Dear Colleague,

With our 2023 Conference just weeks away, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) is renewing our focus on strengthening the health center workforce. This week, we're debuting new publications and toolkits on HP-ET programs, partnerships with minority-serving institutions, and more from our STAR2 Center, as well as engaging new podcast episodes. Learn about these resources, upcoming Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Suicide Safer Care trainings, funding opportunities, and more below.
Less Than Four Weeks Away! Join Us for Pre-Conference Trainings, In-Depth Workshops, & More at Our Conference
If you haven't registered yet, there's still time to sign up for our engaging 2023 Conference, “Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities!” #ACUConf will unite hundreds of clinicians, administrators, advocates, and health leaders on July 23-26 in Washington, D.C., to explore how to improve access to and quality of care for medically underserved populations. Plan your trip with our new schedule-at-a-glance and sign up for 20+ CME-accredited sessions, Pre-Conference Trainings on the CHC workforce and JEDI, a dedicated Hill Day for advocacy, networking, exciting keynotes from public health leaders, and more! ACU Members and students receive significant discounts.
Join Us for a Dedicated Day of Advocacy on Capitol Hill at #ACUConf
As funding for CHCs, the National Health Service Corps, and other programs hangs in the balance, effective advocacy to advance health equity is crucial. Join ACU for advocacy visits as Hill Day returns to our 2023 Conference, which will also feature dedicated advocacy sessions! Indicate your interest in attending Hill Day by signing up during registration by June 30, learn more and find session descriptions in our brief FAQ, and join us at #ACUConf to learn how to couple advocacy with practice to further health equity.
More About #ACUConf
New Resource Focuses on Developing HP-ET Programs to Address Provider Shortages
Ongoing healthcare provider shortages have highlighted the need for Health Professions Education and Training (HP-ET) programs. Understanding what roles are in demand now and in the future is critical to assessing what type of HP-ET can most benefit a health center. Learn about projected workforce needs based on National Health Service Corps Vacancy Data and the options available to develop or sustain HP-ET programs to meet these needs in the ACU STAR2 Center's latest publication.
C-Suite Toolkit: Learn How to Use HP-ET Programs for Recruitment and Retention
HP-ET programs provide the opportunity for health centers to recruit, develop, and retain their workforce by exposing health and allied health professions students, trainees, and residents to education and training programs. The ACU STAR2 Center's new toolkit is designed to help C-Suite leaders learn strategies for developing, supporting, and strengthening HP-ET initiatives as part of workforce retention and recruitment planning.
New Publication Explores Partnering with Minority-Serving Institutions for Recruitment
Building a representative workforce that mirrors the patient population can strengthen patient trust, further a sense of belonging, and support programs that are more effective in reaching and engaging community members. Partnering with minority-serving colleges and universities is one path for achieving greater diversity. Our STAR2 Center's new paper helps human resources professionals and health center leaders understand how to identify and collaborate with minority-serving educational institutions.
In Case You Missed It: Latest White Paper & Blog Post Explore the Topic of Pay Equity
Pay equity is crucial to a strong and effective workforce, but implementation is often complex. The ACU STAR2 Center's new white paper examines current literature detailing organizational processes and practices that champion compensation equity and provides a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a pay equity audit. Additionally, our recent Allying for Health Equity blog post highlights steps organizations can take to address inequities in their compensation structures.
Listen to New Episodes of the STAR2 Center Talks Workforce Success Podcast Series
Two new episodes are available in the fifth season of our workforce podcast series. Waimānalo Health Center shares their approach to recruitment and retention and the successful implementation of strategies learned at a STAR² Center workshop in Episode 22. In Episode 23, the Director of the Pennsylvania Primary Care Career Center talks about the tools and strategies that health centers can use with the support of PCAs to work toward workforce success. Don't miss these episodes or our past seasons.
ACU & On Belay Health Solutions Are Partnering to Advance Health Equity through Value-Based Care
ACU recently began a partnership with On Belay Health Solutions (On Belay) to support providers to reconnect with their mission, save health centers vital revenue, and help drive health equity for underserved communities through value-based care. Learn more about the initiative to help CHCs better adopt value-based care to increase resources and improve their ability to address health inequities for their patient populations, and find out about the exclusive assistance from On Belay that is now available to ACU Members.
Join Our Free JEDI Learning Collaborative on Building Organizational Commitment to JEDI
Apply by Friday, July 7
ACU invites you to join our JEDI Learning Collaborative, "Establishing Organizational and Leadership Commitment to Equity and Inclusion," starting in July 2023. Tailored to administrative and clinical leaders who want to establish or enhance JEDI efforts in their organizations, this series will offer leaders a space to learn, apply JEDI principles to their work in measurable ways, and engage with peers. Over five bi-weekly sessions, healthcare leaders attending this learning collaborative will learn about JEDI action plans and much more.
Further JEDI Resources
Learn About Suicide Prevention in Primary Care for Students & Clinicians in Our Webinar
Tuesday, July 11: 2-3 p.m. ET
Many clinicians working in primary care settings receive little education in suicide prevention, but each visit represents a potential opportunity to intervene with patients at risk: nearly half of all patients who end their lives by suicide visit PCPs in the month before their passing. Join ACU, the American Association of Teaching Health Centers, and the National AHEC Organization for a webinar to learn how to identify patients at risk, assess severity, and implement evidence-based micro-interventions in primary care.
National Clinician Consultation Center Presents Webinar on Aging, Substance Use, and Cognitive Health
Thursday, July 13: 12-1 p.m. ET
Substance use disorders are a significant public health concern for the growing population of older adults. Join the National Clinician Consultation Center in partnership with the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau and Bureau of Primary Health Care for this session exploring how aging and cognitive impairment intersect with substance use. Learn practical strategies for how to adapt screening assessment and treatment for older patients with substance use disorder.
Don't Forget: Apply by July 20 for HRSA's New Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
The Health Resources & Services Administration is still accepting applications for a new Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program. Eligible clinicians providing pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or youth mental and behavioral health care including substance use disorder treatment services may apply for up to $100,000 in loan repayment aid in exchange for working full-time for three years at a Pediatric Specialty LRP-approved facility. Learn more and apply by July 20.
Deadline Approaching: Apply for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery LRP
There are just two weeks left to apply for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program. Licensed, full-time SUD professionals and support staff can receive up to $250K in loan repayment funding in exchange for six years of providing direct treatment or recovery support to patients suffering from substance use disorder at an approved facility. Learn more and submit applications by July 13.
New from ACU's Career Center: CMO at HealthLinc Community Health Center in Valparaiso, IN, and More
Our Career Center is an excellent resource for job seekers or organizations seeking to hire quality staff to serve medically under-resourced populations. ACU Members get premier access by logging in to our member portal and using the discount code. This week, ACU is excited to highlight a new Chief Medical Officer position with our member HealthLinc Community Health Center in Valparaiso, IN, as well as:

Don't forget: ACU offers free vision care job posts for FQHCs and lookalikes. Learn more.
What We're Reading
Publications & Resources
Webinars & Collaboratives
From the Blog
Policy Updates
ACU is here to help: if we can do anything to better support your work to improve care and advocate for patients living in historically marginalized communities, please contact our Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly with any feedback.
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