ORHP TRC Webinar Q&A.PDF

ORHP (Office of Rural Health Policy) Health Resources and Services Administration National Telehealth Resource Center Program

HRSA-17-108

Regional Telehealth Resource Center Program

HRSA-17-015

Technical Assistance Webinar

Date: 3/21/2017

Host: Natassja Manzanero, FORHP

Start and End Time: 3:00pm- 4:00pm

To access recording, please visit:

https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/p1zykuaarnj/ https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/p1zykuaarnj/?OWASP_CSRFTOKEN=5fe57116b2bd209d5c825acb0b8e41032eda1d84aad0a04997b0e71c048834a3

Q&A

1. I have a question about the accomplishment summary attachment 9. I see there are three things to cover specific objectives and results. Is there a specific format you are looking for in this?

a. HRSA: In reviewing the FOA, it simply states it should be a read report. The specific objectives and results, you can put that in writing and you can derive it from your summary progress report.

2. That was kind of my question, is one of our six months report or an annual report in the grant from the last TRC report, is that the type of information you are looking for?

a. HRSA: Yes, that certainly applies since that is -- we want to see that information derived from.

3. Section 4.2. of the FOA asked for the 10 digit grant number on each page as a voter, can you clarify what the 10 digit number is supposed to be? The second question is about the funding priority and preference. I just wanted to find out should we be demonstrating eligibility for priority and funding preference? If we can, should we demonstrate eligibility for more than one funding preference and is there a benefit to doing all three of possible?

a. HRSA: If they funding priority applies, certainly identify that you would like to apply with the funding priority. For funding preferences if you are able to provide all three funding preferences, you may do that. You may provide information for all three funding preferences. The grant number issue is only for past accomplishments. They don’t have a grant number if they are not a reviews previous grantee.

4. If you are using consortium with the same meaning as FCC?

a. HRSA: A consortium as defined as a collaborative organization composed of more than one entity the only one entity is the official applicant. All other organizations may be members of the consortium or network, for-profit and Public entities may be a part of the consortium but cannot be the official applicant and consortium members must have a proven history of collaboration on common projects.

5. Do you know how long the annual meeting in DC will be? It takes more from the budget for three-day meeting versus a one-day meeting.

a. HRSA: We do not have the schedule for the annual meeting as of yet. Typically, they are one and a half for two days, we recommend that you budget for three days and come into town the day before the meeting.

6. Will outstanding conditions for other grant programs count against my application?

a. HRSA: That depends on the conditions. If you are in good standing that are trying to meet the conditions that no, they will be used against you but if you are in drawdown restriction or something going along financial audits, that may impact whether or not you are eligible.

7. For current TRCs, where is the application you request the five-point adjustment?

a. HRSA: That would be under the funding priority, under the priority points. We had a slide on this. One of the slides has exactly where you can find that. For the regional TRC’s page 21 of the FOA is where you can find the instructions on requesting the five-point adjustment.

8. Can we see list of approved programs in the past?

a. HRSA: Yes. You can go in the current telehealth resource center website, telehealth resource centers.org and there you can find a map of the 12 original telehealth resource centers and information .

9. In what part of the application do we indicate we want to apply to be one big TRC to provide technical assistance to the entire country?

a. HRSA: That would be in the national TRC FOA on page 7. You will need to identify that you are going to be applying for the technology TRC. HRSA will review the page within the narrative but, you must state in your application that you are applying for the technology TRC, for the National TRC.

10. Are budgets submitted with the proposal to be 1 year or three years?

a. HRSA: The budget should be submitted as three years on the application on the 424 A.

It gives you a breakdown to do one year, two years, and three years on the budget line item.

11. Why is this program changing from being grant to cooperative agreement with a different program coordinator? Does this suggest rural health is looking at this program differently from previous years? One moment while we discussed the answer to this question.

a. HRSA: That is more of an internal operations change. In the past we have a lot of interaction with TRCs and we expect we may be having a bit more in the future. Is not a significant change, we simply want to make sure our relationship is correctly addressed and the cooperative agreement is closer to the vehicle the federal government uses for that kind of relationship than strictly a grant. It doesn't significantly alter what we expect to do.

12. Will both national and regional TRC's the reporting PIMS measures?

a. HRSA: Yes, we will require performance measures on page 23 of the FOA. We identify that PIMS will be requested from the TRC so yes, performance measures will be required.

13. Do applicants have to have current telehealth programs in place or can this be used to create new programs?

a. HRSA: In the FOA, we are looking established and experienced folks for this program so this will not necessarily be used to create new programs. As noted in the selection criteria, a new program would not like they score well based on the criteria.

Experience needs to be demonstrated according to the criteria.

14. Can this grant be used to provide workforce, for example developing curriculum for nursing schools?

a. HRSA: No, It is more for the regional and national TRCs to provide telehealth technical assistance for rural and underserved communities. Which is not the say if a nursing school came to the TRC in seeking help with starting a program, that would be appropriate. Not sure of the question, but the detailed work specifically on creating workforce aboard would not be part of the TRC mission.

15. How are you defining rural, are you using Marilyn's rural counsel definition and two other regions qualify?

a. HRSA: To answer your question, you can find out if your organization is rural by clicking on the link in the FOA for the rural grant eligibility analyzer. When you enter your address you can see if you are able to qualify for this grant.

16. When does a local telehealth program qualify as an experienced program?

a. HRSA: It depends on the experience. We would have to know more information. There is nothing specific about experience, it could be a local program, national or state. You just want to demonstrate experience so no real criteria there.

17. If the applying organization is not any rural area that serves 27 rural counties are the eligible to apply? HRSA would like to clarify that the Regional and National Telehealth Resource Center applicants are not required to be located in rural areas. The program legislations is as follows:

Authority: §330I(d)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14(d)(2), as amended and P.L. 114-254. However you must propose to serve rural communities.

18. Is there any restriction on the type of clinical services the regional TRCs can assist with?

a. HRSA: No, as long as they are related to telehealth.

19. Can you please go over again who are the eligible applicants?

a. HRSA: Eligible applicants include public and nonprofit entities, faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations. Those are all listed as eligible applicants. So there is not is rural restriction. Under the executive summary, we mentioned -- provide training and support of delivery in rural and underserved areas and populations so under the executive summary it does indicate the rural implications for that. HRSA would like to clarify that the Regional and National Telehealth Resource Center applicants are not required to be located in rural areas.

The program legislations is as follows: Authority: §330I(d)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14(d)(2), as amended and P.L. 114-254. However, you must propose to serve rural communities.

20. Are their extra points if the organization is in a really rural area?

a. HRSA: It is limited to the criterion for the priority points. That is were only extra points will occur. Based on needs and the eligibility criterion as across checks against with the event right -- that is the determination itself.