Association Of Clinicians For The Underserved Inc

ACUS MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP THOSE CLINICIANS WHO SERVE THEM. OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, CLINICAL TOOLS, ADVOCACY, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND PATIENT EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

CLINICAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE BUREAU OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, OUR SOLUTIONS, TRAINING, AND ASSISTANCE FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION (STAR2) CENTER IS THE LEADING NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WORKING TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN A ROBUST HEALTH CENTER WORKFORCE BY PROVIDING RESOURCES, TRAININGS, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR HEALTH CENTERS, PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATIONS, HEALTH CENTER CONTROLLED NETWORKS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STAR2 CENTERS 2021 ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: * 73 TRAININGS* 16 SESSIONS IN LEARNING COLLABORATIVES, * RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DATA PROFILE DASHBOARDS* THOUSANDS OF DOWNLOADS OF THE STAR2 CENTERS DIGITAL RESOURCES AT CHCWORKFORCE.ORG.JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION INITIATIVES - ACU STRIVES TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (JEDI) BOTH INTERNALLY AND THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH CENTER WORKFORCE. INTEGRAL TO OUR MISSION, ACUS JEDI PROGRAM DEVELOPED A NEW TRAIN-THE-TRAINER CURRICULUM TO BUILD JEDI CHAMPIONS AT HEALTH CENTERS WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNER, CENTENE, AND UNVEILED A NEW TOOLKIT AND WEBINAR SERIES IN 2021. ADDITIONALLY, THE JEDI INITIATIVE HAS ESTABLISHED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED HEALTH TO BUILD ENGAGING CONTENT AND LEARNING COLLABORATIVES FOR CLINICAL LEADERS AND WILL FORMALLY LAUNCH IN EARLY 2022. EYE HEALTH & VISION CARE - HEALTHY VISION IS CRUCIAL TO OVERALL HEALTH, BUT MANY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES HAVE LITTLE ACCESS TO EYE HEALTH AND VISION CARE. ACU IS LEADING THE CHARGE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE U.S. SUPPORTED BY THE CENTENE FOUNDATION FOR QUALITY HEALTHCARE, ACU PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS TO HELP 12 HEALTH CENTERS START OR EXPAND SERVICES IN 2021.

IN THIS MONUMENTAL YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION OF CLINICIANS FOR THE UNDERSERVED (ACU) GREW EXPONENTIALLY AS OUR STAFF AND NETWORK RAISED OUR ORGANIZATION TO NEW HEIGHTS. WE EXPANDED PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND BUILD RESILIENCEAND WE RETURNED TO OUR ROOTS WITH A NEW INITIATIVE TO HELP PREPARE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS MEMBERS TO WORK IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. WE DOUBLED DOWN ON OUR COMMITMENT TO HEALTH EQUITY, WEAVING JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION INTO ALL THAT WE DO. AND WE INTENSIFIED OUR ADVOCACY, ULTIMATELY SECURING HISTORIC FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS IN 2021. MEMBER & CONSTITUENT SERVICES - ACU REPRESENTS CLINICIANS AND ORGANIZATIONS AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. IT IS UNIQUE AMONG HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS IN FOCUSING ON THOSE WHO SERVE THE UNDERSERVED AND IN PROVIDING A NATIONAL NETWORK FOR CLINICIANS, STUDENTS AND ADVOCATES. ACU HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL HOME FOR THOSE DEDICATED TO CARING FOR THE UNDERSERVED, TO HEALTH EQUITY, TO GROWING AND IMPROVING OUR NATIONS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND TO TRANSFORMING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES INTO THRIVING COMMUNITIES. WE RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT OUR MEMBERSOUR ADVOCATES, PARTNERS, AND COLLEAGUESARE DOING EVERY DAY TO CARE AND ADVOCATE FOR THE UNDERSERVED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND ADVOCACY TO BETTER SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS. ACU MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS RECEIVE REGULAR UPDATES ON CLINICAL RESOURCES AND POLICY UPDATES.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS - SUICIDE SAFER CARE - IN 2021, ACU IN COLLABORATION WITH CONCERT HEALTH COMPLETED THE FOURTH YEAR IN THE LARGEST EFFORT IN HISTORY TO TRAIN PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS IN SUICIDE PREVENTIONTHE SUICIDE SAFER CARE (SSC) PROGRAM. SUPPORTED BY OUR PARTNER, CENTENE, THE SSC PROGRAM PROVIDED RESOURCES FOR, AND INSTRUCTED NUMEROUS HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN, EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES TO PREVENT SUICIDE. IN 2021, SUICIDE SAFER CARE EXPLORED FOUR FOCUS AREAS THROUGH NATIONAL TRAININGS AND PUBLICATIONS: PEDIATRIC SUICIDE PREVENTION, GERIATRIC SUICIDE PREVENTION, THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON SUICIDALITY, AND ADDRESSING THE RISK OF SUICIDE IN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE - IN 2021, ACU BEGAN A NEW CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE (COE) INITIATIVE TO IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES AND STANDARDS FOR HEALTH CENTER EXCELLENCE IN CARE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, THE COE PROGRAM SOUGHT TO DETERMINE FRAMEWORKS FOR EXCELLENCE AND TO CREATE RESOURCES TO HELP CHCS ACHIEVE THEM. ACUS COE PROGRAM EXPLORED BEST PRACTICES IN JEDI; SUICIDE PREVENTION IN PRIMARY CARE; EYE HEALTH AND VISION CARE; AND WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION THROUGH LITERATURE REVIEWS, STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, AND RELEVANT RESOURCES TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF BRIEFS WHICH WILL BE UNVEILED EARLY IN 2022.2021 ACU VIRTUAL CONFERENCE - TO SAFELY CONVENE OUR COMMUNITY, ACU HELD ITS SECOND VIRTUAL CONFERENCE, MISSION: HEALTH EQUITY, ON NOVEMBER 1-2, 2021. THE EVENT EXPLORED INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ELIMINATE HEALTH INEQUITIES BY ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC PRACTICES LEADING TO POOR HEALTH IN BLACK, INDIGENOUS, LATINX, ASIAN, LGBTQIA, AND OTHER MINORITY AND INTERSECTIONAL GROUPS. IN ADDITION TO 23 EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, THE EVENT OFFERED TWO DAYS OF NETWORKING AND REFLECTINGINCLUDING GENERAL SESSIONS RANGING FROM A TESTIMONY ON ACUS 25-YEAR HISTORY PRESENTED BY DR. BARBARA F. BRANDT TO AN EXPLORATION OF HEALTH INEQUITIES AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE FROM DR. DAYNA BOWEN MATTHEW.POLICY AND ADVOCACY - ACU IS THE NATIONS LEADING ADVOCATE FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS, SPEARHEADING THE EFFORT TO PROTECT AND SECURE FUNDING FOR THIS AND OTHER VITAL PROGRAMS TO THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. ACU ALSO WORKS TO LIFT THE VOICES OF OUR PATIENTS AND CLINICIANS ON CAPITOL HILL, ADVOCATING TIRELESSLY FOR HEALTH EQUITY AND TO MAKE OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM MORE INCLUSIVE, RESPONSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE.