January 2019
In this issue...
CEO Connection
Board Chair Message
NC HealthConnex
Deputy Director
Director of Quality & Clinical Support
Calendar of Events
NAFC Update
Quick Links
|
A hearty welcome to new leaders!
Barb Krcmar
MERCI
Nancy Litton
Community Free Clinic - Concord
Pete Tannenbaum
Alliance Medical Ministry
|
|
NAFC National Health Care Symposium
Are you going to the Symposium? Let
Mark know
so your name can be added the list. With the symposium being in Atlanta, it's a great chance for many of you to go next year. We hope to have a large contingent at the meeting to showcase North Carolina and all our wonderful clinics.
So far these people have indicated they are going to the meeting. Join us!
April Cook
Tracy Salisbury
Bri Niggel
Sherri Fisher
Tony Price
Sandy Motley
Randy Jordan
Mark Scheerer
|
|
CEO Connection
Randy Jordan, CEO
The Need for Helping Relationships
I am getting my son and son-in-law a book for Christmas that inspired this month’s newsletter article. By the time you read this in the New Year, Christmas will be in our rearview mirror, so I feel safe sharing the title with you. The book, entitled “The Seven People Who Help You to Heaven” is written by a minister friend who started as my college mentor nearly five decades ago. The premise of the book is that we need a variety of relationships to help us reach our highest aspirations and it reminded me of the way that we work through relationships in the world of free and charitable clinics and pharmacies.
I invite you to join me in reviewing the past year by identifying up to seven relationships that helped you (in my case, NCAFCC) experience success during 2018. Then, look into the future to determine up to seven relationships that we think will benefit our work in 2019. My guess is that the list will overlap significantly from year-to-year, but if my author friend is right, shouldn’t we carefully update our list of helpful relationships? Not at all in a judging way, but in a way that helps us humbly honor those around us who each year play a role in our success. In that spirit, I want to thank our 67 Member clinics and their staff members, our wise and thoughtful Board of Directors, our incredibly dedicated NCAFCC staff, our deeply committed safety-net partners, our many friends in state and local government, our generous and encouraging funding partners and, most of all, our wonderful patients who make our work so worthwhile. We look forward to helping each other succeed in the New Year!
|
|
A Message from Your Board Chair
April Cook
Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
Happy New Year! I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends. As we embark on this 2019 journey of healthcare, I would like to remind each of you that your association is here to help guide and support your ongoing efforts. These past few years have been riddled with challenges and unknowns, but our mission is steadfast to help those that are most impoverished in our communities gain access to healthcare. The staff is continually working on ways to assist each of us in our efforts. Please let us know if there is something specific you would like covered or discussed at one of our retreats or at our annual conference. Don’t forget, the National Association of Free and Charitable conference in going to be in Atlanta this year. We want to have a HUGE NC PRESENCE! So, put it on your calendars and let Mark know if you are planning to attend.
Warmest regards and hope for a prosperous new year to you all!
April
|
|
Getting Connected
Thanks to a grant from the NC Office of Rural Health, we are working with
Andrew Kurecki from Community Care of Western North Carolina to provide technical assistance to eligible clinics to achieve NC HealthConnex connectivity. Andrew began contacting clinics in December so if he hasn't contacted you yet, you will be hearing from him in the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you have specific questions that you would like to speak with Andrew about before he contacts you, feel free to email Mark at
mark@ncafcc.org
. Keep in mind, you must be connected by June 1, 2019 to be eligible for any state funding, including Community Health Grants.
Click here
to get more information about connecting to the NC HealthConnex.
Do you have questions about getting connected to NC HealthConnex?
Contact
L
akeshia Moore, Health Information Technology (HIT) Program Manager at the Office of Rural Health at
Lakeisha.Moore@dhhs.nc.gov
.
|
|
Moving Ahead into 2019
Mark Scheerer
Deputy Director
2018 is now a memory and 2019 is here. Over the next 12 months we'll have new programs and benefits for you so be on the lookout for updates.
BoardSource
A new member benefit is access to BoardSource which is wonderful resource for you and your board. If you're not already familiar with BoardSource, it is widely recognized as the leading organization promoting exceptional nonprofit governance and board service. BoardSource membership is a year-round educational resource that helps to connect, engage, inform, guide, counsel, and support a community of more than 115,000 nonprofit leaders from across the country.
There are many free resources available through the website that can increase the effectiveness of your board and leadership. Some of the benefits include:
- Downloadable and written resources
- A six-part, on-demand Certificate of Nonprofit Board Education,
- Diagnostic assessment tools and training programs, and
- Ways to connect with other BoardSource members to receive answers to board-related questions.
- Webinars
To register just follow these easy steps.
- Go to: https://boardsource.org/membership-registration?ref=2772&pid=58041
- Fill out the registration form. You’ll see the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics listed. While we have paid for this resource, you need to leave their name on the form as we are under their membership umbrella.
- Pick a username and password. I suggest picking a username such as your clinic initials or something generic rather than tying it to one person’s email in case of staff turnover.
- Check the appropriate box and hit submit.
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with a link that you’ll need to use to activate your account. Their email went to my junk file so if you don’t get an email almost immediately, check your junk email file.
Americares - Your Partner in the Health Care Safety Net
You can further your access to programs that benefit your patients by becoming a partner with Americares. Learn more about their free partner program by
clicking here. If you have further questions, you can reach out to
Sara Gelb at Americares.
NC Low Income Energy Assistance Program
North Carolina’s
Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP)
helps eligible households pay their heating bills by issuing a one-time payment to the household’s heating vendor. LIEAP funds are available beginning December 1, 2018 until March 31, 2019, or until funds are exhausted. Households including a person age 60 or older, or an individual receiving disability benefits and services from the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, are eligible to apply beginning December 1, 2018. All other households can apply beginning January 1, 2019. To qualify, a household must meet the following criteria:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
- Meet an income test
- Have reserves at or below $2,250
- Be responsible for its heating bills
- Interested households should contact their county Department of Social Services (DSS) to apply.
|
|
Cindy Jones
Director of Quality & Clinical Support
|
Allison Kelly
Program Services Manager
|
|
Quality and Clinical Support Updates
2018 NCAFCC Annual Survey
A link to the web-based version will be made available by the first Monday in February (Monday, February 4, 2019) and completion is due by the last day in February (Thursday, February 28, 2019). Survey tools will be housed this year within the member’s section of the NCAFCC website. If you need your login info to access this site, please reach out to Allison Kelly.
Also, as a friendly reminder, all sections of the survey must be completed in order to be eligible to receive BCBSNC grant funding.
Final 2018 NCAFCC Annual Survey Web Conference
The final web conference to review changes to this year’s Annual Survey will be held on Wednesday, January 9 at 11:30 am. You should have received a link to the Zoom web conference by email at the end of December. Please ensure anyone involved in completing the survey attends.
What is the PCMH Transformation Support Program?
The support program is the process by which a PCMH-eligible clinic moves toward PCMH Transformation. Transformation will mean different things to different clinics. For some, transformation may mean achieving formal NCQA PMCH Recognition. For others, it may mean meeting all NCQA Core Criteria for PCMH. Yet, others may choose to work toward only select Core Criteria as a means of further improving the quality of care within the clinic.
The program offers the expertise and support from the NCAFCC team, CCNC network and their PCMH coaches. A designated coach and integrated support team will work together with the clinic team to provide transformation support each month during the transformation process, which is anticipated to last approximately two years. The value of this service to a clinic is nearly $1,000 per month and is provided at no cost through the BCBSNC Foundation grant. Educational and networking opportunities are also in development as additional facets of the support program. We expect the program to grow and change over time and bring even greater value to NCAFCC member clinics. We are always interested in your feedback about any programs we offer, so please make sure to reach out and share your thoughts with us at any point in the process. We will also reach out to your clinics periodically and will keep you posted as new developments occur!
Congratulations to The CARE Clinic in Fayetteville on NCAFCC Re-Accreditation!
Happy New Year!
|
|
Please keep Peter Le in your thoughts and prayers. Peter is the Executive Director of St. Joseph Primary Care in Raleigh. He has been diagnosed with m
etastatic follicular thyroid cancer and undergoing treatment at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. Peter is a gentle and kind soul. He is also one of great faith. He sent the three points below to share with all of you.
(1) If a man of faith, when he's sick, he is the man of grace. Grace will overshadow all the pain and suffering. So, having faith is extremely important for me.
(2) Pain/suffering is a gift - where there is a gift of suffering, there is a gift of grace. Focus on the gift of grace and not the suffering. It will help us to get through and overcome the suffering
(3) Because Pain/Suffering is a gift, it serves as God's instrument for me to get closer with Jesus - only through faith that I can say this. Again, the gift of faith is important.
|
|
Facebook Member Group Page
Our Facebook member page is till up and running for you to post questions and get answers from your peers in North Carolina. Simply search for "NCAFCC Member Group" and ask to be approved for the group. You'll then be accepted into the group and can start posting. If you have questions, email
mark@ncafcc.org.
|
|
NCAFCC Logo
Please include our logo on your websites. There are two versions, an accredited member version and a regular member version, and both can be found in the Members Only section of our website.
|
|
|
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Logo
If you have been a recipient of a grant through us from the
BCBSNC Foundation
, they have requested you include their logo on your websites.
Contact Mark
for the logo.
|
|
|
SFY 2020 Community Health Grant Request For Applications (RFA)
PLEASE NOTE: The RFA for Community Health Grants is now posted on the NC ORH website and applications are due by
February 1, 2019
. The term of the first year grant is July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020.
Please reach out to Ginny Ingram at
ginny.ingram@dhhs.nc.gov
or
The Pharmacy Connection Informational Webinar - Time and Date TBA
Preparedness Essentials Bootcamp
- Spring 2019 - Date and Location TBA
National Health Care Symposium - October 27-29, 2019 - Atlanta
|
|
2019 NAFC Charitable Health Care Symposium!
Apply to be a Speaker
The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics is requesting speaker proposals for the 2019 NAFC Charitable Health Care Symposium taking place October 27-29, 2019 at the Lowes Atlanta Georgia. All speaker forms must be submitted by
Thursday, January 31, 2019
.
Selected speakers who attend the entirety of the Symposium (through the closing session) will be able to register at a discounted rate.
The Speaker Selection Committee is looking for speakers who will:
- Provide tangible resources and information that attendees can apply in their daily operations
- Provide outcomes information and/or results about the topics that are being presented
- Provide in-depth training and information
- Show relevant subject matter expertise
- Share a PowerPoint Presentation or documents that can be electronically shared with all attendees
- Provide a presentation that is robust and informative, rather than just anecdotal
- Presenters that have not presented at previous Symposiums
|
|
Board of Directors
Board Chair
April Cook
Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
Vice Chair
Tony Price
Moore Free and Charitable Clinic
Treasurer
John Price, ORH - Retired
Secretary
Tracy Salisbury
Open Door Clinic of Alamance County
Sissy Lee-Elmore
WATCH Healthcare Program
Jerry Hermanson
Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers
|
P
atient-Centered Medical Home Transformation Initiative Video
|
|
Andy Kurtzman
Scotland Community Health Clinic
Michael Lischke, Ed.D., MPH
Northwest AHEC
WFU School of Medicine
Theo McClammy
Caring Community Clinic
John Mills
ECHO
Jacquie Rose
The Free Clinics
Krista Woolly
Community Care Clinic of Rowan County
|
Staff
CEO
ext. 104
Deputy Director
ext. 101
Director of Quality & Clinical Support
ext. 103
Program Services Manager
ext. 105
Office Manager
ext. 102
336-251-1111
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
