On December 20, the President signed two spending bills that fund the federal government through September 30. Discretionary funding for Community Health Centers will remain at FY2019 levels while discretionary funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) will increase from $105 million in FY2019 to $120 million in FY2020. The FY2020 Appropriations Legislation also extends mandatory funding for Community Health Centers and NHSC through May 22, 2020. Founded by … [Read more...]
The Passing of Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan
December 2, 2019 by
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan. He was a public servant, author, advocate, and champion who spent a lifetime working for a more just approach to health care. He started his medical career as a civil rights doctor in the summer of 1965 in Holmes County, Mississippi. He was one of the earliest National Health Service Corps physicians and later led the program and the HRSA Bureau of Health Professions. He served as the Secretary of Health for … [Read more...]
Vision Van 2019
November 26, 2019 by
Each year, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) partners with an organization that has a mobile vision clinic to provide free vision screening and glasses (if needed) to underserved communities across the United States. In 2019, ACU teamed up with Vision To Learn to provide free vision exams and glasses to children who do not have access to vision care. Thanks in part to a grant from the Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare, ACU is able to address the immediate needs of … [Read more...]
NHSC 50th Anniversary Gala
November 26, 2019 by
For half a century, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has helped reduce health workforce shortages and ensure that all Americans have access to quality primary care services. The program began as a part of the Emergency Health Plan Act of 1970, to bring qualified providers to Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and since its inception, the NHSC has an alumni of over 50,000 providers who have cared for millions of patients in underserved communities. In honor of 50 years of … [Read more...]
Committees
September 26, 2019 by
ACU offers opportunities for members to be involved in the organization’s decision-making through our Board of Directors and as members of our standing Committees. Participation on ACU’s committees enables members to communicate their specific issues and discuss opportunities for ACU to make a positive difference. We have three standing Committees: ProgramsPolicy & AdvocacyMembership Members: Please click here to log in and join the committees of your choice. For more information … [Read more...]
2019 Annual Conference
August 22, 2019 by
Conference Synopsis The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) 2019 Annual Conference was centered around the impact of strong health care teams in underserved communities. This conference featured workshop sessions, poster presentations, and guest speakers who introduced exciting and insightful ways to create and maintain strong health care teams serving at-risk populations. Topics for this conference included: Suicide and Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Primary … [Read more...]
2019 Conference Slides
July 23, 2019 by
GENERAL SESSIONS Gary Puckrein - "Addressing the Social Determinants of Health"Paul Huschilt - "Humor, Resilience and Change"Margaret Flinter - "Creating the Workforce Team"Abayasekara slidesTorey Mack - "Federal Workforce Policy Update"Kennedy slides MONDAY Workshop Session 1 (10:45AM – 12:00PM) Decreasing Maternal Child Health Disparities Through Systems Redesign and Shared Decision MakingPrescribing Creativity to Heal Physician BurnoutHandoutZero Overdose: Managing Your Population … [Read more...]
Additional Resources for Suicide Prevention
July 2, 2019 by
Routine Screenings and Assessment in Primary Care: Step 1: Establish a training plan to support all staff in adopting suicide safe communication strategies. Step 2: Identify comprehensive screening tools like the PHQ-9 and C-SSRS. Step 3: Establish a policy to screen all patients over the age of 12 using a standardized screening tool. Step 4: Establish protocol for responding to positive depression screens and/or answers of “yes” to question 9 on the PHQ-9. Step 5: If possible, update your … [Read more...]
Suicide Prevention in Primary Care
June 19, 2019 by
Addressing Suicide Prevention for Underserved Patients Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and the suicide rate continues to increase. Contrary to popular belief, mental illness or depression account for less than half of suicide deaths in the United States. The main factors that contribute to suicide deaths include: relationship problems, substance use, physical illness and chronic conditions, job loss, and financial troubles. The link between suicide and the … [Read more...]
ACU Mourns the Loss of Dr. David Hartzband
May 9, 2019 by
We at ACU are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Dr. David Hartzband. Dr. Hartzband served as the director of technology research for the RCHN Community Health Foundation, a close partner of ACU, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the Foundation and his family. We appreciate the gracious notice of his life and impact sent out by the Foundation, and we will miss hearing his immensely thoughtful contributions to our organization. Dr. Hartzband attended every ACU annual … [Read more...]
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