Dear Advocate,

As National Minority Health Month continues, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved is reflecting upon a period of momentous transition while exploring strategies to support our community in creating the strong workforces and DEI-informed approaches necessary to achieve true change. This week, we are spotlighting new resources on the role chief workforce officers can play in ensuring powerful health center workforces, offering a new checklist on how to incorporate community health workers in vaccine rollouts, examining what it means to build inclusive organizations in our toolkit, and more.
New Toolkit Explores the Vital Role of Chief Workforce Officers at Health Centers
Chief workforce officers (CWOs) are crucial to community health center (CHC) efforts to recruit and retain strong teams to achieve their missions. Our STAR² Center's new CWO Toolkit offers resources and strategies to help CHCs and primary care associations (PCAs) recruit, develop, and retain chief workforce officers (CWOs) with the strategic vision to meet the needs of the CHC workforce. Rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the toolkit offers a full job description template for CWOs, core competencies, and more.
Watch a Video Introduction to the Toolkit
Join ACU's Michelle Fernández Gabilondo for a video walkthrough of the Toolkit. This introduction also features insightful interviews with Kathy Brieger, Chief of Workforce Development at Sun River Health and Executive Director of Planetree, and Scott Owens, CWO at Mountain Family Health Centers. View the video.
Delve Deeper with Our Dedicated STAR2 Center Podcast Episodes on CWOs
The first season of our STAR² Center Talks Workforce Success podcast dives even more deeply into the role of chief workforce officers through chats with health center and PCA experts. Listen to the first five episodes and stay tuned for new episodes on the impact of COVID-19 on CHC workforces.
New Resource for Health Centers Integrating Community Health Workers Into COVID-19 Vaccinations & Outreach
Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a key role in COVID-19 response, but it is crucial that health centers know how to leverage their unique skills while adequately supporting and preparing them. Our STAR² Center has released a new checklist with the National Association of Community Health Workers with guidance to help FQHCs incorporate these essential workers in vaccine rollouts.
In Case You Missed It: Read Our Building an Inclusive Organization Toolkit
Now more than ever, it is critical for health centers to actively develop more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforces and adopt anti-racist practices. Developed with the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, our STAR² Center's recent toolkit features practical guidance on how to incorporate DEI practices through workplace assessment and accountability.
Save Your Spot for the Free Virtual 2021 Biennial Workforce Summit on May 26-27
If you haven't yet, now is the time to register for the 2021 Virtual Biennial Workforce Summit! Held by ACU's STAR² Center, Community Health Center, Inc./Weitzman Institute, and the National Association of Community Health Centers, the free event will explore FQHC workforce issues during and after COVID-19; technology; and DEI. The event will kick off with a special address from BPHC's Jim Macrae, FORHP's Tom Morris, and BHW's Dr. Luis Padilla on what the "new normal" means for the health center workforce.
Review Important Topics in PCA & HCCN Workforce Professional Development in Archived Webinars
Our STAR² Center's recent webinar series offers practical strategies to help primary care associations and health center controlled networks assist health centers in developing comprehensive workforce plans. Learn about FQHC workforce training and technical assistance needs, retention issues, COVID-19's impact, DEI principles in recruitment and retention, and more in our archived webinars.
New Article Addresses the Importance of Diversity in Clinical Trials
"Clinical Trial Diversity: Developing Better Medicines for All" examines the need to reduce disparities and achieve greater equity by ensuring diversity in clinical trials. Written by Pfizer, Inc.'s Sandy Amaro, Head of Clinical Trial Diversity Center of Excellence, and Judy Sewards, Head of Clinical Trial Experience, the article explores barriers to clinical trial participation, the critical role of healthcare providers, and more.
What We're Reading: ACU, the NHSC, and COVID-19 Vaccinations in Rural Communities in the News
PBS NewsHour recently highlighted the vital lifeline to care provided by National Health Service Corps clinicians in underserved rural communities. Featuring ACU Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly and Board Members Dr. Adrian Billings and Dr. Jim Hotz, the story examines COVID-19's devastating impact on rural communities and why "the same reason that the National [Health] Service Corps was created 50 years ago still exists today." Other recent articles featuring ACU voices include:

COVID-19 and racial injustice pose equal challenges to health equity, and ACU remains here to support you in our shared mission to help overcome those barriers for the underserved. Your feedback is vital to help guide and improve our efforts: please contact our Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly with any feedback. Thank you for everything you do.
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