In 2019, NAMD and NACHC convened a workgroup of eight State Medicaid Directors and State PCA leaders to systematically explore priority areas and identify opportunities for collaboration at the national and state levels. Through quarterly meetings and other engagements, this workgroup has held discussion on COVID-19 and childhood vaccine challenges, state telehealth policies, the state Medicaid budget landscape, value-based payment and quality of care/clinical measures, among others. Looking ahead in 2021, the state Medicaid environment will face immense opportunities and challenges due to the pandemic, the new presidential administration, and state budget pressures. This session will include a briefing from NAMD staff on the current environment, a joint workgroup briefing, and related discussion from a PCA leader and their respective State Medicaid Director.

Congressional Management Foundation research shows that grasstops advocates (sometimes referred to as "key contacts" or "ambassadors") have a great deal of influence on their policymakers' decisions. A majority of congressional staff in a CMF survey showed "less than 10 emails" would get their attention if they were sent by someone who claimed to represent more constituents (connected to a nonprofit, association, or company in the district/state). While being an ambassador has its advantages, consistently engaging policymakers can be difficult to fit into a grasstops advocate's already busy life. This presentation will teach local advocacy leaders the skills needed for any advocacy operation to be effective; how to find community allies to help advance policy priorities; strategies for mapping connections to policymakers within their personal and professional networks; and how to adjust communications to resonate with any public official.

COVID-19 has resulted in additional funding for Health Centers. As frequently happens with new federal funding, the compliance environment evolves with the latest frequently asked question (FAQ) updates, new reporting guidelines, and documentation standards. While the environment is changing, that does not mean Health Centers can wait passively for a perfect future date to begin taking compliance seriously. In this session, we will provide an update on the current grant management environment. We will share what we know, what we do not know and provide insight into how the compliance environment is evolving. We can be certain that things will continue to change, but this session will provide confirmation for some, ideas for many, and motivation for others. Compliance is a required part of this funding, and ignorance is not an excuse that the Office of Inspector General (OIG) accepts. We are entering the phase of accountability for this funding, and we want you to be prepared.