Dear Colleague,
This week, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) is mobilizing advocates to preserve funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), which ends in just 191 days. Learn how you can take action to support the NHSC below, and read on to find new resources to bolster the health center workforce including upcoming trainings on collaborative care and innovations in addressing social determinants of health, an onboarding checklist for health centers and latest edition of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, loan repayment opportunities, and more.
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Take Action: Ask Your Representative to Support Funding for the National Health Service Corps
Funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) ends in 191 days, and we need your help to preserve it! ACU was the lead endorser and advocate for recently introduced bipartisan legislation to fund the NHSC, but without a strong showing of Congressional support, there is no guarantee that the Corps will receive funding beyond Sept. 30 (the end of fiscal year 2023). We need your help: contact your House Representative NOW and urge them to support the continuation of at least $175.6 million in discretionary funding for the NHSC in the FY24 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Learn more, access talking points, and lend your voice to support a vital program making care possible for more than 21 million people in medically underserved areas across the U.S.
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Register for Pre-Conference Workshops on Racism and Health, the Health Center Workforce, & More at Our 2023 Conference
ACU's 2023 Conference, "Transformation: Elevating Care, Clinicians, & Communities," will kick off on July 23 with two in-depth, half-day workshops on racism and health and how managers/leaders can improve retention at health centers. Register now to learn best practices on how providers can discuss racism's impact on health with their patients and to better understand the crucial role of managers and leaders in retaining employees. Stay tuned for our full Conference agenda, and register by June 9 for Early Bird savings on 20+ CME-accredited sessions, a dedicated Hill Day for advocacy, engaging keynotes, networking opportunities, and more! ACU Members and students receive considerable discounts.
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New Webinar Explores Best Practices for Using Collaborative Care in Health Centers
Wednesday, April 5: 12-1 p.m. ET
Collaborative Care is an evidence-based model to identify and treat patients with depression and anxiety in healthcare settings and is used in hundreds of health centers across the U.S. to help improve patients access to behavioral health. Join ACU and Dr. Virna Little, CCO and Co-Founder of Concert Health, for this free webinar to learn more about the Collaborative Care model, how to educate leadership about its clinical and financial benefits, and best practices for optimizing this model at your organization.
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Don't Miss the SDOH Academy's Upcoming Innovation Webinar Series
April 11 and 18: 2 p.m. ET
The Social Determinants of Health Academy (SDOH) invites you to celebrate innovation and register for a two-part webinar series in April recognizing the exceptional work of health centers in addressing SDOH. A panel of experts will discuss what innovation means, how to address barriers to implementing programs focused on SDOH, and the future of this important work.
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View Recent Webinars on Representation in the Healthcare Workforce and Value-Based Care
The ACU STAR2 Center's Workforce Professional Development Series concluded last week with a webinar exploring the importance of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare professionals. Recordings and slides for this and other webinars in the series are now available. Additionally, our recent webinar with On Belay detailed how health centers can advance health equity using value-based care (VBC). View the recording to learn how embracing VBC can improve margins, improve quality of care, and foster health equity.
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In Case You Missed It: Explore Best Practices with Our Health Center Onboarding Checklist
ACU's STAR² Center recently released a new Health Center Onboarding Checklist that provides a structure and process for welcoming and integrating new hires at CHCs. Read the checklist to learn about the importance of onboarding, its components, and how to apply justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout these processes. The checklist also includes editable templates that you can easily modify to meet your CHC's needs.
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Further Workforce Resources
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Welcoming Our Latest Member
ACU welcomes WellSpace Health as our latest organizational member. Caring for patients throughout the Sacramento, CA, region since 1953, WellSpace Health offers a full range of quality medical care, dental care for children and adolescents, and behavioral health services to medically underserved populations using a people-first approach. Is your organization committed to health equity? Learn more about ACU membership and contact us.
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In Case You Missed It: ACU's Latest Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved Highlights Black Healthcare
The February edition of ACU's Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved celebrates Black History Month with a focus on Black health and healthcare. This edition explores social determinants of health and technology access; causes and consequences of redlining and lead poisoning; PTSD and depression in Black women; and much more. ACU Members can log in to our member portal for free access to this and all JHCPU issues.
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National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program & Scholarship Applications Are Open
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Providers in Underserved Communities Invited to Apply for UDN Course
Healthcare providers and researchers, particularly those caring for medically underserved populations, are invited to apply for an Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) course to be held on May 10, 2023. This virtual training aims to teach methods of undiagnosed patient evaluation to students, clinicians, and researchers so that they can apply them at their own institutions. Providers working primarily in medically underserved communities are eligible for discounted registration through April 1.
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The Latest from ACU's Career Center
Our Career Center is an excellent resource for job seekers or healthcare 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 highlighting the following positions:
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Don't forget: ACU offers free vision care job posts for FQHCs and lookalikes. Learn more.
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For Clinicians
Vot-ER
Due: 4/1
Due: 4/25
Due: 4/27
For Health Centers
Due: 4/3
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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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