HHS Announces Health Center Planning Grant Opportunity

/PRNewswire/ -- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced up to $10 million in funding for a Health Center Planning Grant (HCPG) opportunity for organizations across the country that would like to become a Community Health Center. The HCPG opportunity is intended to support organizations in the future development of a health center and will support approximately 125 HCPGs in FY 2011.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers the Health Center Program. Health centers improve the health of the Nation's underserved communities and vulnerable populations. They assure access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services at more than 7,900 service delivery sites around the country to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income.

"This funding opportunity in the Affordable Care Act will help nurture organizations that answer the noble call to assist those who are medically underserved, underinsured and uninsured," said Secretary Sebelius.

"The HCPG grants help organizations qualify to become CHCs, which increases HRSA's ability to serve more people," said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield , Ph.D., R.N. "From oral health, behavioral health, to maternal wellness and serving those in rural communities, community health centers increase access for those in need of high quality preventive and primary health care."

Eligible entities for the FY 2011 HCPG include public or nonprofit private entities, including tribal, faith-based and community-based organizations that currently do not receive the following section 330 funding awards:

* Planning Grants
* Community Health Centers
* Migrant Health Centers
* Health Care for the Homeless
* Public Housing Primary Care Programs
* Primary Care Associations


For more information about eligibility, guidance and application submission for the HCPG, visit www.grants.gov. For more information on HRSA's community health center program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/. For more information about Affordable Care Act investments in community health centers, visit www.HealthCare.gov.

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The HRSA Genetics Collaboratives are Bringing Genetic and Newborn Screening Services to Local Communities Around the United States

/PRNewswire/ -- Overcoming the challenges of bringing quality and cutting edge genetic and newborn screening (NBS) services to local communities and to children and families with hereditary diseases is extremely complex. It requires coordinated, multifaceted and multidisciplinary efforts that are national, regional, and local and include public, private and not-for-profit partnerships. In order to meet these challenges, the Health Resources and Services Administration/Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA/MCHB) awarded the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) a cooperative agreement in 2004 and later renewed it until 2012 to serve as the National Coordinating Center (NCC) for seven similarly-funded Regional Genetics Collaboratives known as the HRSA Genetics Collaboratives (http://www.nccrcg.org/).

These seven HRSA/MCHB-funded HRSA Genetics Collaboratives and their National Coordinating Center (NCC) are working to improve access to local genetic and newborn screening services, information, and resources for individuals and families with heritable disorders. A major component of the NCC/Genetics Collaboratives system involves using a variety of approaches to link primary care providers, geneticists and other specialist providers, and public health services into a comprehensive medical home that meets all the needs of individuals and families with heritable conditions. Activities at all levels engage consumers and families, with new opportunities for partnerships continually emerging.

"Hundreds of professionals including public health officials, newborn screening program staff members, primary care providers, physician geneticists, genetic counselors, consumer advocates, and families are active in the HRSA Genetics Collaboratives. The Collaboratives are bringing genetic discoveries into local communities in every state in the country and are working hard to improve local access to newborn screening and genetic services for everyone by addressing the unique needs of the community," says Judith Benkendorf, MS, CGC, a genetic counselor and Project Director of the NCC. "Each regional Genetics Collaborative has fostered a variety of approaches to building linkages between public health, genetics specialists, primary care/the Medical Home and families. Some of activities are even being replicated nationally. A benefit of the current coordinated system is that each HRSA Genetics Collaborative has access to national expertise, positioning it to be a 'go to' resource for information about genetic and newborn screening services," added pediatrician Tracy L. Trotter, MD, FAAP, Senior Partner, San Ramon Valley Primary Care.

The NCC also facilitates collaborations between the HRSA Genetics Collaboratives and national projects, using local communities to pilot materials and programs for policymakers, health professionals and families. Many national organizational partners contribute additional resources.

NCC initiatives include:
-- building national capacity in the use of telegenetics;
-- establishing a searchable national network of genetic service and
subspecialty providers experienced in the diagnosis and management of
infants with heritable disorders detected through NBS programs;
-- collecting and disseminating data that establish the value of genetic
services to payers and policymakers;
-- developing disaster preparedness strategies to ensure that NBS
programs and treatment of patients with metabolic conditions are not
interrupted in the case of an emergency;
-- developing and distributing of management guidelines and "just in
time" resources for providers caring for patients with heritable
disorders;
-- addressing the transition of patients with heritable conditions from
pediatric to adult care; and
-- developing resources for state policymakers.

National data collection efforts include tracking pilot NBS programs and establishing and maintaining a patient follow-up database useful in rare disease research. Maximizing collaboration between the genetic services, primary care, NBS and public health communities is critical to the success of each of these efforts and to the collective impact of the NCC and the Genetics Collaboratives.

The Seven Regional HRSA Genetics Collaboratives

Region 1: The New England Regional Genetics Collaborative (NEGC), with CT, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT (www.negenetics.org/)

Region 2: New York-Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetic and Newborn Screening Services, with DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, and WV (www.wadsworth.org/newborn/nymac/)

Region 3: The Southeast NBS and Genetics Collaborative, with AL, FL, GA, LA, MI, NC, SC, TN, PR, and USVI (http://southeastgenetics.org/)

Region 4: The Region 4 Genetics Collaborative with IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI (http://region4genetics.org/)

Region 5: The Heartland Regional Genetics and Newborn Screening Collaborative, with AR, IA, KS, MO, ND, NE, OK, and SD (www.heartlandcollaborative.org/)

Region 6: Mountain States Genetics Regional Collaborative Center, with AZ, CO, MT, NM, NV, TX, UT, and WY (www.msgrcc.org/)

Region 7: Western States Genetic Services Collaborative, with AK, CA, HI, OR, WA, and US Pacific Basin (www.westernstatesgenetics.org/)

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Piedmont Fayette Hospital Hosts Community Healthy Heart Fair

February is Heart Health Month

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of death in the state, accounted for 34 percent of deaths in Georgia in 2005. Georgia's CVD rate was 13 percent higher than the national rate according to Georgia's Department of Human Resources (2004). February is Heart Health Month, and to educate the community on the risks of heart disease, Piedmont Fayette Hospital will host a free Healthy Heart Fair on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the hospital's west entrance.

"Piedmont Fayette Hospital is urging the community to get the facts on one of Georgia's leading killers--heart disease," said Darrell Cutts, president and CEO at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. "The Healthy Heart Fair is the ideal time for residents to receive free health screenings and learn how to lower their risk of the chronic disease."

The Healthy Heart Fair will offer a variety of health screenings, including blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, ABI, body mass index and EKG. Free educational materials covering all aspects of a healthy heart also will be provided.

Hospital staff from all areas including the Fitness Center will be on hand to educate attendees on disease prevention, rehabilitation of injuries and maintenance of optimal health and fitness wellness

"Physicians will also be available to answer heart health questions," said George Leslie, director of cardiopulmonary services at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. "The ultimate goal is to alert residents about the importance of getting regular physical activity, eating healthy, quitting smoking and undergoing routine check-ups to lower their risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases."

Throughout the year, PFH also offers smoking cessation classes to help smokers quit their addiction. Led by a Piedmont Fayette Hospital respiratory staff member, who is an American Lung Association trained facilitator, the class promises to be both informative and enlightening. Smoking cessation classes will be held throughout the year beginning in January. For more information on the class, call 770-719-6258.

PFH offers a range of advanced, comprehensive diagnostic and rehabilitative cardiology services, including echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (EKG), holter and event monitoring, cardiac monitoring, stress-testing and cardiac rehabilitation. The cardiology care team includes physicians, nurses, cath lab technologists, therapists, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals and offers innovative heart care - in and out of the hospital. For a physician referral, call 1-866-900-4321, or for more information about Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s cardiology services, please visit http://www.fayettehospital.org/.