Conference Registration Is Open! Join ACU at Our 2024 Conference on Aug. 4-7 in Washington, D.C.

ACU invites you to join hundreds of clinicians, administrators, advocates, and public health leaders at our 2024 Conference, Envisioning a More Equitable Future: Advancing Stakeholder-Centered Innovation! Register now for this singular event at the Westin Washington, DC Downtown in the heart of the Capitol on Aug. 4-7 featuring more than 20 CME-accredited sessions, engaging keynotes from federal and public health leaders, a new eye health and vision care track, multiple pre-conference workshops, and more. This year's event will explore the importance of including stakeholder voices and input—whether from patients, staff, communities, or partners–when shaping innovations in workforce development, clinical practice, or community engagement and advocacy to help bring holistic, equitable, and inclusive care within reach for underserved populations.

There's Still Time to Submit Your Abstract! Send Us Your Workshop or Poster Proposal by March 1

It's not too late to submit a workshop and poster abstract for ACU's Conference! We recently extended our call for abstracts until March 1 Submit a proposal reflective of our theme in any one of numerous clinical, workforce, and other tracks—including our new vision care track—for a chance to present with us in Washington, D.C.

Consider Exhibiting at or Sponsoring Our 2024 Conference

ACU’s 2024 Conference presents fantastic opportunities to showcase your organization to hundreds of healthcare professionals, organizations, and advocates working to improve care for medically underserved populations. Learn about exhibiting and sponsorship options offering invaluable chances to raise your visibility and network with ACU's diverse community of clinicians, leaders, and advocates.

Advocates, We Need Your Help Tomorrow! Call Your U.S. Senators and Representative to Ask Them to Preserve NHSC Funding

ALL funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) expires on March 8, and this is a crucial time to advocate to not only preserve, but expand funding for the Corps! Having a strong showing of support for the NHSC is critical as legislators negotiate reauthorizing mandatory funding for the Corps. ACU is asking all advocates to please call their U.S. Senators and House Representative tomorrow, Feb. 22, to ask them to protect and expand funding for the NHSC in FY24 and beyond. Prepare for the day of advocacy by reading our recent update and join our advocacy network to stay informed!

Review Our Press Briefing on the Need for Sustainable CHC & NHSC Funding

Yesterday, ACU was pleased to join our partners at Advocates for Community Health and the American Association of Teaching Health Centers in a virtual press briefing on the need to ensure long-term, sustainable funding for health centers, the NHSC, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. Watch the recorded session featuring ACU Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly, Board Members Dr. Adrian Billings, MD, PhD, FAAFP, and Dr. Parinda Khatri, PhD, and other leaders and read our recap.

Read Our Newly Updated 2024 NHSC Fact Sheet

Read about the 50-year history and impact of the NHSC in our updated 2024 NHSC fact sheet. Now featuring the latest data from September 2023, NHSC Program overview examines the Corps' programs, its current field strength of 18,335 providers, and its funding history and outlook, as well as the NHSC's diversity and professions.

In Case You Missed It: Read ACU's 2023 Annual Report

ACU recently released our yearly report showcasing last year's incredible milestones in our work to support the healthcare workforce and advance health equity. 2023 was a momentous year for our network, bearing new opportunities, innovations, and growth—and ACU evolved strategically and programmatically to support our community. This report highlights those achievements, including new initiatives to strengthen the CHC workforce, foster justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, advocate for the NHSC, and more.

Don't Forget: There's Still Time to Register for ACU's New JEDI Learning Collaborative

There's still a week left to apply for ACU's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Learning Collaborative, Creating A More Equitable and Inclusive Workplace Culture. Join us for five interactive sessions which will empower you with strategies to operationalize workplace equity and inclusion. Strengthen your understanding of workplace equity and inclusion, learn about equity initiatives at CHCs nationwide, and more. Learn more in our welcome packet and apply by Feb. 29, or contact us with questions.

Explore Free E-Courses in ACU's JEDI Orientation Series for Healthcare Workers

Are you a healthcare worker interested in learning more about JEDI concepts and principles? Don't forget that you can access ACU's free, certificate-granting e-courses on Understanding Racism in Healthcare and Having Tough Conversations: Creating a Brave Space Filled with Grace to explore how racism manifests in the healthcare system, how to cultivate cultures where speaking openly and honestly is encouraged, and more.

Learn Innovative Workforce Retention & Recruitment Strategies at Our STAR² Center Workforce Symposium

April 29-30 at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville, TN

Now is the time to register for our STAR² Center's 2024 Workforce Symposium, Inclusive Innovation: Putting People First! We're excited to feature nine exciting sessions in workforce retention and recruitment innovation at our Symposium on April 29-30 at the colorful Graduate Hotel in Nashville, TN, including sessions on mitigating bias in interviewing, marketing and branding, workforce advocacy updates from ACU Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly, and much more. Learn more, book your room, and register now for the Symposium or our separate Comprehensive Workforce Plan Workshop for health centers on May 1-2 at the same location.

Join Corporate Transcendence for an Engaging Workforce Symposium Session on Renovating Your Health Center Culture

ACU is excited to kick off our 2024 Workforce Symposium with an interactive presentation from our partners at Corporate Transcendence (CT) spotlighting transformational strategies for creating cultures that prioritize employees and incorporate improvements across organizations resulting in more effective and engaged workforces and elevated patient care. Register now to join CT’s President and Founder Pamela Tripp, MEd, MSOM, and Certified Corporate Transcendence Coaches Regina Gainey, PhD, and Christopher R. Vann, MHA, for this in-depth workshop.

Creativity and Employee Well-being the Focus of New Webinar Series

Feb. 28 and March 27: 3-4 p.m. ET

The inclusion of creative activities in the workplace can serve as a respite from mental health struggles common in CHC staff. Join ACU's STAR² Center and the National Association of Community Health Centers for a two-part webinar series exploring the role of creativity in advancing employee well-being. Learn about the intersection of art and healing as a key aspect of building a resilient, empowered, and engaged workforce.

Learn How to Apply Lifestyle Medicine to Advance Health Equity in a New Webinar

March 12: 1-2 p.m. ET

Join ACU and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) for the first webinar in our "Power of Partnership" series to create shared learning on health equity through the lens of lifestyle medicine. Join us on March 12 at 1 p.m. ET as we detail the clinical application of lifestyle medicine and its role in advancing health equity, discuss contributors to clinician burnout and strategies for clinician resilience, explore scholarship opportunities that help diversify the workforce, and more.

New Webinar: Fostering Teams: Promoting Cohesion, Effective Communication, and Problem-Solving

March 25: 3-4 p.m. ET

Join ACU and our partners in the BPHC Workforce Well-being Technical Assistance initiative for an engaging webinar on March 25 from 3-4 p.m. ET. Attendees will come away with an overview of conceptual frameworks for effective teams, tips for fostering teams in the workplace, tools for communication and collaborative problem-solving, and resources to address drivers of workforce well-being. 

New Webinar: How to Create Training Models to Support Retention

March 26: 2-3 p.m. ET

Join the BPHC Workforce Well-being Technical Assistance initiative for a second interactive case study webinar on March 26 at 2 p.m. ET to explore strategies for incorporating training programs for health center support staff. Presenters will discuss how various apprenticeship training models improve staff satisfaction and retention.

Join New Sessions in Our "Integrating Caregivers & Home Health Workers in Clinical Care Teams" Caregiver Webinar Series

The second half of ACU's "Beyond the Clinic: Caregivers and Home Health Workers" webinar series begins next month! Join us on March 5 and March 26 at 2-3:15 p.m. ET to learn from experts, healthcare consumers, and caregivers about this important aspect of care. If you registered for prior sessions in this series, you will receive an invitation with a link for the remaining webinars. The date of the third webinar will be announced soon!

Upcoming Sessions:

Review Past Webinars in Our Integrating Caregivers Series

Did you miss any of our earlier webinars exploring the role of caregivers and patients? Access the slides and webinar recordings to review what you learned. Learn about types of caregivers, opportunities and challenges, consumer autonomy and decision making, and more in these engaging sessions.

Join the SDOH Academy for the Next Session in the National Webinar Series on March 14

As the healthcare landscape evolves, it is critical to continue to innovate to serve vulnerable and marginalized communities. Join the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Academy on March 14 at 3-4:30 p.m. ET for the fourth webinar in the National Webinar Series. Learn valuable insights and strategies to navigate emerging SDOH issues, foster proactive approaches, and build healthier communities.

In Case You Missed It: Policy Briefs Explore Health Center Roles, Needs, and Impacts During Disasters

Two new publications from ACU and Healthcare Ready highlight essential tools and resources for community health centers before, during, and after disasters. Health centers are critical to maintaining continuity of care for vulnerable populations during crises and despite challenges. Don't miss these resources showcasing the critical role of CHCs throughout the disaster lifecycle, common operational challenges, legislative policies impacting equitable responses, and much more.

In Case You Missed It: Find Insights on Suicide Prevention in Primary Care in ACU's Purpose in Practice Podcast

Almost half of patients who die by suicide visit a primary care provider in the month before death. Dr. Virna Little recently joined ACU's Purpose in Practice podcast and shared ways to give hope to those at risk for suicide, the important role of primary care in caring for patients at risk for suicide, resources for clinicians and individuals, and more. Catch up on the show and contact us if you have an episode idea or would like to be a guest.

In Case You Missed It: Share Your Subject Matter Expertise with ACU!

ACU recently began creating a new database to better understand the insights of our community and partners so that we can identify subject matter experts (SMEs) to collaborate in our work. We aim to build effective, evidence-based programs and presentations informed by those with lived experience and knowledge in the topics most relevant to those we serve. Whether your expertise is in workforce or clinical care, social determinants of health or other topics, we invite you to complete our SME form and share your areas of knowledge and optional demographic information to support our JEDI efforts. Please complete the form or share this call for SMEs with your colleagues!

Honoring Black History Month

Join ACU in honoring Black History Month. Black communities face unique health challenges and significant health inequities. Having arisen from the Civil Rights Movement, CHCs are well positioned to help address these continuing challenges to health equity for these historically marginalized communities, particularly when they are able to ground care in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). Read our JEDI resources and more at the Office of Minority Health and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Apply by March 1 for the Veterans and Nature Grant Program

Last month, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and the US Forest Service (USFS) launched the Veterans and Nature: Enhancing Well-being through Outdoor Experiences grant program. This funding opportunity aims to help veterans’ communities experience the physical and mental health benefits of time in nature through outdoor activities at USFS sites and other public lands. Watch a recent informational webinar and apply by March 1.

Help Inform Best Practices in Collaborative Care Billing at Health Centers in Interviews

ACU invites health center staff to help inform a new project evaluating billing best practices for the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) with Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI). MMHPI is interviewing key FQHC stakeholders who are currently delivering CoCM services to understand barriers and facilitators. These usually hourlong interviews are intended for CoCM program leads, billing representatives, COOs, and CFOs and will result in a white paper which will inform policy updates and CoCM Technical Assistance. If you wish to take part, contact MMHPI's Sulamita Camargo by March 1.

HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Opportunities Remain Open

There's still time to apply for HRSA's Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program! Open to registered nurses, advance practice registered nurses, and nurse faculty members, this program can help decrease your education debt by up to 85% in exchange for 2-3 years of service at critical shortage facilities. In 2024, the Corps will prioritize awards for nurses and nurse practitioners (NPs) working in primary care facilities such as FQHCs. Learn more and apply or share the opportunity with colleagues by March 7.

In Case You Missed It: Case Studies Focus on Integrating Medications for Opioid Use Disorder at Health Centers

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trust recently published a series of case studies on how FQHCs are integrating medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) into clinical practice. Read the case studies and a companion report outlining opportunities at the community health center, state, and federal levels to support the adoption of these medications.

New from ACU's Career Center: CEO at PACHC and More

Our Career Center is an excellent resource for job seekers or organizations seeking to hire quality staff to serve medically under-resourced populations. ACU Members get premier access by logging in to our member portal and using the discount code. This week, ACU is excited to highlight a Chief Executive Officer position with the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers, as well as:

• Primary Care Provider (MD/DO/PA/NP): Northwest Human Services, Inc. (Salem, OR)
• Dental Hygienist: Northwest Human Services, Inc. (Salem, OR)

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