The Partnership Center Newsletter

July 23, 2012 Edition

Dear Partners:

Three weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the health care law, the Affordable Care Act.  The health care law makes significant improvements in health care, now and in the future.  It is in effect and is being implemented by HHS.  We have planned a series of interactive webinars on the health care law for you, faith and community leaders.  The interactive webinars explain the benefits and provisions of the law and how people in your congregation and community can access care.  HHS is also hosting Affordable Care Act Implementation Forums in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver and Atlanta.  More information is available in our Upcoming Events section.

Here are four key ways that the health law can help your congregation or community members NOW: 

• Most young adults who can’t get coverage through their jobs can stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26;
• Children with pre-existing conditions cannot be discriminated against in receiving insurance coverage (starting in 2014, adults with pre-existing conditions cannot be discriminated against in insurance coverage);
• There is increased access to preventive services: Insurance plans now offer many preventive services without a co-pay or deductible;
• There are no lifetime limits on insurance coverage which means that insurers won’t be able to deny, cap or limit your coverage if you get sick.

The health care law also improves access to mental health and substance use disorder services.  In 2014, mental health and substance use disorder services will be part of the essential benefits package, a set of health care service categories that must be covered by certain plans, including all insurance policies that will be offered through the affordable insurance exchanges and Medicaid.

For the 30 million Americans who don’t yet have health insurance, starting in 2014 the law will ensure an array of quality, affordable, private health insurance plans to choose from through affordable insurance exchanges.  Tax credits will make buying insurance more affordable.  States will have the option of expanding their Medicaid program to cover people who have incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level, approximately $15,000 for an individual and $30,000 for a family of four.  Community health centers offer primary care with a sliding payment scale to help those without insurance.  Each of these improvements will help fill gaps in our health care system.  If you have questions about the health care law, you can always email us at ACA101@hhs.gov.

As always, please feel free to email us at Partnerships@hhs.gov or call us at 202-358-3595 to let us know how we can support your work in congregations and communities.

Sincerely,

Alexia Kelley, Director

Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Featured Update

Be Prepared For Natural Disasters. Know Your Risk. Take Action. Stay Connected. Identify Your lifelines.

By Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It’s natural disaster season around the country.  Hurricane season kicked off last month on the East Coast, tornados continue in the Midwest, and fire season is well underway in the West.  Networks of support are essential to individual and community resilience every day.  And networks of support are even more critical during disasters, when people turn to the networks they trust to get them to safety and to help them rebuild and recover.  What you do every day, empowering your members to get and stay connected to a larger community, helps to tighten this safety net and helps your community function as a stronger, healthier place to live and thrive.

Many people use Facebook in their daily lives to post and share information- you may even use it in your outreach to the members of your organization.  People can feel more connected to a community through the use of Facebook and other social media.  In an emergency, connection to this community is more important than ever.  Because every disaster has the potential to impact health, people’s lives may even depend on this connection to their community.

Now there are two new, free, apps on Facebook to help people become better connected- and better prepared-by identifying lifelines and promising to support each other during an emergency.  Lifelines are more than Facebook friends…they are Facebook friends who have made a commitment to step in and help out in case of an emergency.  Specifically, lifelines agree to check on selected friends during an emergency, and supply them with shelter, food, and other things they might need.  They also agree to provide a person’s social network with an update about their wellbeing. 

The two Facebook apps, bReddi and Project: Lifeline, allow Facebook users to identify lifelines, create and share personal preparedness plans, and track the status of their Facebook friends in disaster-affected areas.  These apps support community and individual resilience by helping families and friends plan more easily, be better prepared when a disaster strikes, and get the word out about each others' health and safety. 

​​During this disaster season, it’s more important than ever to be connected to your friends and family, and to reach out to your neighbors to make sure that they are connected to people who will help in a time of need.  Please spread the word to your community members and encourage them to identify their lifelines!

Health Care Law expands community health centers, serves more patients

On June 20 HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced awards of new grants made possible by the health care law, the Affordable Care Act, to expand community health centers.  A total of 219 community health centers in 41 states received awards to expand access to care.  More than 1.25 million additional patients will receive health care services and over 5,000 health care jobs will be created through this expansion of health center sites.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) improve the health of their neighborhoods and the nation by ensuring access to quality primary health care services for people of all incomes.  These grants will support the establishment of new health center service delivery sites.  The new awards will infuse critical dollars to health centers and their surrounding communities, many of which are low-income and without adequate access to primary care.  The awards will enhance the ability of health centers to serve more patients and will create thousands of jobs across the country.

For more than 45 years, community health centers have delivered comprehensive, high-quality preventive and primary health care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.  Community health centers have become the essential primary care home for millions of Americans, including some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations.  Grant awardees include public and nonprofit private entities, including faith-based, community-based, and tribal organizations who meet FQHC funding requirements.

To find a community health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.

The Community Health Center New Access Points grants, listed by organization and state are available at: http://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2012tables/120620nap.html

To learn more about HRSA’s Community Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.

Conference Hubs bring International AIDS Conference to Communities around the Country

The 29^th Biennial International AIDS Conference, to be hosted July 22^nd-27^th in Washington, DC, will convene more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries to assess the state of the global AIDS epidemic, evaluate recent scientific developments, and to collectively chart a course forward.  The conference organizers have created a way to bring the conference to you through conference hubs.  Faith-based and community organizations can view the AIDS Conference by webcast, participate in an approved conference hub or host a hub.

Conference hubs are locally organized meetings or mini-conferences where stakeholders can view sessions from AIDS 2012.  These sessions will often be followed by moderated discussions to allow participants to discuss the local implications of the session content with local or regional experts.  Benefits of participating in or organizing a conference hub include:

• Free access to the international conference sessions;
• Engagement with local and regional stakeholders;
• Freedom to tailor the information to directly address issues relevant to your community;
• Expanded local networks and development of new partnerships.

Participation in hubs is free and conference organizers have created a virtual “Hub in a Box” tool kit designed to make organizing and hosting a hub as easy as possible.  Organizations that may wish to host a conference hub include faith-based organizations, community organizations, clinics and hospitals, and non-governmental organizations/charities.

In addition to these hubs, select sessions from AIDS 2012 can be viewed via webcast.  To view a schedule and to access the webcasts, please visit, http://globalhealth.kff.org/aids2012/?CFID=385196620&CFTOKEN=99500739&jsessionid=60301444b287430a96a53c7841392045262c. 

To learn more about hosting a hub and becoming an approved site, go to http://www.aids2012.org/Default.aspx?pageId=397. 

For a full list of approved conference hubs, click here.

Over 12 million Americans benefit from rebates provided by Health Care Law

This summer, the Affordable Care Act’s 80/20 rule will provide 12.8 million Americans with $1.1 billion in rebates from insurance companies.  The 80/20 rule, or the Medical Loss Ratio standard, in the health care law requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of consumers’ premium dollars on medical care and quality improvements, not on administrative costs.  The remaining 20 percent may be spent on administrative costs, such as salaries and marketing.  Insurers must notify consumers how much of their premiums have been spent on medical care and quality improvement.  Companies that have not met the 80/20 standard must provide their policyholders with a rebate for the difference no later than August 1, 2012.  Rebates will average $151 per family covered by a policy.

The 80/20 rule motivated many insurance companies to lower prices or improve their coverage to meet the standard.  Consumers that are owed a rebate will see this reflected in the following ways:

• A rebate check in the mail;
• A lump-sum reimbursement to the same account used to pay the premium if by credit card or debit card;
• A reduction in future premiums; or
• Their employer providing one of the above rebate methods, or applying the rebate in a manner that benefits its employees.

Consumers in every state will receive a notice from their insurance company informing them of the 80/20 rule, whether their company met the standard, and what value will be returned to them.  This summer, all of this information will be posted on www.HealthCare.gov, allowing consumers to learn the value of their premium dollars in their health plan.  This important provision of the health care law holds health insurance companies accountable to consumers and ensures that American families get a fair standard of value for their premium dollars.

For more information about the 80/20 rule, please visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/costs/value-for-premium/index.html

For information about these rebates (by state and by market), please visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/reports/mlr-rebates06212012a.html

For more information about how the health care law increases transparency and protects consumers in the insurance market, please visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/12/increasing-transparency.html

HHS announces Health Care Innovation Awards

On June 15, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the second round of Health Care Innovation Awards made possible by the Affordable Care Act.  In this set of grants, 81 projects were awarded, bringing the total awards to 107 projects that are designed to be innovative and deliver high-quality medical care, enhance the health care workforce, and save money.  These projects are expected to save the health care system an estimated $1.9 billion over the next three years. The full list of grant awards can be viewed here: www.innovations.cms.gov/initiatives/innovation-awards/project-profiles.html. 

 Award recipients include, but are not limited to:

• Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, in partnership with other community health providers and the University of Tennessee, has received \•.9 million for Project SAFEMED.  Project SAFEMED improves medication adherence and effective medication usage among high-risk patients in the northwest and southwest sections of Memphis, TN.  This project will serve vulnerable adults and seniors insured by Medicaid and/or Medicare who have multiple chronic diseases.  Through teams of health care providers, the program will work with local pharmacies to provide comprehensive medication management.
• YMCA of the USA was awarded \ 1.8 million in funding to provide diabetes prevention programs.  Y-USA, in partnership with 17 local YMCA’s currently delivering the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, the Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance, and seven other leading national non-profit organizations, will work to serve 10,000 pre-diabetic Medicare beneficiaries in 17 communities across the country, including in Florida, Arizona, Ohio, and Indiana.  The goal of this program is to prevent the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes, which will improve health and decrease costs.
• Mary’s Center for Maternal Child Care in Washington, D.C. was awarded \ 4.9 million to implement and test an integrated clinical network to improve care for chronically ill people in the D.C. area who rely on emergency room (ER) visits for health care.

Projects were chosen for their innovative solutions to the challenges facing their communities and for their focus on creating a well-trained health care workforce.  These projects will improve health care in their communities and lower costs for people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  The funding provided for these projects is for three years; however, many are estimated to provide cost savings beyond the three year period.

To learn more about other innovative models being tested by the Innovation Center, please visit: www.innovations.cms.gov

National Resource Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention among Adolescents

The National Resource Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention among Adolescents supports adolescent service providers with web-based resources, evidence-based research, and links to training and technical assistance to promote HIV/AIDS prevention, in particular among adolescents from minority and high risk populations. Visit this new resource at www.PreventYouthHIV.org.

Let’s Move! Video Challenge Winners Announced

The winners of the Communities on the Move Video Challenge have been chosen!  Since First Lady Michelle Obama announced the Video Challenge in February, Let’s Move Faith and Communities has been inspired by every congregation and community that submitted a video highlighting how they are promoting healthy lifestyles for kids.   From putting on nutrition-themed puppet shows in Connecticut to advocating for safer play spaces in Colorado and preaching healthy living from the pulpit in Florida, the ideas in these videos demonstrate the commitment that communities across the country have to reversing the trend of childhood obesity within a generation.

The Video Challenge encouraged faith-based and neighborhood organizations to create one-to-three minute videos highlighting the work they are doing to make their communities or congregations places of wellness.  The challenge recognized efforts that promote healthy lifestyles for kids in three areas: encouraging nutritious eating through USDA’s MyPlate icon, increasing physical activity, and ensuring access to healthy, affordable foods.  The winners and honorable mentions will be invited to Washington, D.C. for a Let’s Move! event.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the competition!  The high quality of the submissions made picking a winner and honorable mentions a very difficult decision.   Here is the final list:

First Prize Winner

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church; Eatonville, FL
Macedonia on the Move

Popular Choice Award Winner 

City of San Fernando Partnership for Healthy Families; San Fernando, CA
100 Citizens: Role Models for the Future

Video Challenge Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)

The Food Trust; Philadelphia, PA
HYPE! Healthy You. Positive Energy

Hispanic Health Council, Inc.; Hartford, CT
Puppets & Peers .....On the Move! To Prevent Childhood Obesity

LiveWell Colorado; Denver, CO
LiveWell Wheat Ridge

Long Island Head Start; Patchogue, NY
Sowing The Seeds Of The Future

Martha O’ Bryan Center; Nashville, TN
Martha O’ Bryan - Highway to Health

Most Holy Trinity Church; San Jose, CA
SJSU/MHT Food Justice Communities on the Move Video Challenge

South Valley Family YMCA; San Jose, CA
A Community on The Move- South Valley Family YMCA

Please check out their videos and see how these congregations and communities are helping kids live healthy.  Congratulations to the winners and to all the communities that participated in the Video Challenge!

“Together We Can” Partnership Series

July’s Let’s Move Faith and Communities partner call is part of the Together We Can webinar series.  The series aims to equip organizations with introductory knowledge, best practices, and contact information to help community-based organizations understand and access U.S. Department of Agriculture programs.  This month’s topic is Together We Can Teach About Nutritious Cooking and Eating and will take place on Wednesday, July 25^th and focus on federal resources for nutrition education.  Please register to join us as we learn better ways to incorporate nutritious cooking and eating into our daily lives.  If you have any questions, please email us at collaborate@usda.gov or call 202-720-2032.

Grant Opportunities

As always, the final section of our newsletter includes an updated grants listing that faith-based and community nonprofits can pursue. All of these grant programs are competitive. It is important to review the funding announcement thoroughly to ensure that the grant opportunity is one that is appropriate to your organization’s mission, size, and scope.

Grants Listings

Title: Social and Behavioral Interventions to Increase Solid Organ Donation

Description: The overall goal of this grant program is to: (1) reduce the gap between the demand for organ transplants and the supply of organs from deceased donors by identifying successful strategies that can serve as model interventions to increase deceased organ donation and, (2) increase the knowledge of options available through living donation among patients who may need transplants and/or individuals considering serving as a living donor.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants include nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Link to Full Announcement: Link to Full Announcement

Last Day to Apply: November 30, 2012

Grant is administered by the: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Title: Advancing Community-level Approaches to Reduce HIV Infection in Highly Impacted Communities

Description: This award seeks research to advance our understanding of community-level HIV-prevention and care interventions within geographic locations and specific populations highly impacted by HIV. These interventions can target communities highly impacted by HIV based on geographic, social, or demographic criteria. Structural interventions and systemic interventions are encouraged. The goal is to lower HIV infections and HIV viral load at a community-level by changing individual behaviors via cost-effective and sustainable means.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants include nonprofits that have or do not have a 501(c)(3) status and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Link to Full Announcement: Link to Full Announcement

Last Day to Apply: January 11, 2013

Grant is administered by the: National Institutes of Health

Title: Obesity Policy Research: Evaluation and Measures

Description: The overarching goal of this FOA is to inform public policy and research relevant to (1) diet and physical activity behavior, and (2) weight and health outcomes of Americans.  This grant opportunity encourages applicants to:  (1) conduct evaluation research on obesity-related natural experiments (defined here as community and other population-level public policy interventions that may affect diet and physical activity behavior), and/or (2) develop and/or validate relevant community-level measures (instruments and methodologies to assess the food and physical activity environments at the community level).

Eligibility: Non-profit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are encouraged to apply.  The opportunity is also available to various governmental entities, local organizations, for-profit groups and small businesses.   

Link to Full Announcement: Link to Full Announcement

Last Day to Apply: February 7, 2013

Grant is administered by the: National Institutes of Health

Title: Academic-Community Partnership Conference Series

Description: The purpose of this grant opportunity is to bring together academic institutions/organizations and community organizations to identify opportunities for addressing health disparities through the use of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).  The objectives of meetings conducted as part of this award will be to: (1) establish and/or enhance academic-community partnerships; (2) identify community-driven research priorities, and (3) develop long-term collaborative CBPR research agendas.

Eligibility: Non-profit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are encouraged to apply.  The opportunity is also available to various governmental entities, local organizations, for-profit groups and small businesses.

Link to Full Announcement: Link to Full Announcement

Last Day to Apply: October 17, 2014

Grant is administered by the: National Institutes of Health