On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, staff from all eight Federally Qualified Health Centers in Rhode Island, Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Comprehensive Community Action Program, East Bay Community Action Program, Providence Community Health Centers, Thundermist Health Center, Tri-County Community Action Agency, WellOne Primary Medical & Dental Care & Wood River Health, along with staff from the Narragansett Indian Health Center and other partner organizations participated in a full-day Emergency Preparedness Workshop hosted by the Rhode Island Health Center Association.

Participants were provided with an overview of Emergency Management Programs, informed of the latest workplace safety standards and compliance measures and participated in knowledge sharing and collaboration through promising practices sharing and roundtable discussions among peers.

Co-facilitators Marsha D. Williams (NYU School of Global Public Health) and Joseph Reppucci (Jensen Hughes Associates) delivered a table-top exercise which provided a hands-on opportunity for participants to apply their knowledge, evaluate and test current policies and procedures, and identify areas for improvement related to safety requirements, site security, and employee/workplace safety.

The agenda included the following presentations:

• Welcome & Overview: Emergency Management for Community Health Centers - Marsha D. Williams, Dr.PH(c), MPH, CBCP, New York University School of Global Public Health
• Navigating Workplace Violence Laws and Standards - Kenneth Montville, BPA, CHSP, Safety & Emergency Preparedness Manager, Enterprise Risk Management, Kent Hospital
• Modeling a Proactive and Patient Centered Security System - Scott King, Chief Safety Officer, New Bedford Community Health Center
• Table-top and Facilitated Discussion: Workplace Safety - Joseph Reppucci, MSEM, CEM, RI-CEM, EMT-AC, Lead Fire and Emergency Management Consultant, Jensen Hughes & Marsha D. Williams, Dr.PH(c), MPH, CBCP, New York University School of Global Public Health

RIHCA hosted a 5-week virtual training for RI FQHCs

Core Competencies for CHC Managers and Supervisors

Wednesday Mornings, February 28 – March 27, 2024

Hosted by Rhode Island Health Center Association & Maine Primary Care Association
Facilitated by Lisa Mouscher, CEO & Lead Trainer, Sogence Training and Consulting

This training provided a highly interactive management skills training for both health center managers and supervisors in the areas of coaching, communications, engagement and interviewing, among others.

Click HERE for more information

This training took part as a two-part series.

View session one HERE
View session two HERE

View and download supplemental materials, including the UDS Manual HERE

Questions? Gail Stout gstout@rihca.org

Thank you supporting high-quality care and attending RIHCA's 2023 Annual Meeting

Click HERE to view the event slide show
Click HERE to view the program

Annual Award Recipients
Congratulations again to our award winners who exemplify the community health center mission:

Representative Megan Cotter, RI District 39
John H. Chafee Healthcare Leadership Award

Elizabeth Lynch, LICSW, Thundermist Health Center
RIHCA's Clinical Leadership Award

The Board of Directors of WellOne Primary Medical & Dental Care
Jane A. Hayward Citizens Award

2023 Program Highlights
We were honored to have House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi open the meeting and thank him for his on-going commitment to community-based primary care.

Alison Croke, President & CEO, Wood River Health; Cristina Pacheco, MD, CMO, Blackstone Valley Community Health Care; and Merrill Thomas, President & CEO, Providence Community Health Center provided us with some sobering information about the impact of the health care workforce shortages.

Even though Senator Jack Reed was unable to join us in person, his recorded comments reminded us of our federal delegation’s strong support.

Joe Dunn of the National Association of Community Health Centers highlighted the urgency of action at the federal level as community health center funding is set to expire. View Mr. Dunn's presentation HERE

All of our speakers, directly or indirectly, urged us all to advocate so that all Rhode Islanders, regardless of income, insurance status, of language spoken can continue to access high-quality primary health care!

We look forward to working with you over the next twelve months to tell our story!

When: April 10, 2024
Time: 8:30am-1:00pm
Where: Crowne Plaza, 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, RI

Click HERE for additional information and registration

Certified Application Training

When: The last Wednesday of every month
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 PM
Where: RI Health Center Association

Certified Application Counselors

The Rhode Island Health Center Association (RIHCA), under its contract with Healthsource RI (HSRI) and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), is offering Certified Application Counselor (CAC) training and subsequent certification to employees of interested agencies. I believe your agency’s clients may benefit from these services.

The Certified Application Counselor Program is a volunteer program for those interested in providing unpaid, in-person application assistance to consumers who want to enroll in health insurance through HealthSource RI. There will be no form of payment from HealthSource RI or the Rhode Island Health Center Association, or any other entity, to the agency or the Certified Application Counselor for this work. Certified Application Counselor agencies must commit a minimum of two individuals in order to be considered as a Certified Application Counselor Agency.

Individuals will receive training from RIHCA and be required to successfully complete a certification test. We are currently having CAC Training Classes on the last Wednesday of every month until further notice, please check with me to see if there is still availability for that month.

Click HERE to Apply- Please return applications to Ssousa@rihca.org