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Dear Mariah,
This week, as always, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) is grateful for our incredible community of organizations, clinicians, advocates, and partners. As we continue our advocacy for long-term, sustainable funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and other programs after a narrowly averted government shutdown, we're also redoubling our efforts to support the healthcare workforce and improve access to care.
In this issue of Clinician & Community, you will find our new 2024 Conference Call for Abstracts, exciting opportunities to help empower NHSC clinicians as a presenter and join free suicide prevention trainings, archived webinars on integrating caregivers in clinical care teams and compensation wellness, an announcement of the latest issue of our Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, and more.
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Reminder: Our 2024 Conference Call for Abstracts Is Open! Submit a Workshop or Poster Proposal by Feb. 9
ACU is now accepting workshop and poster abstracts for our 2024 Conference, Envisioning a More Equitable Future: Advancing Stakeholder-Centered Innovation! Taking place in Washington, DC, on August 4-7, our 2024 Conference will spotlight 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. The event will also feature an exciting new track dedicated to eye health and vision care! We're seeking in-person workshop and poster proposals reflective of our theme in any one of numerous tracks by Feb. 9.
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Registration Is Open for Our 2024 ACU STAR2 Center Workforce Symposium
April 29-30 in Nashville, TN
ACU invites staff and leaders at health centers, primary care associations, and health center-controlled networks to join us in advancing the healthcare workforce at our STAR² Center’s 2024 Workforce Symposium: Inclusive Innovation: Putting People First! On April 29-30 in Nashville, TN, our interactive Symposium will explore cutting-edge workforce retention and recruitment practices, advocacy and federal updates, JEDI integration, and more. A separate, in-depth Comprehensive Workforce Plan Workshop, Choose Your Own Workforce Adventure, will follow on May 1-2. Learn more and save your spot for both events or contact us for more information: a draft agenda is coming soon!
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Catch Up on Our Caregiver Webinar Series and Register to be Notified of 2024 Sessions
The first two sessions in our Beyond the Clinic: Caregivers and Home Health Workers series are now available. View session one on understanding caregiver roles, responsibilities, and the workforce landscape and the second webinar exploring equity and unconscious bias in caregiving. Session three will be available soon! Sign up now to receive notifications for our 2024 schedule that will include webinars on caregivers as allies for emotional support, communication and conflict resolution, and more.
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In Case You Missed It: View Our Webinar on Compensation Wellness for Staff
Adequate compensation that takes into account inflation and housing costs is a key ingredient to improving healthcare staff wellness and reducing turnover. If you missed yesterday's webinar from ACU's STAR2 Center on compensation wellness for staff, you can now view the webinar and slides on our website. Explore concepts in financial wellness, helpful resources, effective techniques, and action items to support staff wellness through compensation and benefits.
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Further Workforce Resources
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Help Prepare National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Participants for Success!
If you have expertise addressing clinician burnout and improving workforce wellness, screening for and addressing social determinants of health in patients, or creating interventions to reduce health disparities in your clinic and community, ACU would love to hear from you! We're recruiting webinar presenters with the aforementioned expertise for our NHSC Empowering Clinicians Initiative. The webinars will take place January-August 2024 and are designed to support NHSC participants and leadership staff at NHSC-approved sites. Honoraria are available for confirmed presenters. Please fill out our Speaker Interest Form, and we will reach out to you. Participation from current and former NHSC participants is particularly encouraged!
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Join Us at Next Week's Webinar on Preventing Suicide in Indigenous Youth
Friday, Dec. 8: 1-2 p.m. ET
Suicide is a leading cause of death in youth aged 10-14, and the crisis disproportionately impacts youths who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Indigenous children are particularly at risk with suicide rates nearly 3.5 times the national average. To help organizations better care for Indigenous pediatric patients, our webinar on Dec. 8 will detail unique considerations in suicide in Indigenous youth, share lessons learned from experts in tribal health, and detail evidence-based practices that clinicians can integrate in primary care to recognize warning signs and prevent suicide.
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Don't Miss the Next Webinar in Our Suicide Prevention for CHC Patients & Staff Series
Next Session: Dec. 12 at 12-1 p.m. ET
Nearly half of people who end their lives by suicide visit a primary care provider in the month before their passing, and as key providers of primary care, CHCs have vital opportunities to identify and care for patients at risk. Learn evidence-based suicide prevention strategies in our ongoing webinar series with the Missouri Primary Care Association. The next presentation, "Preventing Suicide in Clinicians & Staff," on Dec. 12 will examine how CHCs can help address the risk of suicide in staff. Register now for this and other remaining webinars or view recordings and slides from last week's first sessions:
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Explore Resources for Diabetes-related Eye Diseases Awareness Month and Beyond
November's Diabetes-related Eye Diseases Month is coming to a close, but potential vision loss from diabetes is an ever-present risk for millions. Browse resources on this important health concern, including parts one and two of our recent "Eyes on Access" series on children's vision and eye health, a fact sheet on helping youth with diabetes protect their eye health, a "Focus on Diabetes" video series, educational toolkits, and more from our partners at Prevent Blindness.
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Support ACU & Health Equity After Giving Tuesday
Thank you to everyone who donated to help further ACU's work and advocacy to support the healthcare workforce, advance health equity, and expand access to quality care for underserved populations on Giving Tuesday! If you missed our earlier appeal, it's not too late to give to help support ACU and our work. For 27 years, the support of individuals like you has made our work possible. Additionally, donations to ACU are tax-deductible. Please consider making ACU a part of your yearend giving.
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Explore the Latest Issue of ACU's Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
The November edition of ACU's official Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved examines ongoing racial inequities in health outcomes, the varying impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in diverse populations, and more. In addition to an ACU Column on the need to address the crisis of clinician suicide, this issue features articles such as:
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"A Community Health Center Childhood Obesity Program for Latino Families from an Agricultural Community: Mental Health and Physical Activity Outcomes" | |
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"Tattoo Removal in People of Color Who Were Formerly Incarcerated or Were Gang Members: Complications and Best Practices"
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"Factors Associated with Perceptions of Respect in Health Care Settings" | |
"Measuring Progress Toward Equity in Health Care" | |
ACU Members can log in to our member portal for free access to this and all JHCPU issues. | |
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Welcoming Our Latest Member
ACU welcomes Family Health Center of Worcester as our latest member. Established in 1972, this federally-qualified health center has provided comprehensive and compassionate care and social services to improve the health and well-being of residents in the Greater Worcester area. Is your organization committed to advancing health equity for underserved populations? Learn more about ACU membership and contact us.
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Deadline Approaching for the NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP): Apply by Dec. 7
If you are a student in your last year of medical, physician assistant, nursing, or dental school, you may be eligible for the National Health Service Corps' S2S LRP! It's not too late to apply for the program, which offers up to $120,000 in loan repayment in return for serving for at least three years at an NHSC-approved site in medically underserved areas. This year's program features a supplemental Maternity Care Target Area Supplemental Award of up to $40,000 for eligible disciplines. Apply by Dec. 7.
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Take a Brief Survey to Help the National Academies Examine Factors Affecting Behavioral Clinicians' Participation in Medicare, Medicaid, & Marketplace Programs
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Strategies to Improve Access to Behavioral Health Care Services through Medicare and Medicaid has launched a survey to explore factors that incentivize or disincentivize behavioral health care provider participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace programs, with special attention to provider type. Input from a wide range of providers will be critical to the committee’s efforts to analyze program participation and propose strategies to address current challenges. Take the survey now.
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New from ACU's Career Center: Optometrist at Neighborhood Health Center 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 an Optometrist position with Neighborhood Health Center in Buffalo, NY, as well as:
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Don't forget: ACU offers free vision care job posts for FQHCs and lookalikes. Learn more.
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Publications & Opportunities | |
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Upcoming Events:
Publications:
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Upcoming Webinars:
Archived Webinars:
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ACU is here to help: if we can do anything to better support your work to improve care and advocate for patients living in historically marginalized communities, please contact our Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly with any feedback.
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