Poison Prevention Week March 18-24

DID YOU KNOW?

Unintentional poisoning is the leading cause of accidental injury deaths for people ages 25-64, even more than motor vehicle fatalities.

Poisons can include medicines, cosmetics, plants, pesticides, and the combination of household items such as cleaning products.

Learn more about poison prevention.

Now accepting applications: National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program

Primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health clinicians can receive up to $50,000 to repay their health profession student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to work at NHSC-approved sites in high-need, underserved areas.

Applications are due Monday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Learn more about the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.

Now accepting applications: National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

map of the us with a stethoscope laying on top of it

Eligible state and U.S. territory entities may apply for the NHSC SLRP to assist them in operating their state educational loan repayment programs for primary care providers serving in Health Professional Shortage Areas in their state. This year, SLRP has added a new discipline, substance abuse counselors, to the list of health professionals who may apply for the program in their state.

Applications are due Monday, May 7 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Prospective applicants should visit the NHSC SLRP page for more information or the HRSA Grants page to begin the application process.

Journal article evaluates HRSA oral health program

A new journal article co-authored by HRSA's PHS Captain Pamella Vodicka and previous HRSA Division Director Elizabeth Edgerton, M.D., M.P.H. assesses results from HRSA’s School-Based Comprehensive Oral Health Services program. HRSA awarded the grant in 2011 to organizations serving high-need communities, through existing school-based health centers, to ensure delivery of quality oral health preventive and restorative services for children.

The program, Evaluation of a Comprehensive Oral Health Services Program in School-Based Health Centers, found that the enrolled children had great need for the services, with nearly half presenting with tooth decay. Over the four-year program period, grantees used community-based strategies to increase enrollment from 5,000 to more than 9,700, and grow the percentage of students receiving preventive services from 58 to 88 percent.

The program’s approaches can inform HRSA’s Maternal & Child Health Title V Block Grant, Health Center programs, and other initiatives as they implement oral health services within health care delivery models.

Read the abstract in the Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Research brief: Rural maternity care losses lead to childbirth risks

photo of a pregnant woman's belly with a child's hands on it

Access to obstetric care in rural communities is critical to ensuring positive maternal and child health outcomes. Eighteen million reproductive-age women live in America’s rural counties, but over half of these counties have no hospital where people who are pregnant can give birth. The past decade has been marked by a decline in maternity care access, as hospitals and obstetric units across rural America shutter their doors.

Now, the consequences of these closures are becoming clear. A new study from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined how birth outcomes change after losing obstetric services, focusing on two categories of rural counties - those located next to an urban area (urban-adjacent) and the more remote rural areas not located near an urban area (non-adjacent).

The research reported in the study was funded by HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

Read the report.

Rural America comes to HRSA

Attendees from 43 states met with HRSA to discuss rural health

Attendees from 43 states met at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Convention Center to discuss Federal Office of Rural Health Policy programs that target such problems as Black Lung Disease, radiation exposure, allied health workforce shortages, and rural opioid misuse.

More than 30 seminars were offered over three days. Grantees form networks with existing community groups to pioneer new ways of serving some of the most isolated populations in America.

Learn more about HRSA's rural grantee conference.

Join the Livestream: “COPD and Rural Health: A Dialogue on the National Action Plan” March 19

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death in the United States and disproportionally impacts those in rural areas.

Using the framework of the COPD National Action Plan, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), along with experts from across the country, will begin to discuss COPD’s impact on rural communities at the meeting, “COPD and Rural Health: A Dialogue on the National Action Plan.” The meeting will include examining challenges, opportunities, and resources as they relate to each of the five goals of the Action Plan.

The livestream of the meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on Monday, March 19, and the discussion will continue online on Twitter via #COPDRuralHealth. As this is an all-day event, refer to the agenda to tune in for discussions around specific goals of the Action Plan most relevant to you and your community.

View the livestream.

Request for nominations to the Advisory Committee

HRSA is seeking nominations of four qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STD Prevention and Treatment (Committee). The Committee consists of 18 public members, including two co-chairs. The Committee membership maintains a balance of diverse experiences and expertise.

See the Federal Register Notice for more information.

March