Message from the CEO
Since joining CPCA in April 2022, I have been immersing myself in all aspects of the association’s work. I have traveled and met with many CPCA members, attended member-sponsored community events, participated in our Region IX Clinical Excellence & Leadership Conference and NACHC’s Community Health Institute Conference. I have also prioritized visiting our community health centers.
2022 Conference Updates
Region IX Clinical Excellence & Leadership Conference:
On June 26-28, CPCA and the Western Clinicians Network (WCN) hosted the 2022 Region IX Clinical Excellence & Leadership Conference at the beautiful Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. A wide range of health center staff convened to learn and share best practices on topics such as clinical leadership, clinical administration, quality improvement, social determinants of health and more!
Connected Community:
The Road to Annual Conference
In August 2022, CPCA facilitated a summer contest in our Connected Community forum, The Road to Annual Conference. Participants completed various assigned tasks and earned badges throughout the month. For each badge earned, they received an entry into a raffle. There were a total of 10 tasks and if participants completed all 10, they doubled their entries.
CPCA Supports Health Centers’ Response to Public Health Emergencies Including Securing a COVID-19 Vaccine APM
COVID-19 Response
Summer 2022 marked California’s third COVID-19 summer. Our collective response continues to get stronger with each passing month, driven by health centers’ resilience and determination to serve.
Alternative Payment Methodology (APM) Update
The FQHC Alternative Payment Methodology (APM) has been a decade in the making. It is an opportunity that is becoming reality due to the commitment, leadership, and collaboration of many stakeholders, including community health centers, CPCA, regional associations, state partners, and statewide associations representing managed care and public hospitals. The work to develop an APM that is attractive and impactful for Federally Qualified Health Centers continues in earnest. The final details of the APM are being negotiated via five APM Working Groups (chosen by the CPCA board) and are close to being finalized.
Expansion of CPCA’s Workforce Activities
CPCA committed to prioritizing workforce development as a core pillar of its strategic plan in 2016 and continues to live out this commitment every day. We dive deeper and deeper into the work to expand our scope and understanding. Through numerous conversations with community health center (CHC) leaders and partners, one thing is clear – the workforce shortages impact every discipline and almost every profession. As such, CPCA expanded its workforce activities over the years beyond the primary care workforce to also include behavioral health, oral health, and allied health staff at CHCs.
Medi-Cal Rx Update
Medi-Cal Rx Background
On January 7, 2019, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order (N-01-19) directing the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to transition all pharmacy services from Medi-Cal managed care (MCO) to Fee for Service (FFS). This pharmacy transition, or Medi-Cal Rx, went into effect on January 1, 2022. It’s important to note that the pharmacy transition did NOT end the 340B program, however in moving all pharmacy services into FFS, 340B-covered entities are no longer able to access 340B savings for Medi-Cal patients in the same way. This has resulted in a significant loss in funding that has impacted both patients and health centers.
CPCA Welcomes New Staff!
Joseph Cachuela, Esq., General Counsel
Dennis Cuevas-Romero, Vice President of Government Affairs
Raquel Henriquez, Dream Intern
Kevin Quach, Workforce Intern/Workforce Development Assistant
Jesus Torres, Data Intern/Program Coordinator of Data Science
Araceli Valencia, Program Coordinator of Health Professions Education
Walker Woodard, Oral Health and Risk Management Intern/Emergency Management Assistant
CPCA Program UpdateS
Leadership Equity Program
The Leadership Equity Program (LEP) was launched in January 2022 to support a cohort of emerging CHC executive leaders and to provide capacity for their respective executive teams to advance the vision of achieving just, healthy, and equitable communities across California.