Policy & Issues Forum 2021

Boards of directors play a vital role in the overall success and sustainability of health centers. This segment will review the roles and responsibilities of the board. It will also include discussion of the legal duties of board members and the importance of the board-CEO partnership. This section will include some discussion of the board’s oversight of the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program.

Providing quality health care services is central to the mission of health centers. The governing board has a critical role in providing oversight of the quality assurance and quality improvement program. This segment defines quality and discusses the board’s oversight role related to quality.

The board is responsible for safeguarding the organization’s assets. This segment covers the establishment of financial priorities for the health center, budget approval, internal control policies and procedures, long-range planning, financial statements, and the audit.

This segment will begin with an introduction to advocacy for board members. It will also include a brief wrap up of the program overall. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect on items they will take back to their boards or implement to make themselves a more effective board member.

Sponsored by BKD. Click into the BKD Virtual Showcase in the Sponsor Directory to join this informative session.

Sponsored by eClinicalWorks. Click into the eClinicalWorks Virtual Showcase in the Sponsor Directory to join this informative session.

Sponsored by Cardinal Health. Click into the Cardinal Health Virtual Showcase in the Sponsor Directory to join this informative session.

The impact of COVID-19 on communities served by health centers has been profound, and this is acutely the case for homeless populations, residents of public housing, and migrant and seasonal farmworkers. These “special populations” – as defined in the 330 Statute – are served specifically, and in some cases solely, by community health centers. Each of these populations faces unique challenges in accessing testing, treatment, vaccines, and care during COVID-19. This session will showcase National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAPS) focused on homeless populations, farmworkers, and residents of public housing. Taking the form of a moderated panel, NTTAPs will highlight how health centers serving special populations approached COVID-testing, continue to provide access to care (whether through telehealth or in-person visits), and are rolling out vaccinations. NTTAPs will also highlight the unique, strategic decisions special population health centers have to make and consider – whether financial, operational, or clinical – when responding to COVID-19.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities, such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. Through the pandemic, health centers have struggled to maintain a workforce to meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients. This session will highlight opportunities to meaningfully incorporate community health workers into community health centers’ workforce to help support the innovation required to move passed COVID-19. The Biden administration recognizes the value in deploying CHWs in assisting with the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and working with community health centers to reach as many Americans as possible. For CHWs to have sustainable opportunities, it is imperative for programs like Medicaid to provide sustainable funding to support the long-term success. The session would include the executive director from the National Association of Community Health Workers, a PCA, and United Health.

Senior staff from HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) will provide updates on policy and programmatic developments related to health center funding, compliance, oversight, UDS, FTCA, quality measurement, COVID-19, and related issues.

Maurice Denis, Associate Vice President, Membership and Marketing, NACHC, Master of Ceremonies Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., Executive Director of Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, will deliver the keynote address at NACHC’s 2021 Virtual Policy & Issues Forum in March. As a nationally recognized health care and public health leader and policy expert who has been at the forefront of major federal health policy negotiations, including the Affordable Care Act, Dawes will discuss the critical bridge between social and political determinants of health and its potential to bring about greater health equity and ultimately, better health outcomes for marginalized people and communities.   Dawes currently leads several major health equity projects, including several intended to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color such as the national COVID-19 resiliency network (NCRN), established through a cooperative agreement between the HHS Office of Minority Health and Morehouse School of Medicine, as well as a project with Google.org, CDC Foundation and Gilead Sciences to create the nation’s first health equity tracker.   Dawes is the author of two groundbreaking books: 150 Years of Obamacare and the Political Determinants of Health, which have received critical acclaim from all sides of the political spectrum. 2021 Leader Sponsors

This session will provide a clear rundown of the 2021 Health Center Policy Agenda and advocacy strategy. It will be the main opportunity for advocates to hear this year’s “asks” and to dialogue with NACHC Policy and Advocacy staff about how best to carry our collective message forward. Tips and information on how to effectively communicate our agenda to Members of Congress and their staff will be highlighted. Best practices for virtual meetings with Members of Congress will also be provided. Don’t go into your virtual meetings unprepared - this is your best opportunity to prepare for your virtual Hill visits and hone your skills to be a more effective advocate.