Read ACU's 2023 Annual Report

ACU is proud to release 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 ACU and our network, bearing new opportunities, innovations, and growth. As our community innovated new strategies to confront emerging challenges, ACU grew strategically and programmatically to support our members and stakeholder network. This report highlights those achievements, such as new initiatives to support healthcare workforce well-being and to create a National Health Workforce Institute, new programmatic partnerships, and continuing work to strengthen the CHC workforce, foster justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, advocate for and support clinicians in the National Health Service Corps, and more.

We've Extended Our 2024 Conference Call for Abstracts! Submit Your Proposal by March 1

If you haven't had a chance to submit a workshop and poster abstract for ACU's 2024 Conference, Envisioning a More Equitable Future: Advancing Stakeholder-Centered Innovation, there's still time. ACU is extending our call for abstracts until March 1. Submit your proposal by March 1 for a chance to present in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 4-7. 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.

Take Action for the NHSC: Set Up a Meeting With Your Member of Congress!

With the funding cliff temporarily averted, there's now time to get a meeting with your member of Congress: members will be home for the President’s Day recess in February before the March deadline, so please try to get a meeting then. Congress is currently engaged in final negotiations over funding for the entire federal government, and the future of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) hangs in the balance. There has never been a more important time for you to make a difference in the future of the NHSC program—your vocal support is critical as lawmakers negotiate reauthorizing mandatory funding for the NHSC. Read a full breakdown and learn what information schedulers usually require when requesting a meeting, how to prepare for a Congressional meeting, what to expect during a Congressional meeting, and other helpful tips in our latest update.

Learn How to Operationalize Workplace Equity in ACU's New JEDI Learning Collaborative

We invite you to apply for ACU's latest Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Learning Collaborative, Creating A More Equitable and Inclusive Workplace Culture. Our five interactive sessions will empower you with strategies to operationalize and champion workplace equity and inclusion. Strengthen your understanding of workplace equity and inclusion, learn about equity initiatives at health centers nationwide, and more. Learn more in our welcome packet and apply by Feb. 29, or contact us with questions.

Learn About Creating Psychological Safety, Marketing & Branding, & More at Our STAR² Center Workforce Symposium

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

If you haven't registered to join us at our STAR² Center's 2024 Workforce Symposium, Inclusive Innovation: Putting People First, there's still time to save your seat! In addition to federal and advocacy updates, the Symposium also will offer health center, PCA, and HCCN staff engaging workshops on innovative workforce retention and recruitment strategies. Whether you're interested in ensuring psychological safety, mitigating bias in interviewing, or marketing and branding, you'll find interesting sessions in our Symposium. Learn more, book your room, and register now!

Health Center Staff: Join Our Comprehensive Workforce Plan Workshop on May 1-2

Stay longer with us in Nashville to explore specific strategies to shape or strengthen your organization's workforce plan at our separate Comprehensive Workforce Plan Workshop, Choose Your Own Workforce Adventure, on May 1-2. This workshop for health center HR professionals, managers, and leaders will offer you numerous workshop options to explore the topics most relevant to your workforce journey with hands-on guidance from our STAR² Center experts. Browse the agenda and register!

ICYMI: Fostering Leaders that Support Well-being and Retention Webinar

ACU experts in the BPHC Workforce Well-being Technical Assistance initiative recently hosted a webinar exploring the driving factors that make great leaders, how leaders can build and grow cultures of well-being at health centers, tools for staff leading at all levels to support the workforce and colleagues, and more. Watch the session recording to learn best practices for building stronger leaders.

New Briefs Provide Tools for Health Centers During Disasters

Disasters pose unique challenges to health centers and their patients. ACU recently collaborated with Healthcare Ready to create two policy briefs that provide essential tools for community health centers before, during, and after disasters. These free resources highlight the role of CHCs throughout the disaster lifecycle, common operational challenges and needs in the face of disasters, existing legislation related to health center resilience in addressing health disparities, and more.

Explore Multiple Opportunities from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Our partners at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) recently announced three exciting opportunities for health center physicians, team members, and clinicians underrepresented in medicine. Consider taking advantage of one or more opportunities:

Join the SDOH Academy for the Next Session in the National Webinar Series

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.

Tomorrow: Webinar Explores Implementing the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Continuum of Care at Health Centers

Health center professionals are invited to join the Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems (EDCHS): Evidence to Impact Center on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 4-5:30 p.m. ET for a webinar on implementing the Early Childhood Development Continuum of Care in health centers. Sign up for this free webinar and learn how ACU and the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are partnering to support EDCHS.

AAP Provisional CHILD Registry Data Committee Issues Call for Nominations

The Child Health Improvement through Longitudinal Data (CHILD) Registry seeks to enable pediatricians and others who care for children to improve child health and well-being through the use of data. The Provisional CHILD Registry Data Committee has two committee member openings beginning July 1 to serve through June 30, 2026. Self-nominations will be accepted until March 1. Learn more about responsibilities and the nominations process.

Explore AAP's New Course on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health

Learn to address a variety of common infant/early childhood mental health concerns that appear in clinical settings with in-depth theoretical perspectives and interactive learning strategies in a new course from AAP. This course aims to increase knowledge and confidence in building strong relationships with families and skills to help families better address social-emotional mental health concerns in their children.

New Podcast Episode Explores Suicide Prevention for Patients and Providers

National suicide prevention expert Dr. Virna Little joined the latest episode of ACU's Purpose in Practice podcast to discuss the scope of suicide as a public health crisis, the role of healthcare providers and staff in suicide prevention, ways to provide hope, and more. Listen to our discussion, learn about ACU's Suicide Safer Care program, and contact us if you have an idea for a future episode or would like to be a guest.

Share Your Subject Matter Expertise with ACU!

ACU is 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. ACU aims 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.

Join Our Community: Become an ACU Member

Are you passionate about health equity and improving healthcare for underserved communities? Joining ACU gives you access to a powerful network of clinicians, health professionals, organizations, and advocates dedicated to helping those who need it most. Learn about member benefits and options for both organizations and individuals and join us in the work of advancing health equity and supporting the healthcare workforce!

HRSA's Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Opportunities Are Open!

Applications have now opened 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. Applicants must have received their education from accredited nursing schools in U.S. states/territories. This year, the Corps will prioritize awards for nurses and nurse practitioners (NPs) working in primary care facilities such as FQHCs. Learn more and apply by March 7.

Register for NWRPCA's Partners in Care Virtual Training Series

The Northwest Regional Primary Care Association invites healthcare professionals, students, and faculty/preceptors to an upcoming virtual series to discover the latest clinical best practices and integrative team-based solutions for managing co-occurring chronic conditions. The Partners in Care Conference Series is a six-week training event beginning on Feb. 20 at 3-4:30 p.m. ET. CEUs are available. Learn more and sign up!

Apply for the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award

Applications for the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials: Career Development Award (Winn CDA) are open! The Winn CDA is a two-year program to support the career development of early-stage investigator physicians from diverse backgrounds, and physicians who have a demonstrated commitment to increasing diversity in clinical research, in becoming independent clinical trial investigators who will advance health equity through research. Learn more and apply by May 13.

CHCS Case Studies Explore Innovative Models of Integrating Medications for Opioid Use Disorders at FQHCs

In response to the devastating impact of the opioid crisis, health centers are increasingly seeking to provide evidence-based medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for people with substance use disorder. Despite substantial progress, health centers are still refining their approaches, and many still do not offer MOUD. View a case study series from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts to explore how FQHCs across the country are evolving to integrate MOUD into clinical practice.

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