Weekly Health Care Policy Update – April 4, 2022

April 11, 2022

In this update: 

  • Covid-19 Updates
    • Biden Administration Launches Covid.gov Site
    • FDA Approves Second Booster Dose of mRNA Vaccines for 50+ and Immunocompromised
    • CMS Launches Resource on State Medicaid Programs and the End of the Covid-19 PHE
    • AHRQ Publishes Covid-19 Best Practices for Nursing Homes
  • Administration Update
    • Biden Administration Releases FFY 2023 Budget Proposal
    • ARPA-H Will Be Part of NIH but Report Directly to HHS Secretary
  • Congressional Updates
    • Senate Finance Committee Releases Behavioral Health Report
  • Federal Agencies
    • CMS Proposes FFY 2023 Hospice, IRF, and IPF Payment Rules
    • CMS Announces Start of Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Option
    • CMS Announces New Money Follows the Person Program Funding
    • CMMI Posts ACO REACH Program Integrity Summary
    • CMMI Schedules ACO REACH Webinars for Safety Net Providers
    • HRSA Seeks Fine for Boehringer Ingelheim over 340B Violations
    • HHS Guidance Says Business Associates Should Comply with HIPAA Administrative Simplification
    • CMS Office of the Actuary Releases 2021-2030 Projections of National Health Expenditures
  • Other Federal
    • MedPAC Releases April 2022 Meeting Agenda
    • MACPAC Brief Finds Significant Issues with Medicaid Race and Ethnicity Data
    • MACPAC Releases April 2022 Meeting Agenda
  • Congressional Hearings
  • New York State Updates
    • Governor Hochul Extends Disaster Emergency But Ends Delay of “Safe Staffing” Requirements
    • DOH Publishes Notice of Medicaid SPAs on Budget Initiatives, Medicaid Rates, Safety Net Funding, and Scope of Practice
    • CMS Approves SPA Adding Sickle Cell Disease as Single Qualifying Condition for Health Homes
    • CMS Approves Rate Increases for PROS Implemented Through Enhanced FMAP
    • OMH Adopts Final Rule to Establish Youth Assertive Community Treatment Services
    • 32BJ Health Fund Releases Report on New York Hospital Prices
  • Funding Opportunities
    • HRSA Issues NOFO for Supplemental Healthy Start Grants for Community-Based Doulas
    • SAMHSA Releases NOFO for CCBHC New and Expansion Grants
    • OPWDD Issues RFA for Supportive Residential Habilitation Transformation

COVID-19 Updates

Biden Administration Launches Covid.gov Site
On March 30th, the Biden Administration announced the launch of Covid.gov, a new website that consolidates information on Covid-19 vaccines, tests, treatments, masking guidance, and other related topics. The site provides visitors with information on local caseloads and resources, including a directory of local sites participating in the Administration’s Test-to-Treat Program, which allows individuals to receive a test and an oral antiviral in a single visit if necessary.
 
FDA Approves Second Booster Dose of mRNA Vaccines for 50+ and Immunocompromised
On March 29th, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a second booster dose of the two mRNA Covid-19 vaccines for individuals 50 years of age and older at least four months after receipt of a first booster dose. A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine may be also administered to individuals 12 years of age and older with certain kinds of immunocompromise at least four months after receipt of a first booster dose. This category includes individuals who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise. A second booster dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine may also be administered to individuals 18 years of age and older with the same kinds of immunocompromise.
 
The FDA announcement is available here.
 
CMS Launches Resource on State Medicaid Programs and the End of the Covid-19 PHE
On March 29th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new resource page for State Medicaid programs resuming normal operations at the end of the federal Covid-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The end of the PHE will represent “the single largest health coverage transition event since the first open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act,” due to the expiration of the continuous coverage requirement authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Other key policies, including Section 1135 waivers and disaster relief State Plan Amendments (SPAs), will also expire at the end of the PHE. The new resource page collects the guidance and tools on these topics that CMS has issued so far, and will be updated as additional resources are released.

The page can be found here.
 
AHRQ Publishes Covid-19 Best Practices for Nursing Homes
On March 29th, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced the publication of three new online resources to help nursing homes adopt best practices aimed at controlling and preventing infection and improving the emotional well-being of nursing home staff and residents. They are: 

  • Best Practices Guide for Covid-19 Infection Control and Prevention in Nursing Homes
  • Best Practices for Promoting Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Among Nursing Home Staff
  • Best Practices for Promoting Emotional Well-Being in Nursing Home Residents

The resources, developed by AHRQ’s Nursing Home Covid-19 Action Network, are available here.

Administration Updates

Biden Administration Releases FFY 2023 Budget Proposal
On March 28th, the White House released its $5.8 trillion proposed budget for fiscal year (FFY) 2023. This marks the beginning of the appropriations process, though the President’s budget serves primarily as a messaging document, and Congress will begin its own appropriations process through its respective committees of jurisdiction.
 
The President’s budget requests $1.7 trillion for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in total, including $127.3 billion in discretionary spending (a 27% increase over FFY 2022). Themes in the President’s health care budget requests include: improving pandemic preparedness, reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, and improving mental and behavioral health and health care: 

  • An $81.7 billion request for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prepare for and respond rapidly and effectively to future pandemics and other high consequence biological threats.
  • A $470 million request across the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), CDC, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), NIH, and Indian Health Service (IHS) to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity.
  • Several behavioral health requests, including: 
    • A $697 million request for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (which will switch from a 10-digit number to 9-8-8) and other behavioral health services;
    • A $51.7 billion investment in other behavioral health programs, including the new Mental Health Transformation Fund, Community Mental Health Centers, and in the Medicare and Medicaid programs; and
    • An $11 billion request for programs addressing opioids and overdose-related activities.
  • Several research allocations, including: 
    • An additional $92 million request for CDC and FDA in response to President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years; and
    •  A $49 billion request for NIH, including $5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

The President’s full HHS Budget proposal can be found here. The HHS Press Release on the Budget can be found here.
 
ARPA-H Will Be Part of NIH but Report Directly to HHS Secretary
On March 30th, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to Congress indicating that the new ARPA-H agency will be incorporated into the NIH. However, Becerra said that the ARPA-H Director will nevertheless report directly to him as the HHS Secretary. Furthermore, the new agency will be physically separate from NIH. Becerra testified in a hearing that NIH’s role would be to provide administrative support, while the modified reporting structure would “show that there will be autonomy” for ARPA-H.
 
Many lawmakers had requested that ARPA-H should be entirely independent from NIH, such as Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), chair of the Health Subcommittee, who released a statement saying that this would create a “bureaucratic structure, rather than a transformational one.”

Congressional Updates

Senate Finance Committee Releases Behavioral Health Report
On March 28th, the Senate Finance Committee released a bipartisan report on behavioral health care in the United States. The report, which is based in part on responses to the Request for Information (RFI) released by the Committee last September, is intended to support the Committee’s upcoming bipartisan legislative proposal on this topic, which is expected to be considered this summer.
 
A specific set of legislative initiatives has not yet been finalized, but the committee is aiming for a relatively limited fiscal impact, likely under $10 billion. Some specific proposals that are expected to be included are a focus on behavioral health parity, in particular increasing enforcement efforts, as well as efforts to support and expand the mental and behavioral health workforce.
 
The bipartisan report is available here.

Agency Updates

CMS Proposes FFY 2023 Hospice, IRF, and IPF Payment Rules
On March 30th, CMS issued a proposed rule (available here) to update the Medicare hospice payment rates for FFY 2023. Under the rule, hospices would receive an overall 2.7% increase in their payments in FFY 2023. Hospitals that fail to meet quality reporting requirements will receive a 2% reduction to the annual market basket update for FFY 2023. The rule would also update the statutory aggregate cap, which limits overall payments per patient to a hospice, increasing the cap by 2.7% to $32,142.65.
 
On March 31st, CMS issued a proposed rule (available here) covering FFY 2023 updates to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS). Under the rule, IRF payment rates will be updated by 2.8%, although CMS notes that this may change in the final rule due to updated data. Due to an updated threshold, outlier payments will decrease by 0.8%, resulting in an overall expenditure change of 2.0%.
 
Finally, also on March 31st, CMS issued a proposed rule (available here) updating the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) PPS for FFY 2023. Under this rule, the IPF PPS payment rate will increase by 2.7%, although CMS notes that this may change in the final rule due to updated data. Due to an updated threshold, outlier payments will decrease by 1.2%, resulting in an overall expenditure change of 1.5%.
 
These three rules also include updates to their respective quality programs and other minor changes. Certain common provisions across all three rules include:

  • A proposed permanent cap on negative wage index changes greater than a 5% decrease from the prior year, regardless of the underlying reason for the decrease; and
  • A Request for Information (RFI) on possible health equity initiatives within the programs’ respective quality reporting programs.

CMS Announces Start of Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Option
On April 1st, CMS issued a press release noting the start of the American Rescue Plan’s five-year option for states to receive enhanced matching funds for providing 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage in their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. Louisiana is the first state to be approved to implement this provision. CMS is working with nine other states to extend such coverage, and other states, including New York, are in the process of passing legislation that would enact this expansion.
 
To implement it, states will be required to submit a State Plan Amendment to CMS. Under this provision, all individuals enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP while pregnant will be eligible for coverage through the end of the month in which their 12-month postpartum period ends. This includes individuals who are no longer pregnant at the time of implementation, but are still in their 12-month postpartum period, or who were pregnant during the three months prior to their Medicaid applications.
 
CMS’s press release is available here.
 
CMS Announces New Money Follows the Person Program Funding
On March 31st, CMS announced that it would offer more than $110 million to states to expand access to home and community-based services through Medicaid’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) program. Individual awards of up to $5 million will be available for states and territories not currently participating in MFP.
 
For states that are already participating in MFP, including New York, CMS is increasing the reimbursement rate for supplemental services to become 100% federally-funded with no state share. CMS is also expanding the definition of “supplemental services” to include additional services that can support an individual’s transition from an institution to the community, including short-term housing and food assistance.
 
More information on MFP is available here.
 
CMMI Posts ACO REACH Program Integrity Summary
On March 24th, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a summary overview of program integrity efforts under the Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model.
The document outlines vetting, monitoring, auditing, and analytics activities CMMI intends to perform. In particular, CMMI intends to refer potential violations of federal law, including any applications that might implicate antitrust law, to appropriate federal agencies.
 
The document is available here.
 
CMMI Schedules ACO REACH Webinars for Safety Net Providers
On March 30th, CMMI announced that it would hold three webinars specifically for safety net providers interested in learning more about the ACO REACH model. The target audience includes Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Centers, Critical Access Hospitals, and Sole Community Hospitals. The sessions are as follows:

  • Wednesday, April 6th from 10:30-11:30am EST
  • Thursday, April 7th from 10:00-11:00am EST
  • Thursday, April 7th from 4:30-5:30pm EST

Registration is available here. Applications for the ACO REACH Model are due April 22nd.
 
HRSA Seeks Fine for Boehringer Ingelheim over 340B Violations
On March 29th, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) sent a letter to Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals (BI), informing the company that it would be pursuing action through the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for BI’s refusal “to comply with its 340B statutory obligations” to offer 340B discounts to all covered entities, including those that use contract pharmacies, without restrictions. BI announced in July 2021 that it would stop most sales of 340B products to contract pharmacies. HRSA has made similar referrals to OIG for AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, United Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, and Novartis, five of whom sued the Administration. However, courts have been split on the rulings.
 
The HRSA letter to BI is available here.
 
HHS Guidance Says Business Associates Should Comply with HIPAA Administrative Simplification
On March 22nd, HHS’s National Standards Group (NSG) released guidance to clarify HIPAA-covered entities’ obligations to ensure that their business associates comply with HIPAA regulations around Administrative Simplification. Specifically, the guidance states that covered entities must ensure that entities with whom they have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) comply with HIPAA requirements, including the requirement to use standards for electronic transactions, code sets, unique identifiers, and operating rules. If a Business Associate violates such a requirement in the course of providing services on behalf of a HIPAA-covered entity, the covered entity may be held liable by HHS and be subject to a civil monetary penalty.
 
The guidance is available here.
 
CMS Office of the Actuary Releases 2021-2030 Projections of National Health Expenditures
On March 28th, CMS released the 2021-2030 National Health Expenditure (NHE) report, which details health spending and enrollment projections for the coming decade. Overall, annual growth in national health spending is expected to average 5.1% over 2021-2030, reaching nearly $6.8 trillion by 2030. However, the health share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to be 19.6% in 2030, nearly the same as the 2020 share of 19.7%. Some highlights in various areas include:
 
Overall Spending
From 2020 to 2021, national health spending is estimated to have slowed to 4.2% from 9.7%. Average annual growth in national health spending over the latter half of the next decade (2025-2030) is projected to be 5.3% and is expected to be driven primarily by more traditional elements, including economic, demographic, and health-specific factors.
 
Insurance Rates
The percentage of the population with health insurance is expected to be 91.1% in 2021 and 2022, but after the end of the Covid-19 PHE, enrollment is projected to begin returning to pre-pandemic distributions, with the 2030 insured rate projected to be 89.8%.
 
Spending by Insurance Type
Between 2021 and 2024, the government’s share of national health spending is expected to fall to 46% by 2024, down from an all-time high of 51% in 2020. Specifically: 

  • Medicare spending growth is projected to average 7.2% over 2021-2030, the fastest rate among the major payers.
  • Medicaid spending growth is expected to have accelerated to 10.4% in 2021, but over 2022 and 2023, Medicaid spending growth is expected to slow to 5.7% and 2.7%, with average annual growth of 5.6% projected for 2021-2030.
  • Private health insurance spending growth is projected to average 5.7% over 2021-2030, with out-of-pocket expenditures projected to grow at an average rate of 4.6% over 2021-2030 and to represent 9% of total spending by 2030.

Spending by Provider Type

  • Hospital spending growth is projected to average 5.7% for 2021-2030 with spending growth in 2021 expected to be 5.7%, a deceleration from 6.4% in 2020, largely due to declining federal supplemental payments.
  • Physician and clinical services spending is projected to grow an average of 5.6% per year over 2021-2030, with growth in physician and clinical services spending in 2021 expected be 5.1%, which is slower than growth of 5.4% in 2020; and
  • Spending growth for retail prescription drugs is projected to increase over 2021-2030 at an average rate of 5%, with growth in 2021 expected to be 4.7% compared to 3% in 2020.

The full report is available here.

Other Federal

MedPAC Releases April 2022 Meeting Agenda
On April 1st, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released the agenda for its April public meeting, which is on April 7th and 8th. Some notable topics to be covered include:

  • A proposed approach to streamline Medicare’s portfolio of alternative payment models (APMs);
  • Analysis of Part D data on Direct and Indirect Remuneration (DIR);
  • Leveraging Medicare policies to address social determinants of health; and
  • Aligning fee-for-service payment rates across ambulatory settings.

The full agenda is available here.
 
MACPAC Brief Finds Significant Issues with Medicaid Race and Ethnicity Data
On March 28th, the Medicare and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) published an issue brief on the availability of race and ethnicity data for Medicaid beneficiaries. The brief notes that current data collection results in “significant limitations” in collecting such data. In MACPAC’s 2019 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) data, only 19 states had more than 90 percent complete race data. Furthermore, these data are frequently inconsistent with data reported in other sources, such as the American Community Survey (ACS).
 
The issue brief is available here.
 
MACPAC Releases April 2022 Meeting Agenda
On April 1st, MACPAC released the agenda for its April public meeting, which is on April 7th and 8th. In general, the meeting will review items to be included in MACPAC’s June report. Some notable topics will include:

  • Oversight of managed care directed payments;
  • Medicaid’s role in advancing health equity;
  • Updated analyses of churn and coverage transitions; and
  • Medicaid managed care procurement practices across states.

Registration and a copy of the full agenda are available here.

Congressional Hearings

Tuesday, April 5th:

  • At 10am, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing to examine the President’s FFY 2023 Budget Proposal request for HHS. More information is available here.
  • At 10am, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing on FDA user fee agreements, with a focus on advancing medical product regulation and innovation to benefit patients. More information is available here.
  • At 10:15am, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing entitled “Communities in Need: Legislation to Support Mental Health and Well-Being.” More information is available here.
  • At 2pm, the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on the FY 2023 Budget Proposal with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. More information is available here.

Wednesday, April 6th:

  • At 9am, the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing to examine the policies and priorities of HHS. More information is available here.

New York State Updates

Governor Hochul Extends Disaster Emergency But Ends Delay of “Safe Staffing” Requirements
On March 31st, Governor Hochul issued Executive Order 4.7 (available here), which extends through April 30th the provisions in Executive Order 4 and its successors that reinstate many workforce and scope of practice flexibilities that applied during the original New York State Covid-19 public health emergency. However, the Order does not continue the delay of “safe staffing” requirements that was included in Executive Order 4.4. These requirements were enacted in last year’s budget and impose penalties on nursing homes that fail to meet daily staffing requirements or to spend the required minimum proportion of revenue on direct resident care and resident-facing staff.
 
DOH Publishes Notice of Medicaid SPAs on Budget Initiatives, Medicaid Rates, Safety Net Funding, and Scope of Practice
On March 30th, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) posted a public notice in the State Register (available here) of a series of Medicaid State Plan Amendments (SPAs) that would enact various proposals, including several that are expected to be enacted in the final State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023 Budget. Some notable amendments are outlined below:
 
SFY 2023 Budget

  • Implementing a 5.4 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for OMH, OASAS, and OPWDD services as outlined in the Executive Budget (which does not include Health Homes, other than Care Coordination Organizations);
  • Restoring the 1.5 percent across-the-board reduction to Medicaid payments;
  • Providing bonuses to front line health care and mental hygiene workers; and
  • Streamlining Medicaid eligibility by eliminating resource tests and raising the income eligibility level to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for current non-MAGI groups such as seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Medicaid Reimbursement

  • Increasing Medicaid non-facility reimbursement FFS rates for physician services, including Evaluation and Management (E&M) and Medicine procedure codes, from current levels (45 to 58 percent of Medicare) to 70 percent of current Medicare;
  • Increasing the base FFS rate for exempt psychiatric units in Article 28 hospitals to provide a total expenditure increase of $55 million;
  • Increasing Medicaid reimbursement for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to align with fees paid by the Child Health Plus program; and
  • Enhancing reimbursement rates for state plan-approved private duty nursing (PDN) services by an additional 30 percent for the medically fragile training/experience and 45 percent for the PDN directory.

Safety Net Funds

  • Providing funding to financially distressed hospitals, equal to $200 million in gross Medicaid expenditures; and
  • Revising the Clinical Safety Net funding distribution methodology for diagnostic and treatment centers (non-FQHC).

Scope of Practice and Other Medicaid Reforms

  • Authorizing licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), mental health counselors (LMHCs), and marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) to bill Medicaid directly for services; and
  • Enabling the Medicaid program to enter outcomes-based contracts with drug manufacturers for drugs provided to Medicaid beneficiaries through supplemental rebate agreements.

All proposals are contingent upon relevant legislation, the final enacted budget for State Fiscal Year 2022-2023, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of the State’s spending plan for the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for home and community-based services (HCBS). Comments may be submitted to spa_inquiries@health.ny.gov.
 
CMS Approves SPA Adding Sickle Cell Disease as Single Qualifying Condition for Health Homes
On March 24th, CMS approved New York’s SPA to add sickle cell disease as a single qualifying condition for Health Homes Serving Adults and Health Homes Serving Children. This change is effective as of September 1, 2021.
 
For participants who newly qualify for services under this amendment, an enhanced FMAP of 90 percent will apply to payments from the period of September 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. Payments will return to the State’s published FMAP rate (i.e., 50%) at the end of the enhanced match period.
 
The SPA is available here. The CMS approval letter is available here.  
 
CMS Approves Rate Increases for PROS Implemented Through Enhanced FMAP
On March 22nd, CMS approved New York’s SPA implementing the following two rate increases for Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS): 

  • Program enhancement; and
  • Workforce training, recruitment, and retention.

These rate increases are included in the State’s spending plan for the enhanced FMAP under the American Rescue Plan Act. The change is effective December 31, 2021.
 
The SPA is available here. The CMS approval letter is available here.
 
OMH Adopts FinalRule to Establish Youth Assertive Community Treatment Services
On March 30th, the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) published a notice of adoption in the State Register (here) of regulations that establish Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs. The regulations allow children up to 21 years of age receive ACT services, while individuals aged 18-21 may receive either Youth ACT or Adult ACT services. ACT services are a comprehensive and integrated combination of treatment, rehabilitation, case management, and support services primarily provided in the client’s residence or other community locations by a mobile, multi-disciplinary mental health treatment team. Clients must have serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbance and require services to remain in the community.
 
Children enrolled in Health Home Care Management or licensed day treatment programs are not eligible for ACT services. However, a child may receive both ACT services and Children and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS) and/or HCBS 30 days prior to discharge from Youth ACT only as a transition from Youth ACT to an alternate or lower level of care. Reimbursement for services provided to clients receiving both ACT and CFTSS, HCBS, or PROS is limited to the partial step-down payment rate.
 
32BJ Health Fund Releases Report on New York Hospital Prices
On March 17th, the Health Fund of the SEIU 32BJ Union (which covers building services workers) released a report on hospital prices in New York, which claims that “the leading driver of [health care] costs is the skyrocketing price of hospital care.” The report is based on an analysis of 32BJ’s own claims data from 2016 to 2019. The analysis found that private hospital systems in New York City charged 32BJ more than 300% of the rate that Medicare pays for the same services, on average, with significant variation in the prices charged for the same services among different hospital systems.
 
The report proposes interventions that would address this issue on various levels: 

  • Individual payers could implement benefit design changes to direct participants to high-value providers.
  • Groups of payers could form an aggregated purchasing coalition to negotiate with health care providers.
  • Government actors could enact legislation and regulation to: address anti-competitive behavior; create incentives (including possible removal of tax exemptions) for hospitals to reduce prices or increase community spending; and implement overall payment models through rate-setting and/or global budgets. 

The report is available here.

Funding Opportunities

HRSA Issues NOFO for Supplemental Healthy Start Grants for Community-Based Doulas
On April 1st, HRSA released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for supplemental funding under the Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health. Under this program, HRSA will provide supplemental awards of up to $180,000 to 25 Healthy Start organizations (who began participation in April 2019). Awards will cover the training, certification, and compensation of doulas in underserved areas over a two-year period through March 2024, with each award to fund at least two doulas serving 100 Healthy Start participants.
 
The NOFO is available here. Applications are due May 31st.

SAMHSA Releases NOFO for CCBHC New and Expansion Grants
On March 18th, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the following two Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC): 

  • Planning, Development, and Implementation Grants (for new CCBHCs); and 
  • Improvement and Expansion Grants (for certified CCBHCs).

CCBHCs provide comprehensive person- and family-centered services that aim to increase access to community-based care, stabilize individuals in crisis, and provide the necessary treatment and recovery support services for individuals with complex mental and substance use disorders. Through these opportunities, over 300 organizations will be awarded up to $1 million in annual funding during the four-year grant period, subject to the availability of federal appropriations. 
 
The NOFOs are available here. SPG’s summary of the planning, development, and implementation grants is available here and summary for the improvement and expansion grants is available here. Applications are due on May 17th. 
 
OPWDD Issues RFA for Supportive Residential Habilitation Transformation
On March 25th, the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for providers seeking to expand Supportive Individual Residential Alternative (IRA) Residential Habilitation and Family Care opportunities within their existing certified residential programs. Grant funding may be used to invest in existing capacity, develop new capacity, and/or support people who want to move to a more independent and integrated setting. OPWDD intends to release a separate RFA focused on developing capacity across non-certified housing opportunities.
 
This funding is available from the enhanced FMAP provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, which states may use to supplement existing expenditures for HCBS. As of the January 2022 update, New York State’s enhanced FMAP spending plan (available here) allocates $10 million for this initiative.  
 
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations that: 

  • Are certified by OPWDD under the 1915(c) OPWDD Comprehensive Waiver to deliver Residential Habilitation Services; 
  • Are not on OPWDD’s Early Alert list at the time of application; and
  • Have experience operating Supportive Residential Habilitation and/or Family Care Services, or demonstrate a commitment of the Board of Directors to develop new Supportive Residential Habilitation opportunities and/or Family Care Services.

The RFA is available here and SPG’s summary of the opportunity is available here. Applications are due on May 4th. OPWDD will host an applicant conference on April 6th at 1pm. To register for the conference, interested parties must email fmapgrants@opwdd.ny.gov with contact information and the title of the RFA in the subject line by April 5th.