July 15, 2020

Dear Advocate,

COVID-19 has put ever-increasing pressure upon those providing care to underserved communities, and our members' work to reduce disparities and improve access to health care is more critical now than ever. To support your vital efforts, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved will soon launch its 2020 Virtual Conference. Learn more about this upcoming training, read useful policy updates on National Health Service Corps funding, and access new workforce resources below.

Save the Date for Our 2020 Virtual Conference on September 14-18

The ACU is excited to launch our first-ever virtual conference! Taking place September 14-18, the ACU 2020 Virtual Conference will bring attention to emerging issues and innovative practices in delivering health care to underserved populations. Whether you are a clinician, administrator, or advocate, you'll find critical strategies to improve your care and sharpen your advocacy in our week-long, webinar-based training. Featuring three distinct workforce, disparities, and practice model tracks, our 20 sessions and workshops will explore topics ranging from supporting community health workers and addressing implicit bias to using motivational interviewing to screen for social needs and decreasing physician burnout in federal qualified health centers. Stay tuned for more information: registration launches soon!

Policy Update: ACU Championing NHSC Funding in Evolving Stimulus Legislation and Federal Appropriations

As the nation copes with steady increases in COVID-19 infection, the U.S. Senate signals a move forward in crafting a fourth stimulus package in response to ongoing challenges with the pandemic. In particular, the ACU is working with Senate champions and coalition partners to ensure funding support for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) in the package. This advocacy currently focuses on urging that S. 4055, the Strengthening America’s Health Care Readiness Act, led by primary sponsors, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), which makes a $5 million, multiyear investment in the NHSC be included in the upcoming stimulus package. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled that a first draft of the Senate’s forthcoming stimulus package should be ready early next week after which bipartisan negotiations will ensue with the ultimate goal of a comprehensive, agreed upon approach to provide much needed stimulus support across the nation. ACU will keep advocates informed as this critical legislation continues to take shape.

 

Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee continues to work aggressively to move fiscal year 2021 (FY21) appropriations bills through committee. Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY21 Labor-HHS bill marked up by the subcommittee just last week. The bill included $120 million in funding for the NHSC specifically to expand the delivery of substance use disorder treatment services. Additionally, allocations from the $120M were included to support NHSC placements to care for specific populations (i.e., Indian Health Service facilities, Tribally-Operated Health Programs, and Urban Indian Health Programs), establish nurse practitioner fellowships, support graduate education for physicians in states of high need/provider shortages, and more. Looking ahead, the House is seeking to hold floor votes for appropriations bills by early August. While House progress has been swift, the Senate schedule to address FY21 appropriations remains murky. Moreover, members in both chambers have signaled that a Continuing Resolution (CR) to carry existing funding levels forward through an agreed upon date is highly likely given the pandemic and forthcoming election. ACU will continue to work with key Appropriators and champions in both chambers to ensure maximum funding for the NHSC is included as the process unfolds.

Latest from the STAR ² Center: New Data Profile Dashboards and Online Courses!

The ACU’s STAR² Center is excited to kick off this new grant year as a National Training and Technical Assistance Partner! With several new activities on the horizon, we are pleased to announce recent additions to our resources:

Join Us for Tomorrow's Policy & Practice Webinar at 12 p.m. ET: Delivering Healthcare for Incarcerated Persons During a Pandemic

COVID-19 is spotlighting vulnerable populations, including those in prisons and jails. Correctional systems vary significantly in their ability to prepare for and respond to the pandemic, depending in part on how they interact with community health networks. Systems struggle with lack of leadership, collaboration, funding, and other resources. Furthermore, prison populations have complex needs: as many as one in every three patients have mental health diagnoses, and the numbers of medically complex geriatric individuals and young adults with substance use disorders are growing. Once released, those most in need of medical care often face significant barriers—including stigma—to successfully reintegrating into the community. Integrated managed care models with community partners are integral to provide continuity as justice-involved patients enter and leave prison walls.   Join us!

It's Not Too Late to Join Our Board and Committees: Apply by July 31, 2020!

Your perspective is invaluable to our work, and we hope you will consider applying to join our Board of Directors or become a member of our Program or Vision Services Committees! If you are an ACU member and would be interested in lending your strategic vision to our initiatives, learn more about these exciting opportunities and apply on our website. Both Board and Committee applications are due July 31, 2020. We especially encourage applications from candidates who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), as well as individuals with diverse cultural and gender identifications, sexual orientations, and/or experiences of disability.

We are honored to support your critical frontline work in underserved communities. To better support you, we need your feedback. In addition to considering joining our Board or Committees , please email our Executive Director  Amanda Pears Kelly  with any suggestions or concerns to inform our ongoing work. Thank you for all that you do to support your patients and providers alike during this pandemic.

Thank you,

The ACU Team