Member Spotlight
UnitedHealthcare Provides Cloth
Face Coverings for CHCs
UnitedHealthCare, Member Services and Community Outreach division, provided more than 25,000 cloth face masks to the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi. CHCAMS reached out to its health centers to deliver or ship these face coverings to clinics in need. CHCAMS greatly appreciates the donation from UnitedHealthCare.
Masks were delivered to three health centers last week. Dr. Margaret Gray, CEO, (photo, top left) and Katina Clayton, CFO, both of Family Health Care Clinic were among the health centers that received the cloth face coverings.
CHCAMS Director of Training and Quality Michael Edwards helps Jill Bishop, Executive Director, East Central Mississippi Health Center load up masks.
Dr. Christopher Roby, Director of Special Initiatives with CHCAMS (second from left, top right photo) along with (left to right) Joshua Knox, Chief Programs Officer, Dr. James Coleman Jr., CEO and Dewery Montgomery, Director of Nursing, all of G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center, are shown with the donated face coverings.
Dr. Sonja Fuqua, Director of Clinical Quality at CHCAMS (photo above, on right) delivers masks to Dr. Janice Bacon at Central Mississippi Health Services.
Dr. Rozell Chapman, CEO, Mallory Community Health Center (bottom left), Desiree Stinton, CHCAMS Business Development Director with Dr. Rashad Ali, CEO, Family Health Center (bottom middle), and Angel Greer, CEO, Coastal Family Health Center (bottom right) picked up masks after the July 16, 2020 board of directors meeting.
Outreach Health Services Provides PPE to Community Members
Outreach Health Services, Inc. participated in a food distribution event at the New Pilgrim Baptist Church last week. Outreach gave out hand sanitizer and masks and helped with loading boxes.
340 Pharmacy Activity and Follow Up Information
Last week, several pieces of information were disseminated by NACHC as follow up to letters members received from drug manufacturers that would affect health centers’ ability to dispense 340B drugs via contract pharmacies . The emails and information are located on a CHCAMS Google Drive link for your convenience. This link was emailed to board members on Friday, July 17, 2020. Please contact Kathryn Rodenmeyer if you have any questions.

Governor's Commission for Economic Recovery Announces Mississippi PPE Providers
A new website established by the Governor's Commission for Economic Recovery provides an opportunity to find PPE resources. http://ms-ppe.org was set up as a listing for Mississippi businesses selling personal protective equipment. Those seeking PPE can visit the site, and vendors selling items in high demand can register the PPE offered for sale.
CHC Reauthorization Funding - Day of Action and Other Federal CHC Funding News
Last week, a national day of action was organized to promote CHC federal funding. Advocates for community health centers were asked to contact members of congress. The message was that reauthorization of CHCs in the 4th stimulus package is imperative. Why? So that CHCs can continue important health care services throughout the pandemic and continue to serve patients when the pandemic is over. It's not too late to take action. Follow this link to let your voice be heard.

Several CEOs wrote opinion pieces that will be distributed to local media in an effort to raise public awareness of the value that Community Health Centers provide communities and Mississippians.

In addition to the legislation for the federal reauthorization funds for CHCs, on Monday, June 13, 2020, the House Appropriations Committee approved its FY21 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill. The approved budget includes $1.65 billion for health centers , which is an increase of $25 million from the FY20 budget. The increase includes $10 million to specifically support school-based health centers. The bill also provides $65 million for health centers to continue addressing efforts to end the HIV epidemic. The bill now heads to the House floor where it is expected to be taken up in the next couple of weeks. The Senate has not released or marked up any of its FY21 appropriations bills. 

Stand Up and Be Counted - the 2020 Census Count Ongoing Now
Please Remind Everyone to
Take the 2020 Census
November elections are fast approaching. Are you registered to vote? Are your patients and constituents?

Visit the Y'all Vote website on voter registration here to get more information.

A tool kit to help with a voter registration event can be found here.

The 2020 National Health Center Week is August 9-15, 2020

“ Community Health Centers: Lighting the Way for Healthier Communities, Today and
in the Future ”!

Suggested Activities

1) Open House events for elected officials to learn of your work in addressing the pandemic

2) COVID-19 community testing events

3) Voter registration drives
Don’t Forget to Submit Your Events here .
COVID-19 Response Updates


All Mississippi CHCs continue with COVID-19 testing at open clinic locations, and some continue to offer testing at locations in the community with drive-thru events.
as of 7-3-2020
Link to flyer.
Register Now! Don't Delay!
The 33rd annual conference, held online this year, promises to engage and enlighten participants. Sessions on lessons learned and best practices in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are planned. Visit this link to register or for more info.
Thank you to our 33rd Annual Conference Sponsors
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Statewide Strategic Market Analysis and Capital Needs Assessment
In the ever-evolving health care environment, health centers face uncertainty on a daily basis. To better address some of those uncertainties, in February of this year the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi began collaborating with Capital Link in planning for health center growth and long-term sustainability. 

This statewide assessment was to examine current and anticipated service areas, geographical and service expansion opportunities, need and resources for capital funding, and health center financial and operational capacity. That uncertainty became unprecedented as COVID-19 recognition, response, and recovery became the focus. As those efforts continue, the assessment has evolved and expanded beyond the original scope to now include telehealth utilization, financial impact of COVID-19, and the reestablishment of financial and operational benchmarks. We anticipate sharing this information and its initial findings soon and trust it will support Mississippi’s health centers during both short term renewal and long term revival.
I would like to learn more.
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CHCAMS Training Opportunity
Friday, July 24, 2020
11 am to noon
Addressing STIs for Sexual and Gender Minority Patients
Presenters are Dr. Kevin L. Ard with The Fenway Institute and Dr. Christopher Roby, CHCAMS Director of Strategic Initiatives.
Learning objectives:
  1. Describe how to elicit a sexual history that does not convey assumptions about sexual orientation or gender identity.
  2. Summarize unique considerations for STI care for sexual and gender minority patients.
News To Use
Additional Training Opportunities
Thursday, July 22, 2020
C an be accessed on demand
Benefit Packages Employees Want in 2020
Employee recruitment and retention are two great challenges health centers face. One of the main components to a successful recruitment and retention program is a benefits package. It is up to each health center to build a benefits package that will both attract new employees and retain the existing health center workforce. The ultimate goal is to foster employee loyalty.
The webinar will cover the following topics:
·   How millennials differ from past generations in terms of career and company loyalty
·   How to design, plan, and monitor a benefits package that is attractive to your workers
·   Tips on how to communicate and encourage participation in your benefit offerings
·   How prices for healthcare options have changed in recent years.
Register here.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
11 am to noon CST
Consider a Skills Gap Analysis for Your Staff
Conducting a skills gap analysis is the first step necessary to address skills gaps, develop skills in your existing workforce, and guide your approach to recruitment to ensure you will have the talent needed. Offered by HR Morning.
Register here.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
3 - 3:45 p.m. CST
Clinic Operations in the New Normal
The COVID-19 crisis has become the ultimate test of management and leadership. This sudden, dramatic upheaval has resulted in changes to day-to-day management of clinic operations. As clinic managers during this unprecedented time, we especially need and value the support of one another.

Through this interactive moderator and panel format we will learn and share:
- Insights from clinic managers regarding new, effective clinic processes
- Workplace safety tips for patients and staff
- When and how to bring your patients back into your clinic
- Embracing telemedicine and how to maximize the benefits for your patients and clinic.
Register here.
Funding Opportunities
Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program
The Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program aims to increase the number of health care jobs in the state and expand access to high-quality medical care for Mississippi residents by encouraging health care-related businesses to locate or expand in Health Care Zones in the state. The program provides eligible businesses with an accelerated, 10-year state income tax depreciation deduction, and a sales tax exemption for equipment and materials purchased from the date of the project’s certification until three months after the facility is completed. In addition, the program allows counties and cities, at their discretion, to grant a property tax “fee in lieu” for 10 years for any certified project with an investment of more than $10 million or a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption.
 
ELIGIBILITY: Medical service providers, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities, may also benefit from this program.

To qualify for this incentive, health care-related businesses must commit to create at least 25 full-time jobs and/or invest $10 million and must locate in a  Health Care Zone  within the state.
 
More information on the Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program can be found  here .

New Markets Tax Credit Allocation Awards Announced: Capital Fund Receives $50 Million
Recently, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund announced the awardees  for New Markets Tax Credits, intended to stimulate investment and economic growth in low-income urban and rural communities. Capital Fund received a $50 million award , one of 76 Community Development Entities (CDEs) to receive awards nationwide.

This award will enable Capital Fund to increase lending to health centers seeking to finance facilities and operational growth to better serve their communities and expand access to care.
 
If your health center needs additional funding for an upcoming expansion or renovation project, Capital Fund may be able to help.
Grants with ongoing deadlines can be found here .
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