HRSA July in Brief

On July 16, Administrator Carole Johnson hosted HRSA's National Telehealth Conference, which brought together more than 2,000 public and private sector leaders to discuss telehealth best practices. The conference is the largest federal meeting on telehealth issues.

At the conference, Administrator Johnson and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm announced the first-ever Licensure Portability Grant Program investment in a multistate social worker licensure compact. These compacts allow providers to practice across state lines without having to apply for a license in each state, alleviating workforce shortages and increasing access to critical services.

"HRSA is leading the way in growing the behavioral health workforce both by training more providers and by breaking down barriers to allow the workforce to make mental health and substance use disorder services more accessible across the country," Deputy Secretary Palm said.

Other topics covered during the conference included expanding access to services for rural, underserved, and low-income communities; exploring innovations in telehealth; and improving health equity by expanding broadband access and adoption of telehealth.

On July 26, the Office of Vice President Kamala Harris and HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson convened counselors from the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA) at the White House. Ten Hotline counselors shared information about the ways they provide real-time support, encouragement, information, and referrals to those in need.

The toll-free, confidential hotline is available 24/7 to respond to the mental health needs of pregnant women, new moms, their families, and the communities that support them. Since being launched on Mother's Day two years ago, the Hotline has answered more than 40,000 calls and texts. The Hotline connects callers with counselors who are bilingual in English and Spanish, as well as interpreters who support over 60 additional languages.

On July 31, Administrator Johnson visited Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, for the latest Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative convening, where she announced more than $68 million in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding to provide family-centered medical care and essential support services for women with low incomes, infants, children, and youth living with HIV.

Administrator Johnson met with state health officials and HRSA grantees from across Maryland, including home visitors, Healthy Start providers, health center leaders, community health workers, health care providers, maternal health researchers, and new mothers who shared powerful stories about how HRSA programs supported them and their babies throughout prenatal and postpartum care.

Morgan State University is the coordinating center for HRSA's Maternal Health Research Collaborative for Minority Serving Institutions. The center coordinates maternal health research across more than 16 universities and colleges to improve maternal health disparities research, mentor the next generation of maternal health researchers, and identify community-based solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.

On July 8, HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman delivered keynote remarks at the 340B Coalition Summer Conference held in National Harbor, Maryland. The conference convened safety net health care providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies, government leaders, and other 340B stakeholders.

Deputy Administrator Grossman underscored the foundational impact of the 340B Program in enabling HRSA grantees like health centers, rural hospitals, HIV clinics and programs, and other safety net providers to provide high-quality care to high-need communities and highlighted proposals in the President's Budget to strengthen the 340B Program.

On July 18, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Associate Administrator Tom Morris announced the winners of the 2024 Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project awards at the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program Reverse Site Visit. This program works with 1,360 rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) on strategies for using quality reporting data to improve the quality of patient care.

The 2024 winners—Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia—were the 10 top-performing states for CAH quality reporting and performance. The winning states have excelled in improving patient outcomes in rural communities.

On July 23 and 24, HRSA convened the Tribal Advisory Council in Washington, D.C. Chaired by Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the meeting brought together all 11 seated tribal delegates to share feedback and recommendations about public health needs in Indian Country.

HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman led an interactive session with the delegates to discuss agency priorities and collaborative efforts. HRSA leaders and delegates discussed engagement and partnership opportunities and priorities for the coming year. HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine also discussed strategies to address rising rates of syphilis in tribal communities.