Dear Advocate,
In uncertain times, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved continues to take the lead in advocating for the National Health Service Corps and health equity for underserved populations. This week, we're excited to share heartening news of a bill including significantly increased funding for the NHSC, explore why medical diversity matters in our blog, and offer resources to help health centers improve care in the wake of COVID-19.
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Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee released its bill outlining Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) funding for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies—and we are very happy to share that the bill included nearly a 55% increase to discretionary funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), taking discretionary funding for the NHSC from $120 million to $185 million. The added funding is directed to support substance use disorder treatment while also giving the Health Resources and Services Administration the authority to prioritize funding as needed until expended. There are still many steps necessary to complete the FY22 appropriations process, but the inclusion of this funding increase in the House bill should be taken as an important signal of Congressional support for, and commitment to expanding, the NHSC.
The historic funding increases to the NHSC over the course of the past year—more than $1 BILLION in increased funding between December of 2020 and March of 2021, and now this most recent funding increase—is a result of the persistent advocacy for the NHSC led by ACU and our incredible advocates. If you haven’t already, please join us as an ACU/NHSC advocate and ask your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. Help us continue to sound off on the importance of increased funding and expansion of the NHSC. Look for additional updates as the FY22 appropriations process progresses, as well as calls to action to support increased funding for the NHSC.
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Further NHSC & Advocacy Resources
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New Profile: Dr. Felix L. Nuñez and the Challenge of Diversifying Medicine
The latest article in ACU's Allying for Equity blog highlights the journey to medicine of Felix Nuñez, MD, MPH, and the crucial need for greater diversity in healthcare. Growing up in a low-income community in which Latinx physicians were largely invisible, Nuñez's chance encounter with a mentor eventually led him to become a doctor, administrator, and ACU Board President. Read his story and learn about the vital need to foster greater diversity in the healthcare workforce to improve patient outcomes. Interested in sharing your own perspective with us? Contact us!
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Don't Forget: Our Updated 2021 CHC Data Profile Dashboards Are Live
Our STAR² Center has launched updated health center recruitment and retention Data Profile Dashboards. These profiles combine multiple data sources to detail health centers' strengths and weaknesses, as well as national FQHC recruitment and retention trends. Highly interactive, the Dashboards allow CHC staff to review past and present data with workforce teams and compare it against average data of similar health centers. We have emailed information on accessing the profiles to health center CEOs, and PCAs also have the opportunity to access dashboards and aggregate reports from their state's CHCs.
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Accompanying Webinar Series Now Available
Learn more about the profiles with recordings from our "Using Your Data Profile Dashboard" webinar series. These webinars introduce the profiles and walk through how to make the most of the updated data.
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Watch Recorded Sessions from Our Recent Biennial Workforce Summit
If you missed the event or want to review what you learned, the full archive of the 2021 Biennial Workforce Summit is now available. Explore health center workforce issues during and after COVID-19, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the role of technology in sessions from the two-day conference with ACU's STAR² Center, Community Health Center, Inc./Weitzman Institute, and the National Association of Community Health Centers.
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Revisit Our Managing in the Time of COVID-19 and Mental Health Provider Recruitment and Retention Webinars
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Learn How COVID-19 Affected Dental Providers at Health Centers in Our Podcast
COVID-19 had profound impacts on clinicians at health centers, and dental providers were no exception. As Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, DMD, recalls in our STAR² Center Talks Workforce Success podcast, with things changing everyday in early 2020, she began to wonder if she and her colleagues would ever reach the point of having to shut down and not seeing patients—only to find that a week later, they did. Learn how the pandemic impacted providers like Dr. Simpson in the episode, read the transcript, and discover other episodes.
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July Is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Join ACU in recognizing National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. BIPOC individuals in the U.S. are less likely to have access to mental health services, and COVID-19 has only exacerbated this inequity. Expanding access to these services in underserved communities is a key component in achieving true health equity. Find further resources and learn how primary care providers can help prevent suicide with our Suicide Safer Care resources.
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Our programs, trainings, and advocacy would not be possible without your support, and we're grateful to our incredible network of supporters and advocates as we strive to achieve health equity for underserved populations. Help us improve our efforts: please contact our Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly with any suggestions. Thank you for all that you do.
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