proposals to provide assessment services for paratransit and reduced-fare MetroCard eligibility.  Proposals are due on April 29. For more information, contact Magdalena Tatarczuk, NYC Transit’s Procurement Representative, at 646-252-6754. 

New CDFI Publication Available from Capital Link
Capital Link has prepared an informative new publication for health centers on Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI).  It describes the CDFI business model and provides helpful information for health centers preparing to seek financing from a CDFI, including: What are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI)? How can CDFIs support health center growth? What makes CDFIs different from conventional lenders? This publication and others may be downloaded free from the Capital Link by clicking here.

MHANYS 7th Annual Spring Reception and Silent Auction
Date: Thurs., May 1; Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: The State Room, 142 State Street, Albany, NY. Admission: $50 (Seniors $40). Join the Mental Health Association in New York State for its 7^th annual Spring Reception and Silent Auction, an evening of fun and celebration with live music. For more information and to register, click here.  

Are You Maximizing Savings on Your Purchases?
CHCANYS is assisting the CommonWealth Purchasing Group, the leading group purchasing organization for community health centers and other community-based, not-for-profit organizations, in promoting its services to New York’s FQHCs. To learn more and to join, click here.  

Health Department Confirms 25 Cases of Measles in NYC
On April 1, Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett announced that 25 cases of measles have been confirmed in New York City. The Health Department has confirmed 12 pediatric cases and 13 adult cases since February.  Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus. Symptoms include a rash (typically beginning on the face and progressing to the whole body) high fever, cough, red eyes and a runny nose lasting 5-6 days.  

Measles can spread easily through the air to unprotected individuals. Measles vaccine MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) is given on or after a child's first birthday. A second dose of MMR vaccine is recommended before children enter school at 4 to 6 years of age.  Anyone who has received two valid doses of a measles-containing vaccine is considered immune and protected from getting measles. 

Health care providers should ensure that all security, front office, registration, and triage staff ask every person entering the facility about generalized rash with fever and immediately place such patients into an airborne isolation (negative pressure) room. If an airborne isolation room is not available, place patients in a closed exam room with masks and do not use that room for 2 hours after they have left. read more >>