Community Health Grants RFA SFY 2018-2019

NC DHHS Notice of Funding Availability

Reporting Form

DHHS Division/Office issuing this notice: Office of Rural Health
Date of this notice: December 6, 2017
Grant Applications will be accepted beginning February 1, 2018
Working Title of the funding program: Community Health Grants
Purpose: Description of function of the program and reason why it was created:
The Office of Rural Health is pleased to announce the availability of funds for Community Health Grant Program. These grants are supported through the North Carolina General Assembly.

The purpose of grants awarded under this program is to assure access to primary care and preventive care for vulnerable, underserved and medically indigent patients in the state. Primary care safety-net organizations are eligible to apply for this funding to pay for patient care through a primary care access plan (Track A) or through a reimbursement model for eligible expenses (Track B). Applicants must select one track. Collaboration among safety-net and social support organizations is highly encouraged. 

Track A: Uninsured and underinsured residents are afforded access through the Primary Care Access Program. This program helps residents of North Carolina, at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Levels who do not have primary health care coverage, access health care services. Visits are reimbursable for medically necessary, on-site, face-to-face provider encounters.

Track B: The reimbursement model for eligible expenses may include payment for clinical staff, medical/office supplies and equipment, and capital.

Technical Assistance: Webinar: February 9, 2018  11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Informational Regional Meetings:
Wednesday, December 6, 2017, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, NW AHEC Winston Salem
Thursday, January 11, 2018, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Gorges State Park, Sapphire, NC
Thursday, February 8, 2018 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Merchants Millpond State Park in Gatesville, NC

Funding Availability: 
Requested funding will depend on available funds. 

Maximum Award Amount:
Applicants may request up to $150,000 for 12 months of funding.

Proposed Project Period or Contract Term:
July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

Eligibility:
All primary care safety-net organizations that provide direct primary and preventive care and serve as a medical home care are eligible to apply. This includes: federally qualified health centers and look-alikes (FQHCs), free and charitable clinics, health departments, hospital-owned primary care clinics, rural health centers, school based and school linked health centers, AHEC clinics, and other community organizations that provide direct primary and preventative patient care to medically vulnerable populations, including the uninsured. Collaborations amongst safety-net groups is encouraged to support primary and preventive care. 
Eligible organizations that provide direct primary and preventive care may also use these funds to support any of the following: health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, counseling, patient education, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in a variety of health care settings (care coordination/care management by a primary care entity, behavioral health, oral health, women’s health, maternal and child health that supports health care services in a primary care setting).

As a condition of receiving a grant award, successful applicants must agree to:

  • Submit a monthly expense report in a specified format for reimbursement
  • Submit performance reports quarterly throughout the grant term
  • Use an electronic financial software application (Excel spreadsheets are not acceptable formats)
  • Document collaborations amongst safety net and social support organizations specifying distinct roles of each organization and designated fiscal organization. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or teaming agreement, if available, is accepted as presumption of collaboration and may be attached to the application.
  • Connect to NC HealthConnex by June 1, 2019*

*In 2015 North Carolina passed a law (NCGS 90-414.7) establishing the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA) to oversee and administer the NC Health Information Exchange Network called NC HealthConnex. The use of NC HealthConnex promotes the access, exchange and analysis of health information to improve patient care and coordination of care.

The law requires that:
Hospitals as defined by G.S. 131E-176(3), physicians licensed to practice under Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the NC General Statutes, physician assistants as defined in 21 NCAC 32S .0201, and nurse practitioners as defined in 21 NCAC 36 .0801 who provide Medicaid services and who have an electronic health record system shall connect by June 1, 2018.
All other providers of Medicaid and state-funded services shall connect by June 1, 2019.
To meet the state’s mandate, a provider is “connected” when its clinical and demographic information are being sent to NC HealthConnex at least twice daily.” For further information, please see the HIEA website: https://hiea.nc.gov

How to Apply: 
Applicants must submit the following:
Organizational Information and Signature Sheet

  1. Organizational Profile
  2. Summary of Evaluation Criteria and Baseline Data
  3. Grant Narrative
  4. Budget

Deadline for Submission:  
Grant applications must be received electronically by the Office of Rural Health by March 16, 2018. Only electronic copies will be accepted through the following link beginning February 1, 2018: Link to electronic copy

How to Obtain Further Information:
Funding Agency Contact/Inquiry Information:
Ginny Ingram, Program Manager
Phone: 919-527-6440
Email: ginny.ingram@dhhs.nc.gov

Community Health Grants RFA document for SFY 2019
Community Health Grants MER Template SFY 2019
Community Health Grants RFA Frequently Asked Questions with Answers SFY 2019 (Updated 1/3/18)

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