NC-SARA Webinar on Department of Education Proposed Rule Covering State Authorization

On Thursday, June 1 at 2pm Eastern, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) will host a webinar entitled, “Department of Education Draft Regulations and SARA: What To Know”. The webinar will examine how the Department of Education’s proposed rule, issued May 19, could affect State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. The public comment period on the proposed regulations is now open now, with comments due no later than June 20.

More details including registration may be accessed here.

House Committee Hearing on the President’s FY 24 Education Budget Request

On Tuesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a nearly five-hour hearing with testimony from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, his first appearance before the Committee this Congress. The hearing was contentious at times, and covered issues such as oversight, student loans, parental rights, transgender participation in sports, community colleges, apprenticeships, and workforce Pell.

Our memo on the hearing may be accessed here. 

Department of Education Releases Proposed Gainful Employment Regulations

On Wednesday, the Department of Education released its proposed gainful employment and ability to benefit regulations. The proposed regulations, which also includes rules on financial responsibility, administrative capability, and certification procedures, will be published in the Federal Register today, and comments may be submitted over a period of 30 days. The Department expects to finalize the rules later this year. Rules finalized by November 1, 2023, will go into effect on July 1, 2024.

The Department of Education’s press release may be accessed here.

Department of Education Update on Third Party Servicers

On Tuesday, the Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter on Third-Party Servicers. Like the Department’s April 11 blog post, the letter states the Department plans to issue a final revised Dear Colleague Letter with an effective date at least six months after its publication.

The Dear Colleague Letter may be accessed here and the April 11 blog post may be accessed here.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Recruitment And Retention

The U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs subcommittees on Health and Oversight and Investigations held a joint oversight hearing titled "VHA Recruitment and Retention: Is Bureaucracy Holding Back a Quality Workforce?" on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. 

Testimonies from witnesses at this event can be obtained at https://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByEvent.aspx?EventID=115928.

U.S. Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage

Many Americans are unable to obtain needed care for behavioral health. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund discusses different types of behavioral health providers in the U.S., barriers faced in obtaining services, and ways in which the U.S. can bolster the workforce to meet the growing demand for care. 

The can be obtained at Understanding the U.S. Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage | Commonwealth Fund.

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends

The Department of Health and Human Services on May 9, 2023 released a fact sheet reviewing how the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency will affect the flexibilities the declaration enabled.

The fact sheet can be obtained at https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/09/fact-sheet-end-of-the-covid-19-public-health-emergency.html.

Brookings Institution Webinar on Affirmative Action and the Future of College Admissions

On Tuesday, May 23, at 2pm Eastern, the Brookings Institution will hold an online-only event on “Affirmative Action and the Future of College Admissions”. The event will feature leading education experts to explore the history of affirmative action in higher education, how affirmative action fits in a broader system of admissions criteria, and the likely impact of the Supreme Court’s decisions on college enrollment.

Details and registration may be accessed here.

Call for Proposals: 2023 ASAHP Interprofessional Collaboration Grant

The Interprofessional Collaboration Grant, created by ASAHP’s Research, Discovery, and Innovation Committee, supports innovative research projects with the highest potential to produce new knowledge and paradigms towards success in interprofessional collaboration. Projects should involve at least two and preferably more health professions. The most competitive applications will be designed as scalable projects with potential outcomes which can be broadly applied and implemented by ASAHP member institutions.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a full-time faculty in an ASAHP member institution. Applicants may serve as PI on only one grant application. Only one application may be submitted per ASAHP Member Institution.

AWARD AMOUNT: We expect to fund 2-3 awards up to $30,000 per award

GRANT PERIOD: September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 15, 2023

Learn more and apply here.

Hand Hygiene In Health Care Settings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produced a series of four short videos (4-6 minutes) to help promote hand hygiene in health care settings. 

The videos can be viewed at Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings Video Series - YouTube.

FAQs For End Of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal public health emergency for COVID-19 to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. CMS issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for all CMS programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and private insurance to help in preparing for the transition. 

The FAQs can be obtained at CMS PHE FAQs.

ACE Panel on Preparing for the Supreme Court's Race in Admissions Ruling

Earlier this month, the American Council on Education (ACE) held a panel discussion aimed at helping campus leaders prepare for the outcome of the race in admissions cases the U.S. Supreme Court heard on October 31, 2022.

More details including a transcript of the panel session may be accessed here.

Medicaid And Beneficiary Work Requirements

A new blog from The Commonwealth Fund discusses the potential impact of requiring adults ages 19-55 without dependents to meet work requirements as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. This provision was included in legislation passed this week in the House of Representatives to address the debt limit. 

The blog can be obtained at Congress’s Repeated Attempts to Create Medicaid Work Requirements| Commonwealth Fund.

House Holds Appropriations Hearing on FY 24 Education Budget Request

At Tuesday’s hearing, Sec. Cardona testified in support of the Department of Education’s FY 24 budget proposal, which seeks a 13% overall funding increase above current funding levels. Republican Members of the Subcommittee, led by new Chair Rob Aderholt (R-AL) expressed concerns about proposed funding increase, citing concerns about continued deficit spending. Democratic Members focused the bulk of their comments on the impact of expected budgetary cuts Republicans will make in FY 24, including to the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, with Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) anticipating a 20-30% overall cut. In addition, there were discussions about Pell Grant funding, whether the department was prepared to restart student loan repayments, the Parental Bill of Rights, school choice, STEM, as well as Short Term Pell to help address employers’ need for skilled workers.

Our memo on the hearing may be accessed here.

Call for Applications: Award for Innovation and Excellence in Clinical Education

Through the Award for Innovation and Excellence in Clinical Dducation, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) looks to recognize an institutional member along with its clinical partner for innovation and excellence in clinical education.  As the inaugural award, all ideas are welcome.  Applicants will have the option to concurrently submit for the poster session at the upcoming ASAHP annual conference, October 17-19, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Applicants for this award must be nominated and submitted by an ASAHP member institutions.  Applicants should demonstrate innovation and excellence in clinical education that:

• Exhibit innovation in clinical education that will meet future workforce needs.

• Increase the quality of clinical education for students, or

• Increase the quantity of clinical education experiences for students while maintaining or enhancing quality

Learn more and apply here.

Register Now: Immersive Clinical Learning Through Innovative Technologies Webinar

In one week on April 27 at 1pm ET, ASAHP's Clinical Education Committee will be hosting "Immersive Clinical Learning through Innovative Technologies." Attendees will learn how the presenters identified and implemented innovative technologies at three diverse institutions.  They will present the value of these technologies and how they acquired and sustained funding. Unable to attend live? Make sure you register to receive the recording link after the event.

Learn more and register here.

ASAHP, FASHP Statement on Ensuring Academic Freedom and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

ASAHP joined the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP), which comprises 19 associations representing a health professions education community, in issuing a statement of commitment to the principles of academic freedom, as well as creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for students and patients.

The joint statement may be accessed here.

Realizing The Potential Of Accountable Care In Medicaid

Seeking to control costs and improve quality of care, more than a dozen states have established accountable care organizations, or ACOs, for their Medicaid-covered residents since 2010. Relatively little is known about their impact in Medicaid, or what factors into their successful adoption.  A new Commonwealth Fund issue brief documents the performance of Medicaid ACOs to date. 

It can be obtained at Realizing the Potential of Accountable Care in Medicaid | Commonwealth Fund.

Department of Education Update on Third-Party Servicer Guidance

This afternoon, the Department of Education provided an update on its Third-Party Servicer guidance. ASAHP joined ACE in submitting comments to the Department regarding concerns with the guidance on March 29. The Department said the September 1, 2023 effective date of the guidance letter will no longer be in effect, and that the effective date of the revised final guidance letter will be at least six months after its publication. In the update the Department included a list of activities it does not consider as constituting Third-Party Servicer relationships. Included in this list is “clinical or externship opportunities that meet requirements under existing regulations because they are closely monitored by qualified personnel at an institution”.

The update may be accessed here. The comments submitted by ASAHP, ACE, and others may be accessed here.