2025 Policy & Issues Forum (P&I) Call for Abstracts

**Important Note: New Abstract Submission System**

NACHC has implemented a new conference management system. Therefore, you must create a new user account to submit an abstract unless you submitted an abstract for the 2024 CHI, FOM/IT, and/or NACHC Partner Conference and have set up an account. Please read the following details and then click the Join Now button below to get started.

Deadline: August 16, 2024

The 2025 NACHC Policy and Issues Forum (P&I) is where the change-makers and thought leaders in the Health Center Movement gather momentum and focus on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Health center leaders from around the country – doctors, nurses, CEOs and consumer board leaders –will descend on the halls of Congress, share their stories and underscore that long-term sustainability is essential to meet the growing demand for care.

About the Education Program:

NACHC anticipates offering at least thirty (30) 60-minute workshops, and up to four (4) four-hour post-con sessions during the 2025 P&I. This year, we are looking for sessions that 1) align with NACHC’s Six Strategic Pillars, and 2) position health centers as the Employer, Provider, and Partner of Choice (EPPOC) for primary care and advancing health equity:

• Partner of Choice: Position health centers as the partner of choice among all healthcare stakeholders to catalyze innovation and improve health. Healthcare Stakeholders = Patients, Providers, Payers, Purchasers, & Policy Makers.
• Employer of Choice: Position health centers as the employer of choice by identifying strategies and best practices to educate, recruit, and retain a high-quality, resilient, diverse, and culturally competent workforce that represents the people we serve.
• Provider of Choice: Positioning health centers as the provider of choice for all patients (and payers) across the lifespan through the provision of comprehensive, high-quality primary care that delivers on the Quintuple Aim with equity in the center.

Important Call for Abstract Dates

• August 16, 2024: Completed submissions are due by 6:00 PM ET.
• September 2024: Abstract review period
• October 2024: Education program announced: abstract submitters will be notified via email

Education sessions will feature best practices and innovative solutions in the content areas below:

• 340B Compliance and Policy: For decades health centers have participated in the 340B program supporting critical comprehensive services to the patients that need it the most. As federal grantees, health centers have unique challenges related to the 340B program. This track will provide a deep dive into 340B compliance and policy topics specifically from the health center perspective. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity for peer-to-peer learning and networking with others in the 340B community.
• Advocacy and Mobilization: From the grassroots to the grass tops, mobilizing health center advocates must be a priority for all. This track educates and equips learners with the essential skills necessary for sustained messaging and action on policy and legislative issues critical to the survival and growth of the Health Center Program as well as community organizing efforts to build power in the health center movement.
• Health Center Essentials: Understanding the basic elements of the Health Center Program is essential in providing whole-person care. This track highlights foundational concepts in finance and operations, program compliance and performance improvement, and health care access for special and vulnerable populations, and racially and ethnically diverse communities.
• Health Center Governance: A strong patient-majority, community-based board that understands its role and effective governance practices is better able to govern and help the health center adapt and thrive in the complex health care environment. This track focuses on health center board roles, good governance practices, and highlights emerging issues that impact governance. While these sessions are geared towards board members, staff who work with boards may also find them useful.
• Policy Analysis: How are recent changes in policy impacting your health center? This track identifies policy issues and the implications on the Health Center Program, site operations, funding, payers and program/reimbursement requirements, in addition to understanding and applying the latest health center research demonstrating health center value. Finally, this track will explore policy levers that promote accessible whole-person care as well as the role of policy in addressing health inequities.
• Value-Based Care/Payment Innovation and Transformation: Some health centers are in varying stages of using innovative approaches to transform care and advance toward value-based models of care and payment. Each stage along the continuum will impact the provision of whole-person care and improve health equity. Understanding what transformation means to your health center and state is a critical part of the practice transformation process. This track delivers education and peer dialogue on the changing health care delivery system including a variety of value-based care models, reimbursement via accountable care models, managed care contracting, and alternative payment methodologies.
• Workforce Investment in the Future: Are you investing in your health center’s staff and leaders today to build and maintain a high-performing, compassionate health center workforce that delivers high quality, cost-effective, patient-centered care for the foreseeable future? This track explores resources, techniques, drivers, and models to recruit, retain, train and care for your workforce; highlights current trends that make this more necessary; and examines approaches to make the case for growing workforce investments.

Session Formats:

Workshop: A presentation by one or more speakers, or a panel discussion, followed by Q&A. These sessions should incorporate some interactive components for the audience (e.g. polling). Sessions will offer continuing education contact hours and be assigned a NACHC staff liaison to ensure compliance with accreditation and facilitate session coordination and review materials. NOTE: 2025 P&I workshops will be 60 minutes in length.

NEW in 2025: Post-Con Sessions: NACHC will offer up to four (4) four-hour sessions on Saturday, February 8 (8:30 am - 12:30pm ET). The intent of these sessions is to take a deep dive into topic with opportunities for attendees to engage in in-depth discussions and hands-on exercises.

Key Considerations:

• NACHC strongly prefers and prioritizes abstracts that include faculty representing community health centers of all sizes, Primary Care Associations (PCA), Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCN), and National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAPs).
• Sessions are encouraged to feature real-life examples and case studies of performance improvement, implementation, and innovation.
• An education session is not a sales or vendor marketing opportunity; rather, it should provide actionable and relevant information for health center leaders to apply in a vendor-agnostic session.
• All proposed faculty must be willing to commit and confirm their participation in-person.
• We will seek continuing education unit accreditation (CPEs for Accountants, CEs for all other health professionals) for all traditional education sessions that are selected.
• For-profit entities must partner with a health center or PCA/HCCN/NTTAP to be considered and session faculty must include these health center or PCA/HCCN/NTTAP partners.

Abstract Submission Selection Criteria:

• Does the abstract provide new information or ideas?
• Does the abstract directly relate to the category chosen?
• Does the session include a best practice that is replicable in other health centers? Can others use this innovation or practice?
• Does this session advance or contribute to NACHC’s Six Strategic Pillars?
• Does the session include health center, PCA, HCCN, or NTTAP faculty/presenters or demonstrate a plan to incorporate these perspectives in the session?
• NACHC may consider combining sessions based upon topic, session format, speakers, or other factors. NACHC will contact submitters if this affects any submissions.

Speaker Expenses:

At the time of publishing this call for sessions, no travel or hotel expenses will be provided to speakers. Speakers currently qualify for a $50 discount on conference registration fees and must register in order to participate beyond their individual session.

Terms:

• All abstract proposals will be reviewed by a committee composed of health center leaders and industry experts, with support from NACHC staff.
• The deadline for proposals is Friday, August 16, 2024, at 6:00 pm ET. We invite you to forward this form to your colleagues who might be interested in presenting at the 2025 NACHC Policy and Issues Forum.
• This is a competitive process. Due to the limited number of available education session slots, not all proposals will be accepted for conference presentations. Submitters will be notified of their abstract status in October 2024.

To review the submission requirements, click here.

Thank you for your continued support of NACHC and the professional development of the health center workforce!

For questions regarding the 2025 P&I Forum, please contact events@nachc.com.