June
2018
ACHD Advocate
TopIn this edition
directorFrom the Desk of Ken Cohen, Executive Director
This month Howard Salmon, Chair, ACHD Board of Directors, Sheila Johnston, Vice President, Member Relations, and I had the opportunity to attend an educational workshop sponsored by the California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE), focused on Board and Executive Relationships.  According to CalSAE, the relationship between the Board and Chief Executive Officer is the single largest indicator of an organizations operating culture.  The levels of mutual accountability, respect for these key positions, and clarity of expected outcomes will either, create a leveraged partnership to advance the organization, or create a state of confusion and potential chaos.  This was a wonderful workshop that created an opportunity for Board Chairs and CEOs to spend a day discussing their relationship and identify useful tools and materials to advance their working relationship. The course content included several elements of the new book, "Transformational Governance" published by CalSAE and The Third Sector Company.  I would encourage our Healthcare District CEOs and Board Chairs to consider attending a similar workshop that helps cultivate a healthy working relationship between the Board, Board Chair and CEO, and find relevant tools to help facilitate an enhanced relationship.  This was one of the better educational sessions that we have attended. At the end of the day, we were all enthusiastic and highly motivated to move forward with the tools and materials provided.  
 
ACHD membership invoices were mailed this past week; we encourage all of our Members to actively participate with your Association and to continue to be engaged during this new year.  You can be active in our committees, become a Certified Healthcare District, renew your certification, and take advantage of our advocacy and educational programs which occur throughout the year.
 
Independence Day (July 4th) is a great day for our country and I salute the people whose sacrifices have made this possible.  Let each one of us make a promise, that as long as we live, we will be good citizens of our country in the best of our capabilities and we will help America grow into a better nation with each passing day.

Special Note
Amber King, Vice President, Government Affairs, will be on maternity leave through mid-July.  In her absence please use the following contact information for the Advocacy Team:
For Association related questions, please contact Sheila Johnston, Vice President, Member Relations & Administration, at (916) 266-5208, or sheila.johnston@achd.org  .  


CandyTrustee Spotlight: Candy O'Donel Browne, John C. Fremont Healthcare District

In an effort to show our appreciation to Healthcare District Leaders, ACHD will begin highlighting the invaluable contributions of Trustees in their community.  We recognize that the work and passion of our Trustees often go unrecognized and it is our goal is to share the positive impacts Trustees make in their communities.  



What inspired you to run for a seat on the Healthcare District Board?
My husband, Neal O'Donel-Browne, came from an Irish medical family. He joined the Board of Directors of the John C. Fremont Healthcare District in 1992. He also served on the ACHD Board of Directors. In fact, his last day on this earth was spent at an ACHD Board meeting in Sacramento. He died in 1999. When they let me have a few private moments with him in the emergency room he helped to build, I wondered, "Who will take care of me now? Who will keep the hospital going?" Well sometimes if you want to get something done you just have to do it yourself. Four years later, I joined the John C. Fremont Healthcare District Board of Directors. That was 15 years ago. I consider our family's contribution to the hospital our most important family project.
 
What is one accomplishment that you and the Board have implemented that you are most proud of?
John C. Fremont Healthcare District is most proud of our colossal financial turnaround, thanks largely to our former Chief Financial Officer, who is now our Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Matthiessen. California law requires that our hospital, and many others, seismically retrofit our hospital to withstand and remain operational should an earthquake happen by the year 2030. Thanks to the efforts of our Board and Chief Executive Officer, we are now operating in the black and establishing a strong enough financial picture to undertake this unfunded state mandate.

What is unique about your District and the constituents you serve?
I'm proud to say that our District includes Yosemite Valley! We operate a tiny Critical Access Hospital in the Sierra foothills. We serve a local population of less than 18,000 people, and we provide a temporary safety net to 5 million visitors. Our clinics bring medical services close to home, and our emergency department is absolutely essential to the well-being of all these people.
 
What is a goal you hope to achieve for your District during your tenure?
I am determined to build a seismically safe hospital building by 2030. I'm excited to say that our entire Board of Directors is actively engaged in a process of self-education on hospital construction. We are truly excited about this project and opportunity.

How has being a part of ACHD helped you as a leader, your District, residents and the community?
ACHD is the central entity that distributes information garnered from other Districts along with state and nationwide trends in healthcare. ACHD provides a place where ideas for best practices can be exchanged. Running a District can be somewhat isolating, especially in a rural area. Board members who gain knowledge from participation in ACHD activities can make more informed board decisions. That ultimately leads to better outcomes for our individual communities. 
 
What advice or encouragement would you give someone considering running for the Healthcare District Board?
If someone tells you board membership only requires attending monthly board meetings and occasional committee participation, don't listen. Serving on a Healthcare District Board requires a major investment of time and energy. In many ways, the hospital becomes your second family. I would even go so far as saying it becomes part of your identity. When the District is successful you know you have been successful as a Trustee.

When not serving your community, what do you like to do in your free time?
I serve on several other boards and committees, each of which contributes to the well-being of my community from a different perspective. My other interests include homelessness, housing, domestic violence, economic development, tourism, transportation and local planning. I'm driven to watch my community grow and thrive. I can honestly say that board service is my hobby. When I'm not busy with all this, my family gives me great pleasure.



LegUpdateLegislative Update
Advocacy in Action:
The ACHD Advocacy Team continues to engage with legislation that may impact Healthcare Districts this year. July 6 marks the deadline for policy committees to hear all measures in the second house, before they adjourn for Summer Recess. When the Legislature returns in August, bills will face a fiscal committee deadline of August 17. You can view our current Legislative Reports  here . Additionally, you can view committee hearings and floor sessions on  CalChannel .
 
SB 538:
ACHD continues to focus on   SB 538 (Monning) which addresses hospital contracting, including prohibitions on specific provisions in contracts which would impact Healthcare Districts. While the measure was amended to no longer apply to small and rural hospitals that are not affiliated with a non-governmental hospital, ACHD continues to oppose the bill as it moves through the Assembly.
 
AB 2019:
ACHD remains focused on AB 2019 (Aguiar-Curry) , which includes a number of items relating to Healthcare Districts. The measure was approved by the Senate Governance & Finance Committee on a 5-1 vote on June 20 and will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee. ACHD continues to work closely with the author's office on a final amendment, that, when amended into the bill, will represent the last component of our negotiations.

2018-19 Budget:
The California State Budget was signed on June 27. The budget includes investments in education, homelessness and deep poverty. The budget also includes overall reserves in the amount of $15.9 billion, $13.8 billion of which includes a fully funded Rainy Day Fund.

The final budget package does not include the Governor's proposal to eliminate the use of 340B drug rebates in the Medi-Cal program. The Budget Conference Committee voted to set aside $1.02 billion in Proposition 56 revenues and will develop an expenditure plan to include in a budget trailer bill before the month's end.

The Legislature adjourns its two-year session on August 31, at which time the Governor will have until September 30 to sign or veto these bills.

ACHD continues to advocate on bills as they approach their committee and floor deadlines and will keep a close eye out for last-minute legislative changes that impact healthcare districts.


*Reminder: Amber King, Vice President, Government Affairs, will be on maternity leave through July.  In her absence please contact  Sheila Johnston , Vice President, Member Relations & Administration.


WebinarSeriesACHD Webinar Education Series
Our June Webinar series was a huge success! This month, Jean Hurst and Kelly Brooks, of Hurst Brooks Espinosa presented on the California State Budget and legislative measures of utmost importance to the Healthcare Districts.  If you missed this webinar and would like to access a recording, please click  here.
 
ACHD will host the next installment of our  Webinar Education Series on  July 19, 2018, at 1:30 pm and will focus on an Overview of Clinics: Reimbursement, Funding and Management.  Clinics play an important role in the health of communities and create access to care in non-hospital settings. Depending on location, clinics can be the only source of care. 

In order to help Districts, assess the efficiency of clinics and gain a greater understanding of starting clinics, ACHD has invited Steven Rousso, Partner with Wipfli CPAs and Consultants and Clinic Expert, to present on the following topics as they relate to managing clinics in California:
  • Define the various types of clinics Districts can operate and the benefits of each type of clinics
  • Highlight differences between FQHCs and RHCS
  • Explain the co-applicant model for districts to develop FQHCs
  • Highlight regulatory changes that will affect Clinics in the coming year;
  • Provide resources for starting Clinics within your District's boundaries.
Our webinar will be a great opportunity to expand your knowledge of the Clinic Environment in California.
 
To register for the event, click here.
 


Please contact Sheila Johnston with any questions.


ICYMIIn Case You Missed It... Healthcare District News from Around the State

     
Calaveras voters approve Mark Twain Health Care District measure
Voters in Calaveras County are favor of their local hospital and its clinics entering a new 30-year lease with Dignity Health, the fifth-largest health system in the nation and the largest hospital provider in California, according to early election results Tuesday night. To read the full article, click here

Sierra Expeditionary Learning School students bring better world day to Tahoe Forest Health System. To read more, click here.

The Morongo Basin Healthcare District has big plans for its Split Rock facilities including growing pediatric medicine services and boosting educational programs. Click here to read more.

Fallbrook Regional Health District board at the regular board meeting on June 13 approved $910,416 in affordable public health service contracts for 16 applicant agencies providing 20 health-related programs. To read the full article, click here.


WellnessWellness Summit Now Open for Registration!

There is still time to register for ACHD's Wellness Summit! 

Taking place July 26th in Sacramento, Wellness Summit will feature leaders in public health who will present on topics ranging from mental health prevention, employee burnout and community health models to increase public health. To learn more about our Wellness Summit and to register for this one-day event, click here.


To read more about the Wellness Summit,  click here.

For more information, contact Sheila Johnston.


annualmeetingAnnual Meeting Registration is Open!

Annual Meeting is a great opportunity to network with your peers and learn how your District can Evolve Through Innovation.  Our   66th Annual Meeting  will be hosted at  the  Cliffs Resort  in Pismo Beach on September 12 - 14, 2018.

Our sessions this year will cover a variety of topics, ranging from Social Determinants of Health, Seismic Retrofitting, Children's Health, Emotional Health, Utilizing Technology to increase Access to Health, and Behavioral Health Policy. We will also host a CEO Roundtable and energy breaks! We have designed many breakout sessions to cater to Districts operating hospitals and Districts that focus on community health.

During Annual Meeting, Districts will hear from a variety of industry experts. These experts will encourage your Districts to think about innovative solutions that can be applied in all health care settings. ACHD will also present the many ways we are embracing innovation and will highlight our enhanced Certification Program during the State of the Association.

ACHD will highlight the Innovate initiative of Healthcare Districts and encourage Districts throughout the conference to think about initiatives you can implement based on the needs of the community. Our conference will inspire innovation for every member of your Healthcare District.

Is your District ready to think outside the box? Be sure to register today for Annual Meeting. We hope to see you there!

For more information about Annual Meeting, click here. To register for Annual Meeting, click here.


Contact  Sheila Johnston  with any questions. 


BecomeCertifiedHealthDisBecome a Certified Healthcare District, Today
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) is leading the way for Healthcare Districts to play a major role in the transformation of California's evolving health care landscape by helping them meet the changing needs of their local communities.
 
As public entities and as leaders in health, Healthcare Districts have well defined responsibilities for serving the public, adapting to their health care needs and conducting business in a manner that is open and transparent - a role that only Healthcare Districts can fill.
 
To assist ACHD Members in demonstrating their commitment to exemplary compliance in meeting the health and governance needs of the public, ACHD has developed a core set of standards, referred to as Best Practices in Governance. Healthcare Districts that show their voluntary compliance with these practices are eligible to be designated by ACHD as a Certified Healthcare District. To learn more about this program,   click here.  

Please contact Sheila Johnston with any questions.

cappBecome a Member of CAPP Today
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) is a member of Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP), the coalition created to protect access to health care through California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA).  ACHD continues to strongly support the preservation of MICRA. 

In 2014, California voters definitively rejected Proposition 46, an attempt by the trial lawyers to quadruple MICRA's non-economic damages cap. Had this ballot measure passed, California would have seen higher health care costs and decreased access to care, especially among vulnerable populations who are most in need. Despite this victory, the battle to protect MICRA continues.

ACHD is strongly urging its members to individually become supporters of the CAPP coalition.

There is  no cost to be a member of CAPP, and you will be in good company.  Seven out of 10 Board Members are already CAPP members, with more than 1,000 other organizations representing community clinics, hospitals, physicians, nurses, EMTs, labor unions, local governments, dentists and other health care providers. A complete coalition list can be found on the CAPP website at  www.micra.org.  

As a CAPP member, you will receive quarterly newsletters with updates on legislative activities concerning MICRA and direct access to the CAPP staff to be your one stop resource on MICRA. Additionally, CAPP holds events for legislators in their legislative district and CAPP members are invited to attend free of cost.

Please take a moment to complete and return the  CAPP Coalition Sign-Up Form.  Thank you for endorsing this important organization and its goal to preserve MICRA.


calendar2018 Calendar of Events is on ACHD.org

ACHD is pleased to announce that our events for 
2018 are now loaded on our website!  Our calendar features committee and Board meetings, and all educational events for the entire year.  To access our calendar, click here and once you find an event, simply click on the event title to save the event into your calendar.

For more information, contact Sheila Johnston.


About ACHD:
The Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD) represents Healthcare Districts throughout the state. The Association serves the diverse needs of California's Healthcare Districts by enhancing public awareness, training and educating its members and advocating for legislation and regulatory policies that allow Healthcare Districts to deliver the best possible health services to Californians.  Learn more at achd.org

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