Dear Colleague,
Since their inception, health centers have been at the forefront of efforts to advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in care, and fostering inclusive work environments and improving services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual (LGBTIA+) individuals is a vital component of that work. In June, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved is honoring Pride Month and our community's ongoing initiatives to better recognize the diverse intersections of identity in which our patients and providers live.
Find ACU and partner resources on fostering inclusivity for the LGBTIA+ healthcare workforce and patients, as well as important Conference and NHSC funding updates, a new JEDI Learning Collaborative, Pay Equity white paper and value-based care webinar, new funding opportunities, and much more below.
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View Our Webinar on Improving CHC Retention & Recruitment for LBTQIA+ Individuals
As part of our Recruitment & Retention of Specific Populations webinar series, ACU's STAR² Center shared insights from the field to help organizations create more inclusionary and welcoming organizations for LGBTQIA+ employees. View the archived webinar and slides to learn ways that health centers can create a more robust and supportive LGBTQIA+ responsive workforce by implementing inclusive practices, taking steps to eliminate implicit bias, best practices for community outreach, and more.
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More Resources on LGTBQIA+ Healthcare & Workforce |
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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.
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ACU Presents on Inclusive Healthcare at the CMS Health Equity Conference
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Early Bird Rates EXTENDED: Register by Friday, June 23, for Pre-Conference Trainings, Workshops, and More at #ACUConf
If you missed the deadline, you still have time to save on registration ACU's 2023 Conference: we've extended Early Bird rates to Friday, June 23! Our engaging Conference, “Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities,” 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 under-resourced populations. Browse 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, and more! ACU Members and students receive major discounts.
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With a Debt Ceiling Crisis Averted, NHSC Funding Still Hangs in the Balance
With mere days to spare, President Joe Biden averted a looming U.S. federal debt default by signing the Fiscal Responsibility Act into law on June 3. The legislation keeps FY24 non-defense discretionary funding relatively flat and allots a 1% spending increase in FY25, which actually represents a budget cut as the rate of inflation will likely be higher than the spending increase. In short, this means that the National Health Service Corps will not see an increase in discretionary funding for the next two years. This makes supporting legislation to increase the Corps’ mandatory funding—such as the Restoring America’s Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act—even more critical. The campaign to #SavetheNHSC isn’t over yet, and we need your voice as ACU continues our advocacy: stay tuned and join us as an advocate!
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Further NHSC & Policy Resources
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Join Our New Webinar: Navigating the Path to Value-Based Care: Insights for FQHCs
Wednesday, June 28: 12-1 p.m. ET
Join ACU and On Belay Health Solutions for a new office hours-style webinar on how health centers can make the transition to value-based care. Led by Dr. Scott Early, Co-Founder of On Belay and a seasoned expert with over 25 years of experience working with health centers, this session will provide actionable next steps for FQHCs embarking on their value-based care journey. Whether you're curious about value-based care or considering implementation, the webinar will offer an essential overview and invaluable opportunity to get your questions answered.
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ACU Enters Health Equity Partnership with On Belay Health Solutions
The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) is pleased to recently begin partnering with On Belay Health Solutions (On Belay) in a new initiative to support providers to reconnect with mission, save health centers vital revenue, and help drive health equity for underserved communities. Through the partnership, ACU and On Belay will help CHCs better understand and adopt value-based care to increase resources and improve their ability to address health inequities for their patient populations.
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New White Paper Explores Why Pay Equity Means Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value
Pay equity ensures that employees receive equal pay for work of equal value, and the modern workforce expects a timely and sincere commitment to these principles from their employers. The ACU STAR2 Center's newest publication examines existing 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.
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New Blog Post: "Pay Equity Is Here, and It Is Time for Employers to Answer the Call"
It is vital for employers to commit to pay equity. But while the concept itself is straightforward, its execution can be complex. Written by Dr. Michelle Fernández Gabilondo, the latest post in ACU's Allying for Health Equity blog explores how to break the culture of secrecy regarding compensation with pay equity, highlighting strategies and resources including our STAR2 Center's white paper, CHC pay equity checklist, and more.
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Season Five of the STAR2 Center Talks Workforce Success Podcast Series Begins
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In Case You Missed It: Health Professions Education & Training (HP-ET) Financial Impact Assessment Tool
The ACU STAR² Center's new financial impact assessment tool can help your health center better understand how HP-ET programs can financially affect your organization and estimate the impact to staff development and satisfaction. Explore this resource to learn how to assess areas of greatest potential benefit and opportunities for improving the financial sustainability of HP-ET plans.
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Full Recordings of the 2023 Virtual Biennial Workforce Summit Are Now Available
ACU's STAR² Center recently presented the 2023 Virtual Biennial Workforce Summit in partnership with Community Health Center, Inc., and the National Association of Community Health Centers. Did you miss the Summit or want to review what you learned? You can now view archived presentations from both days of the event on workforce wellness, coaching and mentoring, forging partnerships, and much more.
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View Our Recent Webinar on Coaching and Mentoring Programs
Staff often enter new health center roles with the skills for their jobs, but not necessarily an overall understanding of the positions. Effective coaching can make a vital difference. View an archived webinar from ACU’s STAR² Center on the financial support needed for successful coaching and mentoring programs, strategies for implementing coaching as a tool that supports individuals' needs, and considerations for inclusive mentoring.
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Further Workforce Resources
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Join Our Webinar on Suicide Prevention in Primary Care for Students & Clinicians
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.
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ACU Member Finger Lakes Community Health Opens School-Based Health Center
ACU congratulates our Organizational Member Finger Lakes Community Health on the recent opening of a School-Based Health Center at Penn Yan Elementary. Healthcare providers at Penn Yan will provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services to students, helping to reduce absences and allow students to receive quality care in a familiar environment. Read more about this new facility and how it aims to make a difference to students and families in the Penn Yan, NY, community.
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NEW: Apply by July 20 for HRSA's New Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
The Health Resources & Services Administration is now 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, join an informational webinar on June 21, and apply by July 20.
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Deadline Approaching: Apply by June 22 to Become an NHSC-Approved Site
Apply by next Thursday to become a National Health Service Corps-approved site. These approved healthcare facilities provide outpatient, comprehensive primary healthcare services to patients in health professional shortage areas and can utilize the Corps' scholarship and loan repayment programs to recruit and retain clinicians. Learn more by watching a recent webinar on the application process and find out about site requirements.
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Don't Miss the July 13 Deadline to Apply for HRSA's Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery LRP
Applicants have just under a month 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.
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New from ACU's Career Center: Clinical Medical Director at Legacy Community Health in Beaumont, TX, and More
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Don't forget: ACU offers free vision care job posts for FQHCs and lookalikes. Learn more.
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Webinars & Collaboratives |
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New Learning Collaboratives:
Upcoming Webinars:
Archived Webinars:
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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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