Newswire Archives
The 2021 Winter Member Meeting of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Council took place virtually on Tuesday, January 26. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Advancing IPE for Health Equity & Social Justice” and ASAHP was represented at the meeting by Partnerships, Alliances and Advocacy Committee and Interprofessional Task Force Chair Dr. Anthony Breitbach as well as Dr. Charlene Portee from Alabama State University.
A summary of the meeting may be accessed here.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the economic expansion that began in mid-2020 will continue. Real GDP is projected to return to its pre-pandemic level in mid-2021. The number of individuals employed is projected to return to its pre-pandemic level in 2024.
The report can be obtained at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2021-02/56965-Economic-Outlook.pdf.
Today, President Biden signed an executive order designed to increase enrollment in comprehensive health care coverage. The order specifically focuses on improving the quality of coverage and removing barriers to enrollment in Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplaces.
The executive order can be obtained at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/28/executive-order-on-strengthening-medicaid-and-the-affordable-care-act/.
Today, President Biden announced steps that will help meet the goal of administering 100 million shots in 100 days and ramp up vaccine supply as fast as possible. As a result of these actions, the federal government will have enough vaccine supply for the entire U.S. population by the end of the summer.
The announcement can be obtained at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/26/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-steps-to-boost-vaccine-supply-and-increase-transparency-for-states-tribes-and-territories/.
Considering the experiences of the past year and looking for lessons learned and opportunities for the future, four major areas are discussed by the American Hospital Association that changed during the pandemic and are likely to keep transforming health care in the year ahead.
The areas can be obtained at https://www.aha.org/news/healthcareinnovation-thursday-blog/2021-01-13-using-lessons-pandemic-reimagine-health-care.
The White House has released its National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, a 200-page report, issued on January 21, that outlines the new Administration’s seven key goals.
The report may be accessed here.
President Biden sent a letter to the WHO to indicate that the withdrawal from the organization that occurred during the Trump Administration has been retracted.
The letter can be obtained at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/letter-his-excellency-antonio-guterres/.
HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program for Paraprofessionals is now accepting applications. Forty three awards are expected and estimated total program funding is $24,300,000. The purpose of the BHWET Program for Paraprofessionals is to develop and expand community-based experiential training to increase the supply of students preparing to become peer support specialists and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals while also improving distribution of a quality behavioral health workforce. A special focus is placed on the knowledge and understanding of the specific concerns of children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth in high need and high demand areas at risk for behavioral health disorders.
More information may be accessed on grants.gov
The population of individuals eligible to be vaccinated will be broadened according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The federal government will ask states to begin vaccinating patients over the age of 65 and those with underlying health conditions that place them at risk for COVID-19.
Additional information can be obtained at https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2469056/officials-discuss-covid-19-vaccine-deliveries-and-prioritization-criteria/
The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) strongly endorses interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Through the Award for Institutional Excellence and Innovation in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Health Care, ASAHP looks to recognize a member institution and/or industry member for outstanding achievement in IPE and IPCP. In addition to the award, several institutions will also be recognized as “Programs of Merit” by ASAHP.
Visit asahp.org/ip-award for more information and to apply.
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, higher education saw a burst of interest in Middle Eastern studies, Arabic and homeland security. Today, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, data and anecdotal evidence now suggest we may be seeing a similar rise in demand for health and medical education. Employment in health-care occupations is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, faster than the average for all occupations and adding more jobs than any other occupational group.
The Inside Higher Ed article may be accessed here.
Inside Higher Ed reports on the funding that colleges and universities will receive as a result of the Coronavirus relief legislation signed into law last month. The American Council on Education provided estimates for the respective shares of the $20.2 billion in funding that each of the 3,500 institutions of higher education would receive.
The Inside Higher Ed article may be accessed here.
The American Council on Education estimates may be accessed here.
A report from the Commonwealth Fund offers health care predictions and prescriptions for the year ahead.
The report can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2021/predictions-and-prescriptions-health-care-2021?=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Presidents%20Blog.
A report from the National Center for Health Statistics presents final 2019 U.S. mortality data on deaths and death rates by demographic and medical characteristics. These data provide information on mortality patterns among U.S. residents by variables such as sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, and cause of death.
The report can be obtained at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db395-H.pdf.
Yesterday, Congress approved a $2.3 trillion combined package of FY 21 funding and COVID relief.
The Department of Education received a $785 million overall increase in FY 21, a far cry from the $7 billion funding cut proposed earlier this year by the Administration. HHS received a $2.1 billion boost, including an additional $1.25 billion for NIH and $151 million more for HRSA. The bill also includes a significant expansion of Pell Grant eligibility, FAFSA simplification, restarts the "Second Chance Pell" program for incarcerated students, and restores Pell eligibility for students defrauded by for profit entities.
The COVID relief provisions in the Act provide $22.7 billion to postsecondary institutions through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund created in the CARES Act, with $20 billion distributed by formula to both public and private non-profit institutions of higher education to help defray costs caused by the pandemic and also provide student support services. In addition, $1.3 billion in loans made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) under the HBCU Capital Financing Loan program were discharged.
The Labor-HHS-Education bill provides the HRSA Title VII Health Professions and Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs with $754 million for FY 21, a $19.5 million (3%) increase from FY 20 enacted levels. Programs receiving funding increases include geriatric programs, mental and behavior health programs, and the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program.
The bill text may be accessed here.
The Labor-HHS-Education joint explanatory statement may be accessed here.
An Education & Labor Committee Press Release may be accessed here.
A HRSA Title VII and VIII Health Workforce Programs Funding Chart may be accessed here.
An American Council on Education survey of 268 college and university presidents, the second of the fall term, shows that leaders increasingly are concerned about the mental health of their students as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into its ninth month. Other pressing issues at the top of presidents’ minds are the decline in enrollment and the long-term impact of the pandemic on institutional finances.
More survey information can be obtained at https://www.acenet.edu/Research-Insights/Pages/Senior-Leaders/College-and-University-Presidents-Respond-to-COVID-19-2020-Fall-Term-Part-Two.aspx.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued an interim final rule to confirm that its health care professionals may practice their health care profession consistent with the scope and requirements of their VA employment, notwithstanding any State license, registration, certification, or other requirements that unduly interfere with their practice. Comments must be received on or before January 11, 2021 and may be submitted through www.Regulations.gov or mailed to, Beth Taylor, 10A1, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420.
Additional information about the rule can be obtained at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-11-12/pdf/2020-24817.pdf.
On January 4, 5, 6 from 9:00 am–3:00 pm ET, Liaison International will hold 1:1 Education Sessions to demo these FREE tools and services, all of which advance and enhance the application process for applicants, the admissions management and selection of application.
View more information about the sessions here.
Using the Urban Institute's Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model, a new report has estimates of coverage and health care spending implications of a Medicare buy-in policy targeting adults ages 50 to 64, similar to proposed legislation.
The report can be obtained at https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/103348/the-effects-of-medicare-buy-in-policies-for-older-adults-on-health-insurance-coverage-and-health-care-spending.pdf.
Findings from the 2020 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey, published by Health Affairs, show that U.S. income-related inequality and relatively worse access to primary care could threaten the nation’s recovery from the pandemic. The survey compared the health experiences of adults with lower incomes and income-related disparities across 11 countries.
The article can be obtained at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01566.
