APPLY: Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program
Applications are now being accepting applications for the
Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program (TTAP). The TTAP is supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, and U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. It aims to provide technical assistance to rural hospitals to help maintain essential services locally.
Four hospitals will be selected to receive intensive one-on-one technical assistance (TA) from consultants to address prioritized financial and operational needs. Priority will be given to hospitals with the greatest demonstrated need for TA and readiness to engage in in-depth technical assistance. All hospitals will need to apply to be considered. Hospitals that applied last year and were not selected for the intensive TA cohort are encouraged to apply again.
Click here to apply. The application deadline is Sept. 30.
All applicant hospitals that are not selected for the intensive TA cohort will still be eligible to receive selected operational and financial performance assessments and participate in all training and webinars and training activities, such as the leadership development program LEAD Academy.
Public Hearings on Cook County Health Budget
Cook County Health (CCH) has released its preliminary $5.1 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, a $2 million reduction from FY 2025.
Click here to watch the special finance committee meeting where the proposed budget was introduced, and
click here to download the budget presentation. CCH estimates it will employ over 100 additional full-time employees in 2026. Projected membership in CountyCare is expected to decrease from the prior year due to state program changes and the elimination of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults population, with an average budgeted membership per month estimated at 362,000. Additionally, the system estimates $138 million in federal and state funding cuts in 2027 due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) if no Congressional action is taken. Public hearings on CCH’s proposed budget are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. CT and Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m. CT. For instructions on submitting testimony at one of the public hearings, please
click here.
FDA Announces PreCheck Program to Boost U.S. Drug Manufacturing
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today
announced FDA PreCheck, a new program introduced in response to
Executive Order 14293, which directs the FDA to streamline review of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and eliminate unnecessary regulatory requirements while maximizing review timeliness and predictability. The agency said the PreCheck program will be introduced in two phases to facilitate U.S. drug manufacturing facilities, with phase one emphasizing greater FDA communication at critical development stages, including facility design, construction and pre-production. The second phase centers on streamlining development of the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls section of the application through pre-application meetings and early feedback.
The FDA said that more than half of pharmaceuticals distributed in the U.S. are manufactured overseas, and the country is reliant on overseas sources for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Of the manufacturers that produce APIs used in FDA-approved products, only 11% are U.S. manufacturers.
CDC Announces Campaign to Addresses Youth Substance Use, Mental Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week announced a
new campaign, “Free Mind,” to educate youth ages 12-17 and their caregivers on substance use, mental health, and how they are connected. The campaign includes facts about drugs, including prescription medications, and how they can lead to addiction and other health problems. It also includes tips and resources to help improve mental health and recognize the link between mental health and substance use.
