Starting September 2, 2021, primary care providers can receive grant funding ranging from up to $60,000 to $120,000 (depending on practice size) to support the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Click here for details on the COVID-19 Primary Care Vaccination Program and how to apply. 

On August 23rd, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 years of age and older. It was also announced that the Pfizer vaccine will be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee). The vaccine is still available for those 12 to 15 years old and for use as a booster for certain immunocompromised individuals under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization. While Comirnaty is the first to receive FDA full approval, all available COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe, effective, and authorized for emergency use against the virus. For more information, see the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment news release and/or the announcement from the Food and Drug Administration.

With this news, it is anticipated that there will be an increase in the demand for the vaccine. Please enroll with CDPHE to become a vaccine provider today!

In an effort to best organize and make readily available the wide array of health care provider vaccine resources, trainings and materials related to the COVID-19 vaccination program, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment CDPHE has created the online Colorado COVID-19 Health Care Provider Vaccine Information Toolkit. The toolkit has a variety of robust elements. Please share!

To ensure all Coloradans have every opportunity to be fully vaccinated, the Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force is joining the CDC in new guidance that advises that providers should not miss any opportunity to vaccinate every eligible person who requests a COVID-19 vaccination. Click here for more information.

Now that Colorado's vaccine supply is becoming readily available, more and more primary care physicians are beginning to administer vaccinations to their patient population. CDPHE created a communication toolkit for primary care doctors who can help encourage their patients to get vaccinated. 

Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is a time to promote healthy growth in children. For guidance on healthy eating, check out the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. You can also share the MyHealthfinder resource for parents on helping kids stay at a healthy weight. And don’t forget to explore the Healthy People 2030 objectives related to children’s health and overweight and obesity.

Every year the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) celebrates people in recovery from substance use disorders during National Recovery Month. Use this resource to encourage parents to talk to their kids about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. You can also share the MyHealthfinder resources to encourage people to talk to loved ones about alcohol misuse and drug misuse. And check out the Healthy People 2030 Drug and Alcohol Use topic to learn about efforts to reduce misuse of drugs and alcohol. 

The Prescriber Tool empowers providers with real-time information on prescription drug costs and affordable alternatives. The goals of the Prescriber Tool are to help improve patient health outcomes and service, reduce administrative burden for prescribers, improve prescription drug affordability for Coloradans, employers and the state, and support providers with value-based payments  that reward them for addressing the number one contributor to rising health care costs – rising prescription drug costs. 

·   Real-Time E-Prescribing: Prescribers can now send prescriptions electronically to pharmacies for Medicaid patients, increasing convenience and saving time for patients, prescribers and pharmacies.    

·   Real-Time Benefits Inquiry: Prescribers now have rapid insight into preferred medications from the Medicaid preferred drug list, empowering them with drug affordability and cost options.    

·   Real-Time Prior Authorization: Prescribers can now get rapid prior authorizations, reducing workload and avoiding manual entry, forms, faxes, lists and rework.  

Please visit The Prescriber Tool Project for more information.

This toolkit was created for anyone to use to spread the word that expanded tax credits can help lift up to 40% of Colorado families out of poverty. The toolkit contains English and Spanish language messages, a flyer for distribution in physical settings, and sample newsletter and text message content. Please share with your networks and families who could benefit from these new cash-back resources!

Visit the About the PDMP Program web page for more information about the PDMP Program.

Have questions? They are available to talk through your ideas and encourage you to connect with them before applying for funding. If you don’t already work with a program officer, please reach out by email at funding@coloradohealth.org or by phone at 303-953-3600, and be sure to note the county you work in and the focus area of interest.

Deadline for application is October 15, 2021. Here is the link to the opportunity.

The Beacon Quality team in collaboration with Medical, Clinical, Peers, Provider Relations and additional key stakeholders across the organization expanded our PCP toolkit online resource. The PCP toolkit is intended to support primary care clinicians by providing a quick guide to access behavioral health resources.  This toolkit is also beneficial for behavioral health providers and Beacon health plan partners. The toolkit is useful for managing populations with co-occurring disorders. The toolkit promotes an integrated healthcare approach encouraging whole person health by providing PCPs and other practitioners additional resources beneficial to clients, including screening tools. 

Click here to access the PCP toolkit online resource.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind national hotline to connect people with disabilities to information and services to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines. The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is now available to help people with disabilities find vaccination locations in their communities, assist callers with making vaccination appointments, and connect callers to local services – such as accessible transportation – to overcome barriers to vaccination. The hotline also can provide information and resources to answer questions and address concerns about the vaccines and can connect callers to information and services that promote independent living and address fundamental needs, such as food, housing, and transportation.

For more information, visit acl.gov/dial or call 888-677-1199.  

RAE ROUNDTABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH---2nd Fri of every month at 11am

Click here to join the webinar.

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

NHP RAE ROUNDTABLE PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL PROVIDER--3rd Wed of every month at 12pm

Please click here to join the webinar:

Or By Telephone: 1- 669-900-6833---Webinar ID: 971 5387 1547---Passcode: 869908

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

Beacon Colorado's Quality team will be hosting a documentation training for behavioral health and SUD providers.

Beacon hosts several provider geared webinars throughout the month that you may find helpful for staff and billing personnel. Click here for the current monthly list as well as archives.

Beacon's Colorado member engagement team would like to recognize our amazing providers that continue to provide stellar services to our community! Many of you have worked with our practice transformation team to select QI measures and goals related to preventative care. We want to come along side as a resource. Did you know that we offer live Getting Started ZOOM meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 11am that your patients and their families, or even your staff, can attend to learn about benefits and ask questions in real time?

This course starts September 15 and there is no fee. Click here for more information and to register.

There will be five weekly virtual sessions on Tuesdays from 12pm-1pm starting September 21. Click here for more information and to register.

This is a six week course on Thursdays from 9am - 10am starting on September 23. There is no fee. Click here for more information and to register.

From the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Interested in learning new strategies to help prevent the unhealthy consequences of substance use in at-risk youth or youth with substance use challenges who have entered treatment? Take advantage of this new virtual training for Youth Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (YSBIRT), an integrated and comprehensive public health approach to identify, reduce and prevent risky alcohol and drug use. If you are an administrator or clinician who is new to YSBIRT – or you’re looking for a refresher, this is for you!