Special Bulletin - HRSA November Roundup

Administrator Johnson joined HRSA grantee the Institute for Public Health Innovation and their community health worker team at a community outreach event to encourage to COVID-19 vaccination. The Institute for Public Health Innovation is one of HRSAs many community-based grantees working to build vaccine confidence and increasing COVID-19 vaccinations in some of the highest risk and hardest hit communities around the country.

Administrator Johnson participated in a HRSA-sponsored panel moderated by Special Assistant to President Biden Catherine Oakar to mark National Rural Health Day. Other participants included Director of Indian Health Services Roselyn Tso, Director of the Agency for Health Research and Quality Dr. Robert Valdez, and Chief of Staff of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Sonia Chessen. The panel highlighted innovative ways HRSA rural grantees are expanding access to substance use disorder services and increasing access to maternal health and other vital care. Learn more aboutHRSAs Fiscal Year 2022 Rural Investments (PDF - 204 KB).

Bureau of Primacy Health Care Associate Administrator Jim Macrae was selected for the 2022 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service, the highest recognition in the Senior Executive Service. As head of the Bureau of Primary Health Care since 2006, Associate Administrator Macrae manages the Health Center Program, which supports nearly 1,400 health centers that operate approximately 14,000 service delivery sites and provide high-quality primary health care to more than 30 million people.

As part of HRSAs annual Honors Program, this year we had the pleasure of recognizing HRSAs Dorothy Dot Kelley for her 50 years of service to the nation through her work in the federal government. Dot is a vital part of the HRSA community and her work is essential to HRSAs grantmaking. Congratulations and many thanks to Dot for her service.

HRSA IEA Region 4 Atlanta's Rosie Mangual joined Congresswoman Carolyn Bordeaux at HRSA-funded Four Corners Primary Care Center fora roundtable discussion on vaccination as part of the HHS #VaxUpAmerica Family Vaccine Tour. Health center staff and patients discussed community outreach and education in diverse settings, literacy barriers, and collaboration with trusted community partners to increase vaccination.

Saray Amundson of HRSAs regional team convened community-based doulas to discuss the importance of doulas and midwives to improve maternal health Participants included Evelyn Santos, Carolina Barra, and Mayra Sanchez of Comunidad Materna Doula; Shasta Hardman, a Doula with Healing Moon Phases; Lily Griego, HHS Regional Director; and Saray Amundson, from HRSA.

Curtizia Alexander of HRSAs regional team joined Hustle Mommies, Urban Mom Collective, and the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to provide maternal health information, health care resources and essential baby items to the community.

HRSA is forging new relationships with workforce boards across the country to meet HRSA's mission to improve health outcomes and achieve health equity through a skilled health workforce. Recently, Deputy Regional Administrator Rob McKenna and Region 3 staff met with the State Workforce Boards of Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to discuss HRSAs workforce-related investments. Pictured at right is Rob McKenna with the Executive Director of the Delaware Workforce Development Board, Joanna Staib.

HRSAs Kansas City team hosted the Region 7 Tribal Behavioral Health Summit Moving Towards Healing bringing together all nine Region 7 Tribes to discuss behavioral health issues among Native communities. Keynote speaker Theda New Breast (right) from the Native Wellness Institute highlighted loss, grief, trauma, and healing within Native communities.

HRSA Regional Administrator Natalie Brevard Perry met with Mississippi state health leaders and HRSA-funded health center CEOs on workforce issues, opportunities to integrate substance use and mental health treatment with primary care, and maternal health care.