Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB THNP)

For programmatic questions:
Whitney Wiggins
301.443.4966
wwiggins@hrsa.gov

For business, administrative, or fiscal questions:
India Smith
301.443.2096
ismith@hrsa.gov

The primary objective of the Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB THNP) is to demonstrate how telehealth networks can improve access to healthcare using telehealth technologies in rural and frontier communities and to evaluate those services to establish an evidence base for assessing their effectiveness for patients, providers, and payers.

Applicants must propose to provide direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth services to patients within established telehealth networks. This can be done by partnering with local established healthcare facilities within the target service area and will allow for the expansion of access to care in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and Mental Health and Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

The three clinical primary focus areas for program activities include:

1. Primary care
2. Acute care
3. Behavioral health

• Maternal care
• Substance use disorder
• Chronic care management

Applicants are encouraged to include populations that suffer from poorer health outcomes than the rest of the rural population, such as racial and ethnic minorities, homeless populations, pregnant women, and adolescents, among other groups.

Eligible applicants include rural or urban nonprofit or for-profit entities with demonstrated experience using telehealth technologies to serve rural populations. Faith-based, community-based organizations, and tribal organizations are eligible to apply. Services must be provided to rural communities, although the applicant can be located in an urban area.

The telehealth network shall include at least three of the following entities as distant sites (at least one of which shall be a community-based health care provider):

• Community or migrant health centers or other Federally Qualified Health Centers
• Healthcare providers, including pharmacists, in private practice
• Entities operating clinics, including Rural Health Clinics
• Local health departments
• Nonprofit hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals
• Other publicly funded health or social service agencies
• Long-term care providers
• Providers of healthcare services in the home
• Providers of outpatient mental health services and entities operating outpatient mental health facilities
• Local or regional emergency healthcare providers
• Institutions of higher education
• Entities operating dental clinics

Award ceiling: $350,000 per year
Number of awards: 14
Project period: 5 years
Total funding available: $4,900,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.