February in Brief: Expanding Access to Health Care in Rural Areas and Improving Early Access to Cancer Screenings in Underserved Communities

Recent HRSA Highlights

HRSA Administrator Johnson Visits the Spokane Teaching Health Center To Highlight Training Program for Primary Care Physicians

HRSA Administrator Johnson and U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, visited the Spokane Teaching Health Center in Spokane, Washington, to meet with primary care residents and highlight the role of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. This critical program supports the training of health care providers in community-based settings, with a focus on rural and underserved areas. By establishing and supporting medical residency programs in such settings, the THCGME program builds on the understanding that most health care providers will go on to practice in the communities in which they train, bolstering the health workforce in the highest need areas.

HRSA Administrator Johnson Joins First Lady Jill Biden To Highlight the Cancer Moonshot Initiative

HRSA Administrator Johnson and First Lady Jill Biden joined staff at the Logan Heights Family Health Center in San Diego, California, to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s Cancer Moonshot initiative to improve access to cancer screenings and early detection efforts in underserved communities. On February 2, HRSA awarded nearly $11 million to 22 HRSA-funded health centers to help close the cancer screening gap and decrease the impact of preventable cancers. This funding doubles HRSA’s investment in the Accelerating Cancer Screening Program from $5 million in 2022. The program focuses on leveraging outreach specialists and patient navigators to conduct patient outreach in underserved communities served by health centers to promote early detection of cancer, connect patients to screening services, and provide hands-on assistance with accessing high quality cancer care and treatment as needed.

HRSA Administrator Johnson Participates in National Rural Health Association Meeting to Support Rural Health Care Access and Workforce Issues

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson delivered remarks at the National Rural Health Association’s annual policy conference, focusing on the agency’s current rural health priorities and initiatives to improve rural health and health care access. Hundreds of leadership and staff from rural health clinics, community health centers, rural hospitals, state offices of rural health, and state rural health associations, as well as educators and researchers, attended. HRSA Administrator Johnson also met with the leadership from the National Association of Community Health Centers, the National Rural Health Association, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to discuss HRSA’s continued support for efforts to increase health care access in rural areas and address health care workforce issues.

HRSA Administrator Johnson Meets with Children’s Hospital Association

HRSA Administrator Johnson met with Children’s Hospital Association members and other leaders of children’s hospitals to discuss challenges facing the pediatric health care workforce.

HRSA Deputy Administrator Grossman Attends National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Event

HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman visited Howard University to discuss HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, care and support for Black people with HIV, and how to combat stigma. As part of the visit, Deputy Administrator Grossman met with the Howard University Provost, clinical and program staff, and patients.

News from the Regions

Connecticut Roundtable on Pediatric Behavioral Health

HRSA Deputy Regional Administrator CAPT Chris Bersani (center) joined HHS Assistant Secretary of Health, ADM Rachel Levine (left), and leaders from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families at Connecticut Children's Hospital to discuss our nation’s youth behavioral health crisis. HRSA funding supports pediatric mental health care access and expands behavioral health in primary health settings.

Forum to Address Primary Care Physician Shortage in New Jersey Urban Communities

HRSA’s New York City office convened deans and faculty from all of New Jersey's medical schools with leadership from HRSA-supported health centers, the New Jersey Area Health Education Center, the New Jersey Department of Health, and the New Jersey Primary Care Association to address the state's urban primary care workforce. The group discussed HRSA investments that support the primary care physician pipeline and opportunities to work together to retain the primary care workforce that serves urban New Jersey.

Advancing Health Equity Among Hispanic and Latino Populations Webinar Series

HRSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs is prioritizing outreach to Spanish-speaking communities and organizations. In February, HRSA kicked off a four-part webinar series on advancing health equity among Hispanic and Latino populations. With more than 600 people attending, the first session explored HRSA’s priority areas, programs, funding, and technical resources available to support organizations providing health and social services to Hispanic and Latino populations.  The next webinar, which will focus on improving youth mental health through integrated care, will be held on April 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET (register here).

Missouri Health Workforce Roundtable 

HRSA’s Kansas City office hosted a health workforce roundtable, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Social Services, to share information and resources about HRSA’s programs and to support health workforce training, recruitment, retention, and development in the state. HRSA Regional Administrator Nancy Rios (third from right) coordinated the roundtable to bring together school administrators, the Missouri Hospital Association, the Missouri State Board of Nursing, the Missouri Community College Association, and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Adult Education, among others, in a conversation on ways to leverage HRSA programs to strengthen Missouri’s health workforce.

HRSA Visits Tennessee Health Leaders and Partners

HRSA Regional Administrator Natalie Brevard Perry and Tennessee State Lead Rosie Mangual convened meetings between HHS leaders, AmeriCorps, Tennessee health leaders, and community health center partners to discuss shared priorities. Specifically, HRSA staff engaged with the Tennessee State Health Officer (pictured at right), Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc., and health center executive leaders on issues related to COVID-19, youth mental health, and health workforce retention resources.