HRSA posted the notice (HRSA-09-239) on May 22nd for $500,000.00 in grant funding to be used to demonstrate how existing telehealth programs, networks, and sites can improve access to quality healthcare services. The project is specifically geared to children and youth with epilepsy and their families dealing with the issues living in medically underserved areas and rural areas.
The grant funding will support telehealth networks that provide services in different settings such as long term care facilities, community health centers or clinics, medical homes, hospitals, and schools. The goal is to demonstrate how telehealth networks can be used to expand access to care, coordinate, and improve the quality of healthcare services, improve the training of healthcare providers, and also improve the quality of health information.
The grantees will need to:
- Increase the dialogue and collaboration between families and their healthcare providers
- Improve community-wide interventions and models to improve access and also reduce the wait time associated when referrals are made to specialists
- Improve the integration with community support services including partnerships with media and other community-based resources
- Deliver the medical home model of care for children and families that is culturally and linguistically competent, family centered, comprehensive, and coordinated
- Improve communications by developing tools such as individualized written care plans, home medication lists, individualized school support plans, and written plans to support the youth transition to adult care
HRSA is looking for projects that will integrate administrative and clinical information systems with the proposed telehealth system and then integrate the proposed system into the normal provider practice. Projects will also need to address the privacy of patients and clinicians using the system. In addition, each grant applicant is required to submit a sustainability plan that outlines how the services will be sustained after the federal funding has ended.
Any public or private entity including an Indian tribe or tribal organization, faith based, and community-based organizations are eligible to apply for the funding. The application deadline is June 29, 2009 and a letter of intent is not required. The estimate average size of the awards will be up to $250,000 with two awards estimated.
For more information, go to www.grants.gov or contact Deanna McPherson at DMcPherson@hrsa.gov.
