Funding Available for FQHCs and RHCs with X-Waivered Staff

July 7, 2021

MEMORANDUM

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has launched an effort to improve access to substance use disorder treatment, HRSA DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payment Program for Buprenorphine-Trained Clinicians.  This program promotes greater access to substance use disorder treatment for rural populations by providing a set payment to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) for each eligible clinician possessing a DATA 2000 waiver (also known as an X-waiver) obtained on or after January 1, 2019.

Eligible clinicians include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, or certified registered nurse anesthetists.  As background, X-waivers allow clinicians to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder.

Beginning June 30, FQHCs and RHCs may apply through HRSA’s Electronic Handbook (EHB), the agency’s online system for managing grants.  HRSA will pay $3,000 for each eligible provider submitted on the application.  Existing HRSA grantees should already have an EHB account; for those organizations that are not a grantee, instructions for creating a new EHB account can be found under “How to Apply” in the EHB link above.

There is no deadline to apply, but available funds are limited and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis. HRSA will accept applications and process payments until all available funds are exhausted.  The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, also known as the SUPPORT Act, made $6 million available to FQHCs and $2 million available to RHCs under this program.

For any additional questions about this program, please contact Data2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov.

For more information on federal practice guidelines for the administration of buprenorphine for treating opioid use disorder, please see IHA’s April 30 memo on this topic.  On April 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) removed the training and certification requirements required to obtain and X-waiver.  Clinicians may apply for an X-waiver under the new guidelines and treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine.