Dear Colleague,
Last week, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved was excited to open registration for our 2023 Conference taking place on July 23-26 in Washington, D.C. as we continue to strive for health equity. As we prepare to convene to explore "Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities," we're also continuing our Call for Abstracts (deadline: this Friday!) and offering a host of new resources and trainings to support the health center workforce.
Read below to learn how to register or submit an abstract for #ACUConf and learn about new webinars to enhance employee health benefits and compensation equity at health centers; self-assessment tools and National Health Service Corps fact sheets; Black History Month and other JEDI resources; policy updates on 340B and the Public Health Emergency; and more below.
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Register Now & Save for Our 2023 Conference
Join ACU at our 2023 Conference, “Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities!” From July 23-26 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., our Conference will unite hundreds of clinicians, administrators, advocates, and health leaders from across the U.S. to explore expanding access to care and improving healthcare delivery for medically underserved populations. Register by June 9 for Early Bird savings on 20+ CME-accredited sessions, in-depth Pre-Conference Trainings, a dedicated Hill Day for advocacy visits, engaging keynotes from federal and industry leaders, networking, and more with us in D.C.! ACU Members and students receive considerable discounts.
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Our #ACUConf Call for Abstracts Closes Friday!
It's not too late: submit your workshop and poster abstract for our 2023 Conference by Friday, Feb. 10, for a chance to become part of our event agenda. Learn more and submit an abstract reflective of our theme, "Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities," for our Workforce, Clinical Practice, or Emerging Issues tracks now.
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Closing Friday: Submit a Conference Award Nomination!
Winners Receive Free Registration
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Exhibiting and Sponsorship Opportunities
Our 2023 Conference is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your organization to a diverse, engaged audience of healthcare professionals, organizations, and advocates working to improve care for medically underserved populations. Learn more about exhibiting at or sponsoring #ACUConf.
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Upcoming Webinar: Compensation Equity for the Mental Health Workforce
Tuesday, Feb. 28: 3-4 p.m. ET
A strong and thriving workforce depends on health centers' ability to cultivate a culture of financial wellness centered on compensation equity and pay transparency. Join ACU's STAR² Center as we explore the connection between compensation and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion principles; key concepts of compensation equity; how to prioritize transparency when assessing and implementing your CHC's compensation models; and more.
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New Webinar: Strengthening Employee Health Benefits for Retention & Resilience
Tuesday, Feb. 28: 1 p.m. ET
In the wake of COVID-19, unprecedented workforce disruptions have forced health centers to reassess and innovate to respond to new challenges in staff recruitment and retention. Based on a guide developed by ACU and Nonstop Administration and Insurance Services, this webinar will outline key strategies that administrators and HR leaders can take to sustain a strong CHC workforce by optimizing health and other benefits to improve health equity for patients and staff alike.
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Join Us for Remaining Webinars in Our Workforce Professional Development Series
Feb. 16 and Mar. 16: 2-3 p.m. ET
Don't miss the last two webinars in our STAR2 Center's monthly Workforce Professional Development Series. Register for one or both of these sessions to listen to workforce insights from the national, regional, and state levels to help you examine crucial workforce issues and bolster recruitment and retention at your health center. Did you miss the first two sessions or want to review? Access prior sessions on manager training and crafting job announcements in our archives.
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Call for Podcast Guests: Highlighting Workforce Resource Success Stories
ACU is seeking health centers and PCAs interested in being guests on the STAR2 Center Talks Workforce Success podcast series. If your organization has experienced success using our workforce resources, we want to talk to you. Perhaps our JEDI resources helped advance your workforce efforts or you successfully implemented a strategy gleaned from our webinars. Contact us to learn how you can be a guest and catch up on past podcast seasons.
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ICYMI: Discover the Actual Cost of Provider Turnover with Our Updated Resource
Provider turnover can be costly and time consuming for health centers—whether from direct costs like recruitment services or advertising or indirect costs of staff time. Use your organization's own data or the included national estimates to gauge the actual cost of turnover at your site with the STAR2 Center's customizable Financial Assessment for Provider Turnover Tool. Contact us with any questions and watch our recorded introduction.
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Further Workforce Resources
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Read Our Updated Fact Sheets on the National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
Read about the 50-year history and impact of the NHSC in our fact sheets. Our NHSC Program overview examines the Corps' programs, field strength, and funding history, as well as the NHSC's diversity and professions. Our NHSC Funding publication includes further information on the Corps' funding and examines the vital need to expand the initiative, which faces a funding cliff after FY2023. Join us as an advocate and raise your voice for the NHSC!
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Policy Roundup: A Setback for 340B, Medicaid Unwinding, & an Ending Public Health Emergency
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Join Us in Honoring Black History Month
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Read Our Statement on the Murder of Tyre Nichols
ACU condemns the murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, TN, and we reaffirm our commitment to JEDI and stand in solidarity with our Black and other marginalized communities and members as the U.S. grapples with this manifestation of the public health crisis of systemic racism.
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Welcoming Our Latest Member
We are excited to welcome MedLink Georgia as ACU's latest organizational member. Serving Northeast Georgia since 1976, this federally qualified health center provides patients with primary and preventive care services, behavioral health care, medication-assisted treatment, dentistry services, and more in 26 locations. Is your organization committed to health equity? Learn more about ACU membership and contact us.
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ICYMI: Read ACU's 2022 Annual Report
ACU recently released our yearly report showcasing selected accomplishments and programs from 2022. As ACU celebrated our 26th year, our community made powerful progress in our shared work for health equity, and ACU grew exponentially, debuting new programming, unveiling a new strategic plan, and more.
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HRSA Awards CHC Funding to Address Disparities in Cancer Screening and Follow-Up Care
HRSA awarded nearly $11 million to 22 health centers to improve access to cancer screenings and early detection services for medically underserved communities. Part of President Biden's Cancer Moonshot initiative, HRSA's investment will support patient outreach for early detection and screening, as well as assistance with accessing care. Congratulations to ACU Member Fair Haven Community Health Clinic for being a 2023 Accelerating Cancer Screening awardee!
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Early Bird Rate Available: Attend the HIMSS Global Health Conference at Member Rates
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Health Conference & Exhibition is the most influential health information technology event of the year, and ACU is excited to be a Collaborator of HIMSS23! ACU members receive the HIMSS member rate to attend. To register, visit HIMSS23 General Registration, sign in, and select the Collaborator tab. Choose your preferred HIMSS23 Pass and enter "ACU" as the Referring Collaborator to receive the HIMSS member rate.
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The Latest from ACU's Career Center
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Don't forget: ACU offers free vision care job posts for FQHCs and lookalikes. Learn more.
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HRSA Funding Opportunities
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Due: 2/23
Opening Soon
Due: 4/3
Due: 3/21
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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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