August 11, 2010: From the National Health Care for the Homeless Council Mobilizer
ADVOCACY SUCCESS:
NEW ACCESS POINT COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
On Monday, August 9, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced the availability of $250 million in "New Access Point" funding that provides the opportunity for dramatic expansion of the Health Care for the Homeless program throughout the nation. The announcement is a very tangible outcome of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform legislation signed by President Obama earlier this year, and is the result of determined advocacy by Health Centers for universal access to high quality care.
With this edition of the HCH Mobilizer, we welcome the historic opportunity to meet the health care needs of our homeless neighbors, and we strongly urge existing Health Center grantees and other local entities to seek funding for new sites that will provide services to persons who are homeless. By law, at least 8.7% of Health Center expenditures must go to supporting HCH projects, serving a population that is visibly expanding throughout the country. Thus, this New Access Point opportunity should provide over $21 million for HCH projects.
AMOUNT AVAILABLE PER SITE
According to HRSA's guidance, an applicant may request up to $650,000 per year to establish one or more new service delivery sites (including mobile vans). Each site must provide "ready access to the full range of required primary, preventive, enabling and supplemental health care services, including oral health care, mental health care and substance abuse services, . . . without regard to ability to pay." While not all services must be available at each site, applicants must describe how the full array of services will be made available to the patients seen at each site.
FUNDING PRIORITIES
The 100 point baseline scoring system for New Access Point applications includes up to 30 points for "Need for Assistance." Health status and access problems that are common among homeless populations are measured in the Need criterion. In addition, HRSA will give special consideration to areas without an existing health center and will grant point adjustments based upon the following stated Priorities:
- Special Populations: Up to ten extra points will be granted to applicants proposing to serve Special Populations (migrant and seasonal farmworkers, people experiencing homelessness, and residents of public housing).
- High Poverty Areas: Proposals for service areas where at least 30% of the population is at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level will receive an upward adjustment of up to five points.
Given these Priorities, many current and potential providers of care for homeless persons should be well positioned to prepare successful applications. Note that the application process is complex, and includes multiple deadlines, with initial material due to HRSA on November 17, 2010 and the remainder due on December 15, 2010. All application material must be submitted electronically.
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