Dear Advocate,

The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved stands at the forefront of advocacy to address our nation's clinical workforce crisis. This week we hope you will stand with us as we advocate on Capitol Hill for the vital importance of the National Health Service Corps and share unprecedented loan repayment and scholarship opportunities from the NHSC and Nurse Corps. Learn more about these and other opportunities, including our $25,000 vision care grants for health centers, below.
ACU Board Member Shelley Spires to Testify at the Senate HELP Subcommittee Hearing: Watch Live Tomorrow!
Exciting news: ACU Board Member Shelley Spires, CEO of Albany Area Primary Health Care, will testify on behalf of ACU tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. ET before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security. The hearing, "A Dire Shortage and Getting Worse: Solving the Crisis in the Health Care Workforce," is intended to inform the committee on the realities of working in underserved communities, of providing care to underserved populations, and of the many challenges to recruiting and retaining clinicians to work in underserved communities. Watch the live event tomorrow: Ms. Spires will represent ACU's work and mission well as she speaks about these issues and the vital importance of the National Health Service Corps in addressing our nation's clinical workforce shortage.
Apply by Next Week for NHSC & Nurse Corps Loan Repayment and Scholarship Opportunities: More Will Receive Aid Than Ever Before
Don't miss your chance to apply for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment aid and Nurse Corps scholarships: applications close May 27 and May 26, respectively. ACU is excited to join Dr. Luis Padilla, NHSC Director, in sharing this unprecedented opportunity: with historic funding through the American Rescue Plan, these programs will award more clinicians and scholars in 2021 than ever before. If you are pursuing a career in primary care and/or are a clinician at an eligible site (even one with a previously uncompetitive HPSA score), this is the year to apply! Help us spread the word about this historic opportunity – share ACU's communications and social media posts with your network to help spread the word!
Learn More from Dr. Luis Padilla, NHSC Director
Clinicians: Apply Now for Historic Loan Repayment Opportunities
Join the Largest Class of NHSC & Nurse Corps Awardees in History
Deadline Approaching: Apply by May 31 for Our Eye Health and Vision Care Program Grants for Health Centers
Numerous barriers hinder underserved patients' access to eye and vision care. Health centers are uniquely positioned to provide these services, but many FQHCs lack the resources to deliver them. ACU is partnering with the Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare to offer $25,000 grants to FQHCs to help organizations start or expand permanent, comprehensive vision care programs. Apply by May 31.
Learn How One Leader Built a Diverse Workforce at Her Health Center in Our Podcast
We must strive to build workforces at health centers that not only serve but are reflective of their communities. Rosa Agosta, Chief Talent and Learning Officer for Urban Health Plan of New York, discusses her experience with advancing FQHC workforce diversity in the second episode in our STAR² Center Talks Workforce Success podcast's Chief Workforce Officer season. Listen to the conversation, read the transcript, discover other episodes, or read our CWO Toolkit.
Don't Miss the Final Session in Our Building an Inclusive Organization Webinar Series Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET
If you missed the first sessions in our STAR2 Center's Building an Inclusive Organization webinar series, it's not too late to register for our final session tomorrow, May 20, at 1 p.m. ET. It is crucial for health centers to take active steps to develop more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforces and adopt anti-racist practices. Learn how Public Health - Seattle & King County began its own DEI journey with ACU's STAR2 Center and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council in tomorrow's webinar.
Join the ACU Team: Apply to Become Our New Program Director
ACU is seeking a Program Director to join our team! ACU leads a variety of initiatives to increase access to care, address healthcare needs, and share best practices for delivering care to underserved populations. The Program Director will lead two of ACU's largest initiatives: the annual ACU Conference and our Eye Health and Vision Care Program. As ACU continues to grow, this individual will also help guide and grow new programming.
Welcoming Our Latest Members
ACU is proud to welcome the newest members of our community: Swope Health in Kansas City, MO, Community Health Care Systems, Inc., in Macon, GA, and the Montana Primary Care Association in Helena, MT. Are you or your organization committed to achieving health equity for the underserved? Learn about ACU membership, contact us, or join us today.
New Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program Opens in 2021
Offering up to $250,000 in aid in exchange for six years of full-time work at an approved facility, the upcoming Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) aims to help address the growing need for SUD treatment workers grows across the U.S. This opportunity will offer assistance to diverse healthcare workers at approved facilities, including physicians, APRNs, clinical support staff, and paraprofessionals. Learn about eligibility and sign up to be notified when applications open.
HHS Announces $3 Billion in Funding for SAMHSA Block Grants to Address Addiction, Mental Health
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will distribute $3 billion in American Rescue Plan funding as part of its Community Mental Health Services and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant programs. This will coincide with the creation of a new Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. Learn more at HHS.gov.
New CAHIMS Grant Offers Opportunities for Minority Health Information and Technology Professionals and Students
HIMSS Global Health Equity Network and the HIMSS Foundation are offering a new grant to provide underrepresented health information and technology professionals and students with preparation materials and financial aid to attain Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CAHIMS) certification.
Whether in our advocacy, programs, or trainings, ACU remains here to support you in shared work to improve quality and access to care for patients in underserved communities. We depend on your guidance to improve the effectiveness of our work: please contact our Executive Director Amanda Pears Kelly with any suggestions. Thank you for all that you do.
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