Weekly E-Blast:  
Voicing the latest news on Communities in Need
In This Issue


Have news to share with us? Want to be featured on our next E-Digest? Want to read about something in particular? Please email us at aneeqa@machc.com. 
May 9, 2016
MACHC SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations
OrganizationCityAward Amount
COMMUNITY CLINIC, INC., THESILVER SPRING$1,000,000
PARK WEST HEALTH SYSTEMS INCORPORATEDBALTIMORE$1,000,000
TOTAL HEALTH CARE, INC.BALTIMORE$1,000,000

HHS Awards over $260 Million to Health Centers Nationwide to Build and Renovate Facilities to Serve More Patients
Today, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced over $260 million in funding to 290 health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico for facility renovation, expansion, or construction. Health centers will use this funding to increase their patient capacity and to provide additional comprehensive primary and preventive health services to medically underserved populations.
"Health centers are cornerstones of the communities they serve," said Secretary Burwell.  "Today's awards will empower health centers to build more capacity and provide needed health care to hundreds of thousands of additional individuals and their families."
These awards will allow health centers to renovate or acquire new health center clinical space to help provide care to over 800,000 new patients nationwide. This investment builds on the nearly $150 million awarded to 160 health centers for construction and/or renovation in September 2015. This funding comes from the Affordable Care Act's Community Health Center (CHC) Fund, which was extended with bipartisan support in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015.

PLAN AHEAD FOR....
National Health Center Week
August 7-13, 2016
Join NACHC next Wednesday, May 11th at 2PM ET for NACHC's annual planning webinar to kick-off National Health Center Week 2016. To register, click here . The kick-off webinar will feature Health Center speakers who will share best practices and tips on how to host a successful celebration during National Health Center Week. In addition to sharing some of the best Health Center Week planning tips, we are also launching a brand new advocacy initiative as part of the Campaign for America's Health Centers, so you won't want to miss our latest efforts!

MACHC HAPPENINGS
  
MACHC EVENTS
   
(1) REGISTER TODAY for... MACHC's Cultural Competency Conference (Pick one day) -
SPACE is limited!!!!!!!!
Dover Downs, DE
Thursday, May 19th AND Friday, May 20th, 2016

(2) 
Outreach & Enrollment Call 
Friday, May 20, 2016
11am- noon
1-866-740-1260 Access 4319483
Who: Outreach Staff
Discuss state updates, best practices, barriers/issues that need attention and provide any support and advocacy where needed.

(3) MACHC Clinical Informatics/Quality/Finance Conference 
Thursday, June 16th, 2016
Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD
Transformation inHealthcare Delivery: Shifting from Volume to Value
The Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers provides an opportunity for community health centers providers / clinicians and other safety net providers to receive professional development and ongoing education while networking with colleagues in the primary care settings across Delaware, Maryland and other states in the region. Transforming health care payment and delivery systems is essential in order to achieve improvements in health care quality and reductions in costs that are needed to achieve the Triple Aim.  This conference seeks to share information and educate attendees on concepts of volume to value in all four breakout tracks - Finance, IT, Clinical and Quality. This is a conference you will not want to miss!   Register Here
  • OTHER EVENTS

    • (1) Serving the Homeless Community: New Findings on the Impact of the ACA Medicaid Expansion  Register Here
    Tuesday, April 26 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET    
    The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion provided a significant opportunity to increase health coverage and improve access to care for individuals experiencing homelessness, who historically have had high uninsured rates and often have multiple, complex physical and mental health needs.

    (2) Take A Stand June 11, 2016
    The Westin Baltimore Washington Airport-BWI
    9:00 am - 1:30 pm  Register Here
    Lunch included
    One-time, FREE workshop on raising your clinic's adult immunization rates while streamlining your practice
     This workshop is a one-stop shop to help you easily implement standing orders in your practice.
     Using standing orders for adult immunizations can help your practice be a leader in quality adult care.
    Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to Plan Health Services in Health Center 

    (3) Program Grantees, With a Focus on Public Housing Primary Care Grantees - Wednesday, May 18, 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST -The use of GIS technology allows Health Center Program award recipients to identify neighborhood needs and assets, explore disparities in health, compare trends within a geographic region, and prioritize the use of limited resources.  This webinar will address Public House Primary Care grantees and the use of mapping software as a tool to analyze and utilize data to better serve residents in and accessible to public housing. Register here. 

    (4) SAVE THE DATE
    ParkWest's Janie B Geer Scholarship Fund Golf Classic Monday, August 8, 2016
    The Woodlands Golf Course
    2309 Ridge Road, Windsor Mill MD 21244 
    Emergency Preparedness Events: 

    SAVE THE DATE
    MACHC's ICD-400 Training 
    Facilitated by Duane Taylor, CEO MACHC    
    May 26th 2016  10:00 -12:00 p.m. EDT
    A webinar Outlook invite will be sent to Emergency Management staff
    If you would like to be included on the list of invites, please email Aneeqa Chowdhury (aneeqa@machc.com)
    This course provides training and resources for personnel who require advanced application of the ICS. This course expands upon information covered in ICS-100 through ICS-300 courses. These earlier courses are prerequisites for ICS-400.
    While FEMA provides standard course materials, this course is typically coordinated and taught in the field by State or other agencies. It is intended for senior personnel who are expected to perform in a management capacity in an area command or multi agency coordination entity.

    Get to Know Your Regional Coordinators!
    Please get in touch with your Regional Coordinators if you have not already done so and be more active in your Regional Coalition. MACHC has reached out to you in order to make sure you know who your coordinators are and has planned MINI GRANTS as incentives to help with travel for the Coalition meetings.
    You should already have their contacts in emails I have sent within this year numerous times. Please find them below: 
     
    Regions I and II Health Care Coalition 
    [Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington Counties]
    *VACANT*
    Allegany County Health Department
    12501 Willowbrook Road
    Cumberland, MD  21502
    301-759-5238 (Office)
    443-934-2232 (Mobile)
    301-777-2069 (Fax)
    alison.robinson@maryland.gov 

    [Baltimore City; Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties]
    *VACANT*
    Harford County Health Department
    120 S. Hays Street, Suite 230 
    Bel Air, MD  21014 
    410-877-1031 (Office)
    443-388-6290 (Mobile)
    Region IV 
    [Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties]
    Kristin McMenamin
    Kent County Health Department
    A.F. Whitsitt Center
    300 Scheeler Road, P.O. Box 229
    Chestertown, MD  21620
    410-778-4861 (Office)
    443-690-3091 (Mobile)
    410-778-4862 (Fax)

    Region V  Emergency Preparedness Coalition
    [Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's Counties]
    *VACANT*
    Office of Preparedness & Response
    Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
    300 W. Preston Street, Ste. 202
    Baltimore, MD  21201 
    casey.owens@maryland.gov


    Preparedness Resources 
    September is National Preparedness Month, a time for everyone to plan how to stay safe and communicate during the disasters that can affect your community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed resources that can help you spread the word about preparedness in your community.
    , and public service announcements. 
     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 

    How Prepared Is Your Community for an Emergency? 

    Download the kit checklist: 

    Family communication and evacuation plan: 


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    *** Look for the latest EP related updates RIGHT HERE!
    Policy, Advocacy and Legislation
    National News
    This report highlights why understanding local teen birth data is essential for helping communities direct evidence-based prevention efforts and resources to areas with the greatest need. It also underscores that community level interventions addressing the social conditions associated with high teen birth rates might reduce racial/ethnic and geographic teen birth disparities in the United States and highlights recent community-level efforts with promising results

    CMS Quality Payment Program 
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that offers new systems for paying doctors and other clinicians who are reimbursed under the Physician Fee Schedule. The proposed rule would make these changes through a single framework called the "Quality Payment Program," which has two paths: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs).    
    CMS is interested in public comment regarding the feasibility and advisability of voluntary reporting in the MIPS program for entities such as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Centers (RHCs), whose services are payable under FQHC and RHC payment methodologies and are excluded from MIPS payment adjustments. CMS is asking for comment on whether these safety net providers should have the option to voluntarily report on applicable measures and activities in order to remain in alignment with broader efforts under Delivery System Reform.  

    The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA) National Prevention Week is May 15-21-National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. Learn how your health center or community organization can get involved here. 

    The New York Times: F.D.A. Imposes Rules For E-Cigarettes In A Landmark Move
    After years of debate about the health risks of electronic cigarettes, the federal government on Thursday made it final: They need to be regulated and kept out of the hands of children. The Food and Drug Administration issued sweeping new rules that for the first time extend federal regulatory authority to e-cigarettes, banning their sale to anyone under 18 and requiring that adults under the age of 26 show a photo identification to buy them. The long-awaited regulations, 499 pages of them, shifted the terms of the public debate over e-cigarettes, putting the federal government's heft behind a more restrictive approach to the devices. 
    HHS recently released new guidance to clarify and update policies related to how states can improve access to Medicaid coverage and services for incarcerated individuals transitioning back into communities. A new blog addresses the guidance which strongly encourages state Medicaid agencies and correctional institutions to work together to enroll eligible justice-involved individuals in Medicaid, and provides clarification about enrollment processes and when federal Medicaid funds can be used to cover services provided to this population. For additional resources about justice-involved individuals and health coverage, see NASHP's toolkit featuring states' efforts to enroll justice-involved individuals in Medicaid. 

    More people have health care coverage, have a usual place to go for medical care and can more easily afford medical bills after the Affordable Care Act's provisions have taken effect, according to a new report by AHRQ. The 2015 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report and 5th Anniversary Update on the National Quality Strategy reflects gains in enrollment in qualified health plans through the Affordable Care Act's Health Insurance Marketplace as well as expanded Medicaid coverage that became available in more than half of the states. The report found that the rate of uninsured Americans under age 65 decreased from 18 percent to 10 percent. Hispanics showed the biggest gains in having a usual place to go for medical care, climbing from 77 percent in 2010 to 83 percent in the first half of 2015. The cost of health care coverage, meanwhile, became more affordable as fewer people reported having trouble paying medical bills within the past year. This year's report was the first to include an update on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Quality Strategy. For more information on the report, read AHRQ's press release, access an infographic that highlights findings and read AHRQ's new blog post

    Application cycle is now open!
    Clinical practice sites can recruit and retain providers who care about underserved communities by becoming an NHSC-approved site. The application cycle will close on June 7, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 
    Review the 2016 Site Reference Guide carefully to ensure your site meets all the requirements and to gather the required documentation.

    The Federal Tort Claims Act University (FTCAU): Washington, DC Campus is an innovative and new training conference that is being offered to members of the health center community. FTCAU provides a great opportunity for seasoned quality and risk management professionals and new professionals to learn from experts, leaders, and government officials about FTCA, healthcare quality and risk management, and related subjects. Over the course of two days, attendees will participate in interactive presentations and exercises that are specially geared toward health center grantees in Washington, DC, and surrounding states.
    Conference dates and times: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 8:00 am - 4:35 pm
    Wednesday, September 14, 2016 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
    To Register please visit, http://www.dcpca.org/events/federal-torts-claim-act-university-ftcau
    State News
    DELAWARE
    In the wake of the global "Panama Papers" scandal, President Barack Obama wants to give law enforcement officials access to more information about secretive shell companies in hopes of fighting crimes like money laundering and tax evasion, and Delaware's top state and federal leaders have his back.
    "Given our prominence in this area, we have a responsibility to be leaders in addressing the legitimate concerns that are raised, particularly by law enforcement," said Jeff Bullock, who as Secretary of State oversees Delaware's incorporation system.
    MARYLAND
    The odds that you've seen a doctor in the last year vary quite a bit depending on where you live - but so far, the way your state has implemented the Affordable Care Act doesn't seem to have much to do with it, government data show.
    A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 17.3% of American adults did not have a home base for their medical care in 2014, and 34% had not seen or talked to a doctor in the last year.
    But those figures ranged considerably from state to state.
    Residents of Vermont had the best access to medical care: 84.1% of them had visited or been in touch with a doctor in the past year, and 97.2% said they had a place to go if they needed medical attention.
    In four other states - Delaware, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Hawaii - at least 90% of residents had a medical home, and in two other states - Delaware and Virginia - at least 75% of residents had seen or talked with a doctor in the past year.
    Finance & Business
    Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell on Monday formally challenged the healthcare industry to finally fix issues with confusing medical bills, and the U.S. government is putting a cash prize behind the effort.Dubbed "A Bill You Can Understand" challenge, it calls on healthcare organizations, designers, developers, digital tech companies and other innovators to design a medical bill that's easier for patients to understand and to improve the overall medical billing process.
    Submissions will be accepted until August 10. Winners will be announced in September 2016 and will receive $5,000 each.Medical billing is confusing, since patients often receive bills from multiple hospitals, doctors, labs or specialists for the same episode of care. Because of this, patients complain that it's difficult to determine the bottom line of what they owe, what their insurance plan covers, and whether the bills are correct or complete.
    The
    Latest News on ACA
    OUR WORK CONTINUES



    CMS Assister Webinar Schedule
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the biweekly assister webinar schedule.  To sign up for the CMS Weekly Assister Newsletter, which includes the webinar schedule, send a request to the Assister Listserv inbox.  Write "Add to listserv" in the subject line and please include the email address that you would like to add in the body of your email.  The next webinars are scheduled:
    • Wednesday, May 25 at 2:00 pm

    Marketplace Announces 2017-2019 Open Enrollment Dates
    • 2017 Benefit Year (OE4): November 1st, 2016-January 31st, 2017 (coming up!)
    • 2018 Benefit Year (OE5): November 1st, 2017-January 31st, 2018
    • 2019 Benefit Year (OE6): November 1st, 2018-December 31st, 2018
    NEW: Ending Special Enrollment Period (SEP) Retroactive Coverage
    On April 1st,  the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance announcing that after March 31, 2016 the Marketplace will no longer be accepting new requests for Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for retroactive coverage back to 2015. All retro SEP requests received after this date will receive a max retro date of January 1, 2016.
    MACHC Conference Call Updates
    Marketplace Announces 2017-2019 Open Enrollment Dates
    • 2017 Benefit Year (OE4): November 1st, 2016-January 31st, 2017
    • 2018 Benefit Year (OE5): November 1st, 2017-January 31st, 2018
    • 2019 Benefit Year (OE6): November 1st, 2018-December 31st, 201

    Join MACHC's next Outreach & Enrollment Call ON FRIDAY, 
    May 20, 2016.
    We took a poll at the past conference call but would like to continue to ask you to submit the following: What would you like to included as part of Maryland & Delaware's Outreach & Enrollment assistance from MACHC? Please send Aneeqa Chowdhury an email at aneeqa@machc.com.

    Maryland--Call Center Note:
    Direct Line for Navigators and CAC to MHBE Call Center--Regarding the Call Center # 844-224-6762 It should be noted that: If you need customer assistance from the call center, CAC's should call this number.
    Grants & Funding Opportunities




    Ongoing Accepted Applications

    Application Deadline: None 
    Eligible state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations, including health centers, can obtain property that the federal government no longer needs through the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program.

    Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
    Funding for hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, healthcare, and education to those who are underserved. 

    Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
    Provides seed funding to emerging nonprofits, or to new projects of established organizations in the areas of education; environment; health and human services; and hunger and nutrition. Pennsylvania is one of 13 eligible states.

    Application Deadline:  Applications Accepted on an Ongoing Basis
    The Community Response Fund supports organizations, activities, and events that address access to needed oral health care and community resources that improve oral health. Programs that address an immediate response to an urgent issue that impacts access to clinical care, provide short-term access to needed care for the underserved, or sustain organizations experiencing short-term challenges are the focus. A limited number of program concepts that provide longer term solutions or essential services for particularly underserved populations will also be considered. The program will also support Missions of Mercy clinics.


    Rural Health Funding Opportunities

    Community Response Fund
    The Community Response Fund supports organizations, activities, and events that address access to needed oral healthcare and community resources that improve oral health. Programs that address an immediate response to an urgent issue that impacts access to clinical care, provide short-term access to needed care for the underserved, or sustain organizations experiencing short-term challenges are the focus. A limited number of program concepts that provide longer term solutions or essential services for particularly underserved populations will also be considered. The program will also support Missions of Mercy clinics.
    DEADLINE: ongoing basis
    ELIGABILITY: The DentaQuest Foundation makes grants to a variety of organizations that are engaged improving oral health. Grants are not made to individuals.
    CONTACT: Matthew Bond, Grants and Programs Manager: Matthew.Bond@DentaQuestFoundation.org 

    340B Peer-to-Peer Program
    The purpose of the 340B Peer-to-Peer Network is to connect 340B entities and stakeholders with high performing sites, called leading practice sites that have exemplary 340B pharmacy service offerings. These sites serve as guides for covered entities that are interested in improving patient care. This approach provides the opportunity for practice sites to reach their peers and strengthen the 340B program from inventory management to quality care initiatives.
    Sites that receive the status of a 340B Peer-to-Peer recognized site will be asked to dedicate two members of their team to share their expertise and leading practices - for a limited amount of time per month - with other safety-net organizations to help these organizations achieve results and establish sound business practices.
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: Peer-to-Peer annual stipends of $10,000/year
    ELIGABILITY: Applications must be submitted by a 340B entity listed on the Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) 340B database as a participating 340B entity.
    Healthcare Connect Fund
    The Healthcare Connect Fund provides funding to healthcare providers for telecommunications and internet access services, as well as network equipment, at a flat discounted rate of 65%. Participants can apply as a member of the consortium or a stand-alone entity.
     
    FUNDING AVAILABLE: Participants will receive a flat rate discount of 65%. There is an annual spending cap of $400,000,000.
    ELIGIBLITY: Rural public or nonprofit healthcare providers (HCPs) are eligible. Consortia may be comprised of both rural and non-rural HCPs. All consortia must consist of more than 50% rural participation within three years of receipt of the first funding commitment obtained through the HCF Program. Connections to, and equipment located at, eligible off-site data centers and administrative offices are eligible for support.
    CONTACT: rhc-assist@usac.org

    USAC Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program
    Health care providers are permitted to apply to receive reduced rates for a variety of telecommunications services under the Rural Health Care Program. Health care providers may seek support for multiple telecommunications services of any bandwidth and for monthly Internet service charges.
     
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: The level of support depends on the HCP's location and the type of service chosen. Health Care Providers are permitted to apply to receive reduced rates for a variety of telecommunication services under the RHCD program. HCPs may seek support for multiple telecommunications services of any bandwidth.

    As a result of recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action, health care participants may be eligible to receive a 25% discount on their monthly Internet service charges. These services are limited to the monthly Internet net access charge, monthly charges for web hosting and web addresses.
    ELIGIBILITY: Community health centers or health centers providing health care to migrants
    CONTACT: rhc-admin@universalservice.org

    Wells Fargo Corporate Giving Programs
    Wells Fargo supports nonprofit organizations that work on a community level in the areas of human services, arts and culture, community development, civic responsibility, education, environmental consciousness, and volunteerism.
    CONTACT: Ashley Williams -- Community Support Rep -- Wells Fargo
    ashley.l.williams@wellsfargo.com   

     
    Maryland Small Grants Program
    The Maryland Small Grants Program awards funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to poor and vulnerable populations.
    FUNDING AVALIABLE: Award Ceiling: $50,000
    CONTACT: Amy Kleine, Program Director, Basic Human Needs
    410-654-8500, ext. 268
    Email: akleine@hjweinberg.org


    Accelerating Community-Centered Approaches in Health
    Accelerating Community-Centered Approaches in Health will support innovative population health programs and policies that work to improve health at the community level, including the use of new financial models to achieve cost effective solutions.
    CONTACT: Phone: 248.643.9630
     

    Commonwealth Fund Health Grants
    The Commonwealth Fund promotes a high performing healthcare system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including people with low-incomes, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
    The Fund supports independent research on healthcare issues and makes grants to improve healthcare practice and policy. The Commonwealth Fund actively seeks to support projects on innovative approaches to addressing problems within its areas of focus.
    CONTACT: Email: grants@cmwf.org
    Phone: 212.606.3800

    USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program
    The USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program provides loans, grants, and loan guarantees for essential community facilities in rural areas. Priority is given to healthcare, education, and public safety projects. Funds may be used to construct, enlarge, or improve facilities.
    AVALIABLE FUNDING: Amount varies. Grants are authorized on a graduated scale. Applicants located in small communities with low populations and low incomes will receive a higher percentage of grants.
    CONTACT: Bill McGowan, State Director
    1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200
    Dover, DE  19904
    Voice: (302) 857-3580 www.rd.usda.gov/de
    www.rd.usda.gov/md
    PCMH Corner 
    Free PCMH Technical Assistance is Available through NCQA's Government Recognition Initiative Program (GRIP) Register here
    The National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) Live Open Forum will address questions related to PCMH 2014 standards, the application, and survey process. NCQA staff will respond to your questions. You may attend the Open Forum as many times as you need.
    Clinical Quality 
    Study Examines Medicaid Payment Programs Effect on Children's Immunization Rates
    A recent study found that children 19 to 23 months old who were enrolled in Medicaid pay-for-performance programs were 4 percent more likely to complete a recommended vaccination series. However, after analyzing a slightly broader age category-children 19 to 35 months old-the researchers found no overall effect on completion of a recommended vaccination series. These programs, also known as Value-Based Purchasing, reward physicians, hospitals and other health care providers for meeting certain performance measures for quality and efficiency. These programs are increasingly being used by state Medicaid programs to encourage high-quality care, but research on how the programs affect outcomes, such as childhood immunization rates, is scarce. More research is needed to fully understand the potential role of payments on improving vaccination rates, the authors stated. "Medicaid Pay for Performance Programs and Childhood Immunization Status" was supported in part by AHRQ and published online April 18 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine
    Health Observances This Week

      
    National Infertility Awareness Week
    The aim of ALS awareness month is to raise awareness about ALS, gather support for those affected by this condition and to encourage funding and research into a treatment or cure.
    ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease which destroys the ability to walk, speak, eat and breathe. ALS was first recognized as a disease in 1869, by Jean-Martin Charcot, a French Neurologist. However, ALS is sometimes referred as Lou Gehrig's disease; named after Lou Gehrig, a famous baseball first basemen, whose career was stopped in 1939 when he developed ALS at the age of 36. At that time, ALS was given widespread public attention due to the high profile of this baseball player.
    Raising Awareness About The Effects Of ALS
    ALS affects the body by attacking motor neurons (nerve cells) of the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons are cells which process and transmit signals which help to control muscles. Destruction of motor neuron cells leads to symptoms related to loss of muscle control. Typical symptoms of ALS include inability to walk, speak, eat and even breathe.
    As ALS is a progressive disease, more motor neurons are destroyed overtime worsening the symptoms. Difficulty breathing and swallowing are later symptoms; paralysis can also develop. After the onset of this disease, fatality usually occurs within 2-5 years.
    Healthy People In Their Prime Can Also Get ALS
    ALS typically affects people over the age of 40, including those who were previously enjoyed excellent health in the prime of their lives. Whilst ALS affects a minority of the population (in the US about 30,000 people have this condition), ALS is indiscriminate in the types of people who will be affected by it. Famous people who had ALS include NBA player George Yardley, Senator Jacob Javits and former vice president of the US, Henry Wallace.
    ALS can be devastating to both the person and to their friends and family. At present there is no known treatment or cure for ALS. If a cure or greater understanding of ALS is achieved, then it is likely that this will benefit research into related conditions like Parkinson's, Huntington's and Alzheimer's disease. There could be a similar underlying neurodegenerative condition in each of them.
    • donating money to help fight this disease
    • becoming inspired after reading and listening to stories about people with this condition
    • advocating for people with ALS
    • staying connected with ALS News and Updates
    • getting involved with various events to help raise awareness
    • participating in 'Walk to Defeat ALS'
    Has your FQHC joined the National Branding Campaign?

     

    With more than 43 billion people  eligible to enroll in private insurance starting this October 1, FQHCs strive to create an identifiable unifying identity for themselves. This is where the National Branding Campaign for Our Health Centers comes into place. 

    The campaign is a national branding effort to strengthen recognition of our Health Centers as a unified and nationwide network of quality community-based primary care providers.  Initially created at the state level by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) and its membership, the National Association of Community Health Centers has expanded the campaign nationwide.

     

    The FQHC Brand Components  

    MACHC recently hosted a Branding Webinar for MD and DE Health Centers with CEO of PACHC, Cheri Reinhart and Event and Communications Coordinator, Kirsten Keyes, as guest speakers. If you missed the webinar and would like access, please click here.

    Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers | | aneeqa@machc.com |
    4319 Forbes Blvd. Lanham, MD 20706    |    www.machc.com    |    301.577.0097
     

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