WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – Two new policy research briefs analyze health centers’ growth over the past two decades and Medicaid’s role in propelling and sustaining that growth. The analyses chronicle federal health center growth initiatives pursued by Republican and Democratic Administrations alike, as well as the 2011 retrenchment in the growth trajectory. The studies also document the relationship between more expansive Medicaid coverage policies for low income adults and more robust health center size, staffing, and patient care capacity. The analyses are a collaboration between GW’s Geiger Gibson Program and the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

A new feature in the George Washington University Newsroom profiles RCHN Community Health Foundation President and CEO Julio Bellber and his commitment to Community Health Centers.

 
“When we think about the growing demands health reform will place on community health centers (assuming that we are thinking about community health centers at all – and we should be) we tend to think about the shortage of primary care doctors in underserved communities, and the increasing numbers of soon-to-be-insured patients needing such care.”….
“There’s another aspect to the community health center workforce – one that, frankly, I had never thought about until I got a release about a set of grants a few weeks ago from a small foundation that focuses on community health.”

This article in AHCJ’s “Covering Health,” is focused not only on RCHN CHF’s entry level workforce initiative grants, but on encouraging journalists to cover community health center stories and workforce issues, and to learn about the innovation in CHCs.

“Charles B. Wang CHC Gets $200K Workforce Training Grant.” 

 

Five community health centers will share in nearly $1 million in grants from a New York City-based foundation to help develop and pilot local approached to ensure an adequate workforce is available to meet the increasing demand expected as a result of the health overhaul law. The RCHN Community Health Foundation has a new initiative designed to help the nation’s 1,200 community health centers prepare for the growth that’s expected in the coming years.

read more via CQ Healthbeat

The Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center is joining the Tri-County Workforce Alliance (TCWA) to train the next generation of medical workers

"Being awarded this grant is exceptional because it gives the SIHB the opportunity to focus on the recruitment and retention of American Indian/Alaska Native employees in the health care field. We are one of only five agencies awarded (only AI/AN organization) and we are excited about the opportunity to grow the skills of our people.”

Hear the coverage on RCHN CHF’s grant to Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) as part of the Entry Level Workforce Initiative.

Phil Michael, president of the Board of La Clinica Health Centers in Oregon, writes in the Mail Tribune about the role of CHCs in providing high quality cost effective care for the community. Citing a 2010 study from the Geiger Gibson RCHN CHF Research Collaborative (Strengthening Primary Care to Bend the Cost Curve, Brief #19, June 2010) he estimates the savings for La Clinica's patients, underscoring the importance of continued support for CHCs.

RCHN CHF Project Coordinator Amelia Goff is featured in the Community Health Corps. Blog. Read “New Community HealthCorps Alumni Spotlight is now shining on Amelia Goff!” here.

In “Managing the Influx of Data” , FTN summarizes the presentations at the October 5th health information technology briefing “ Unlocking the Value of Health Data: Transforming Care Using Information Securely to Improve Efficiency and Quality, Advance Biomedical and Health Systems Research, and Promote Population-health.” This briefing was part of the Capitol Hill Steering Committee on Telehealth and Healthcare Informatics Series. Dr. David Hartzband, RCHN CHF’s Director of Technology Research, discussed the importance of efficient management of large-scale data sets.

TUCSON - The El Rio Health Center is one of five community health centers in the country to receive a grant to help fight childhood asthma.

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – As a federal appeals court considers the legality of Texas’ family planning “affiliation regulation,” a new report provides a preliminary assessment of the impact of the Texas rule on preventive care access by low-income women.

“An Early Assessment of the Potential Impact of Texas’ “Affiliation” Regulation on Access to Care for Low-income Women,” released by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative, reports on the impact of Texas’ “affiliation rule” on access to cancer screening, preventive health care, and family planning services by low-income women. Specifically, the report finds that the affiliation rule – which would bar Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) clinics from participating in the state’s Medicaid expansion family planning program because of their affiliation with an entity that performs and advocates for legal abortions – jeopardizes access to care for nearly 52,000 low- income women.

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – Two new policy research briefs analyze health centers’ growth over the past two decades and Medicaid’s role in propelling and sustaining that growth. The analyses chronicle federal health center growth initiatives pursued by Republican and Democratic Administrations alike, as well as the 2011 retrenchment in the growth trajectory. The studies also document the relationship between more expansive Medicaid coverage policies for low income adults and more robust health center size, staffing, and patient care capacity. The analyses are a collaboration between GW’s Geiger Gibson Program and the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

WASHINGTON – The Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services announces the 2012 winners of the distinguished Emerging Leader award at its 8th annual symposium, held at the National Association of Community Health Centers Policy and Issues Forum on Saturday March 24th, 2012. 

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK— The Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, in collaboration with the RCHN Community Health Foundation, has announced the establishment of the Julio Bellber Fellowship in Community Health Policy Research. The Fellowship, named in honor of RCHN Community Health Foundation’s President and CEO, is part of a $1.75 million gift from the Foundation to the School of Public Health and Health Services’ Department of Health Policy announced in June, 2011. This is the second of two major gifts from the Foundation, which help support the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy in the School’s Department of Health Policy.

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – A new report titled, “Role of Community Health Centers in Providing Services to Low-income Women,” released today by the Geiger Gibson /RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative in the Department of Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services examines the significant role community health centers (CHCs) play in providing services to low-income women of childbearing age (defined as age 15-44)

Community Health Centers Face Challenge and Opportunity 

 Local Health Center Will Expand Training and Job Opportunities
Wai’anae, HI – The Wai’anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC), a network of primary health care centers with locations in Wai’anae Nanakuli, Waipahu, and Kapolei, was awarded a $199,995 grant as part of a major national initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care.

Local Health Center Serving American Indian and Alaska Native Patients in Seattle Will Expand Training and Job Opportunities
Seattle, WA – The Seattle Indian Health Board was awarded a $148,749 grant as part of a major national initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care.

Foundation Makes Grants to Train and Retain Entry-Level Workforce Needed to Expand Community Health Center Capacity Under Health Reform
New York, NY – A major initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care was announced today by the RCHN Community Health Foundation (RCHN CHF), the only national foundation dedicated solely to supporting community health centers. The foundation’s Health Center Entry-Level Workforce Recruitment and Retention Initiative is designed to help the nation’s 1,200 community health centers prepare for substantial growth in the next few years. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health centers will play an expanded role in delivering care, and more than thirty million additional Americans, many of whom are expected to seek services at community health centers, will obtain health insurance coverage.

State’s Largest Community Health Center Will Lead Effort Focused on Training and New Career Opportunities for Maine’s Health Care Workforce
Bangor, ME – Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) was awarded a $199,952 grant as part of a major national initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care. The grant was announced today by the center and the RCHN Community Health Foundation (RCHN CHF), the only national foundation dedicated solely to supporting community health centers. The foundation’s Health Center Entry-Level Workforce Recruitment and Retention Initiative is designed to help the nation’s 1,200 community health centers prepare for substantial growth in the next few years. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health centers will play an expanded role in delivering care, and more than thirty million additional Americans, many of whom are expected to seek services at community health centers, will obtain health insurance coverage.

Local Health Center Serving Asian-American Communities in Manhattan and Queens Will Expand Training and Job Opportunities
New York, NY – The Charles B. Wang Community Health Center was awarded a $200,000 grant as part of a major national initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care.

Health Center Will Educate Local Students about Health Care Careers, Provide Internship Opportunities
Clarksdale, MS – The Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, located in Clarksdale, was awarded a $199,948 grant as part of a major national initiative to recruit, train, and retain the entry-level employees required by community health centers to deliver high-quality health care. With the foundation’s support, the Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center will increase recruitment and improve retention of entry-level workers by implementing an educational and mentoring program for students interested in the health professions.

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – A new data chart book titled, “Results from the 2010-11 Readiness for Meaningful Use of HIT and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Survey,” released today by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, provides unique insight into the status of electronic health record (EHR) and health information technology adoption among community health centers. Derived from a nationwide survey of health centers, the results showed that 69 percent of health centers have adopted EHRs, with 45 percent of them being fully electronic at all sites. This outpaces the 2010 EHR adoption rate among office-based physicians, estimated at 51.5% by the National Center for Health Statistics. Additionally, 81 percent of health centers currently without EHRs reported that they planned to implement one within the next 12 months.

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK -- A new report titled, "A Natural Fit: Collaborations Between Community Health Centers and Family Planning Clinics," released today by the Geiger Gibson /RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services examines the financial and long-term health impact of collaborations between Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and family planning clinics. The researchers found that building formal affiliation arrangements between community health centers and family planning programs has the potential to improve access to comprehensive care while drawing on the expertise of both types of safety net providers.

CHroniCles, a dynamic, multi-media website dedicated to the living history of the community health center movement, launches today. The site, a special project of the RCHN Community Health Foundation and the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, aims to document the vibrant, varied and important stories of health centers across the country through a web-based portal of narratives, photographs, videos and other materials.

Feygele Jacobs, the EVP and chief operating officer of the RCHN Community Health Foundation,  will participate in an upcoming panel discussion  devoted to  “Strengthening Your Incumbent Clinical Workforce.”   Her presentation is entitled,  “Supporting Health Centers through Workforce Development” and addresses  CHC challenges and opportunities related to the entry level workforce.

The 8th Annual Geiger Gibson Symposium, which celebrates the achievements of health centers and commemorates the groundbreaking work of Drs. H. Jack Geiger and Count Gibson, founders of the U.S. health centers movement and pioneers for health and human rights, will take place on March 24 at 10:30 am, at the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Policy and Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. The meeting is the largest gathering of health center clinicians, executive directors, State and Regional Primary Care partners, board members and advocates on record. The annual Geiger Gibson Symposium is dedicated to highlighting the role of health centers in advancing community health through service and advocacy. This year’s keynote speaker, Thomas E. Perez, J.D., M.P.P., Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Right Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, will deliver remarks focused on community health and civic engagement.

Presented by:

• Merle Cunningham, M.D., M.P.H., Visiting Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Certificate Program in Community Health Center (CHC) Management in the Department of Health Services Management & Leadership, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.
   
• Gil M. Muñoz, M.P.A., Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center (Cornelius, OR)
   
• C. John Torontow, M.D., M.P.H., the Associate Medical Director for Medical Informatics at Piedmont Health Services, Inc., (North Carolina) and the lead provider at Piedmont’s Siler City Community Health Center.

Health information technology holds the promise of helping us to improve the quality and efficiency of care. This webinar will focus on our recent report “Results from the 2010-11 Readiness for Meaningful Use of HIT and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Survey (November 3, 2011).” Derived from a nationwide survey of health centers, the data provide unique insight into the status of electronic health record (EHR) and health information technology adoption among community health centers. Among the findings are that 69 percent of health centers have already adopted EHRs, with 45 percent of them being fully electronic at all sites. While survey findings show that adoption of HIT has been embraced as a health center priority, cost and staffing challenges remain to be addressed to support full implementation of HIT, clinical practice development, and recognition of health centers as medical home. The key report findings will be presented by Dr. Merle Cunningham, lead author of the chartbook . He will be joined by discussants Dr. John Torontow ( Piedmont Health Services, Inc., NC) and Mr. Gil M. Muñoz (Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, OR) who will address the experiences of their health centers in achieving the adoption and meaningful use of HIT.