Your CHCANYS

Congress and NYS Legislature Back in Session 
The first session of the 114th Congress  began on January 6, and the NYS Legislature kicked off its 2015-16 session with a swearing-in ceremony on January 7. The annual State of the State address, originally scheduled to take place last week, has been postponed until January 21 in order to accommodate funeral arrangements for the late Governor Mario Cuomo, who passed away on January 1. read more >>

Dr. Howard Zucker Named Commissioner of NYS Dept. of Health

On January 13, Governor Cuomo announced the appointment of Dr. Howard A. Zucker to the position of NYS Commissioner of Health.  Dr. Zucker has served as Acting Commissioner for the past nine months, replacing Dr. Nirav Shah, who resigned  in May of 2014. To read more, click here.

Advocacy Day 2015 Registration Now Open!
Advocacy Day 2015 is right around the corner, and we hope you are finalizing your plans to come to Albany on March 2. Registration is now open - click here to get started. This annual event is our big opportunity to engage state policymakers and ensure that they are familiar with the high quality, cost-effective primary care services that community, homeless and migrant health centers provide. read more >>

DSRIP Project Approval and Oversight Panel: Meeting Schedule Announced
A schedule of upcoming meetings of the DSRIP Project Approval and Oversight Panel, along with a list of panel members, has been posted to the NYS Department of Health website; click here to view it. The panel will meet for the first time on Monday, January 12 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. read more >>

Update: Capital Restructuring Financing Program
The application deadline for the Capital Restructuring Financing Program (CRFP) has been extended until Friday, February 20 at 3:00 p.m. Additionally, answers to stakeholder questions and fillable attachment forms are now available on the NYS Department of Health’s website. read more >>

NACHC Policy & Issues Forum 2015: Reserve Now!
It’s not too soon to begin planning for NACHC’s annual Policy & Issues Forum, scheduled for March 18-22, 2015 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.  Rooms are going fast, so we encourage you to make your reservations as soon as possible. read more >> 

Funding Opportunity: Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program
Applications for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) funding opportunity are being accepted via Grants.gov through March 5, 2015. This program supports the development of a health care workforce that improves health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care, maximizing patient and family engagement, and transforming the healthcare system. read more >>  

Primary Care Service Corps: Funding for Non-Physician Clinicians
Applications for the Primary Care Service Corps, a state and federally funded program providing loan repayment to non-physician clinicians who commit to practicing in the state’s Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) in return for 2 or 4-year service obligations, will be accepted on a rolling basis between January 31 and March 31, 2015. read more >> 

Association of Clinicians for the Underserved Launches New STAR² Center
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) has received a national cooperative agreement from the Bureau of Primary Health Care BPHC to provide resources, training, and technical assistance to health centers around clinician recruitment and retention issues. The new STAR² Center (Solutions, Training, and Assistance for Recruitment and Retention) will launch with the creation and dissemination of health center data profiles. Click here to learn more. 

PCEPN/DOHMH Offers On-Site Ebola Preparedness Technical Assistance
The Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network (PCEPN) and the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) have partnered, and are available by appointment, to provide Ebola preparedness site visits to ambulatory care centers in New York City. Visits will provide information on Ebola preparedness and support and address any questions and concerns you may have.  The visits are offered as guidance and are not regulatory or mandatory. Expected to last approximately 90 minutes each, visits may be scheduled on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at your convenience.  read more >> 

Lutheran Family Health Centers Uses Azara DRVS Technology to Lower Readmissions and Improve Quality
In order to satisfy the requirements of a new Medicaid grant, Lutheran Family Health Centers (LFHC) has significantly expanded its use of the web-based Azara DRVS data analytics and reporting platform underlying the CHCANYS Center for Primary Care Informatics (CPCI). Click here to read more about the project and how the technology has helped LFHC to lower hospital readmissions among its Medicaid population and boost key quality measures.

2015 Practical Art of Health Center Finance 
Date: February 4-6, 2015; Location: Hyatt House, Charlotte, NC; Hosted by: NACHC. In collaboration with the Bureau of Primary Health Care, NACHC has developed this seminar to provide CFOs and COOs with an orientation to financial management techniques, accounting principles and terminology unique to health centers. read more >>  

UDS Reports Due February 15
All grantees of BPHC-administered Section 330 primary care programs are required to submit a Uniform Data Systems (UDS) report to HRSA by February 15, 2015. The data help HRSA to identify trends to establish or expand targeted programs. CHCANYS also uses UDS data to advocate for and promote health centers and their work. read more >> 

Legal Aspects of Health Center Funding: Opportunities and Obligations 
Date: Feb. 10 – 11, 2015; Location: Long Beach, CA; Hosted by: NACHC and Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell. 2014 brought significant changes to the fiscal administration of the Health Center program, with OMB’s release of the “Supercircular” and HRSA’s release of PINs 2013-01 (Budgeting and Accounting for Health Centers) and 2014-02 (Sliding Fee Discount and Related Billing and Collections Program Requirements).This live, hands-on training will address the framework of these policies and the steps health centers need to take to ensure that their policies and procedures remain in compliance with all Federal requirements. read more >>

Apply Now: Geiger Gibson Capstone Fellowship in Health Policy and Leadership
The Geiger Gibson Capstone Fellowship in Health Policy and Leadership, offered in partnership with NACHC’s Leadership Development Institute, is designed to provide participants with the knowledge needed to understand U.S. health policy trends and their implications for health centers. Special emphasis is placed on current and emerging health reform implementation issues. read more >>

HRSA Issues Sliding Fee Discount Program FAQs
HRSA has issued FAQs to clarify aspects of PIN 2014-02: Sliding Fee Discount and Related Billing and Collections Program Requirements. This document contains important information regarding the extent of board approval, eligibility assessment, definitions of income and family size, and discounts on service-related supplies/materials. For an overview of the FAQs developed by NACHC, click here.

December Medicaid Update Released
The Office of Health Insurance Programs of the New York State Department of Health has approved the release of the December 2014 Medicaid Update. To view it, click here.

Updated Diagnostic Guidelines for Confirmation of Screen-Positive Newborn Screening Results
The Diagnostic Guidelines for Confirmation of Screen-Positive Newborn Screening Results have been updated and are available online.

Webinar: SBIRT - Strategies of Integration into Primary Care
Date: Jan. 22, 2015; Time: 9:00 -10:00 a.m. This webinar will include background information on: alcohol use (definitions of unhealthy drinking, alcohol use as a continuum); NYC alcohol-related epidemiology (patterns of use, morbidity, and mortality); Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) (basic components, effectiveness); DOHMH’s experience integrating SBIRT into primary care practices (workflow analysis, incorporation into the electronic health record, billing instruction); and SBIRT in the context of the changing health care landscape. read more >> 

Oral Health Advocacy Day
Date: Feb. 25, 2015; Location: Albany; Hosted by: NYS Oral Health Coalition. Healthy teeth are vital for a healthy life. Unfortunately, far too many New Yorkers suffer from dental pain and the burden of high dental treatment costs. Strategies for improved access to oral health in NY State must be brought to the attention of the policy makers in Albany. read more >>