2014 Annual Report

Primary Healthcare for All

Arizona Alliance FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

The Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers (AACHC) has served as Arizona’s Primary Care Association since 1985 and strives to promote and facilitate the development and delivery of affordable and accessible community-oriented, high quality, culturally effective primary healthcare for everyone in the state of Arizona through advocacy, education, and technical assistance.

AACHC is committed to serving as a resource for organizations providing primary health care to the underserved, including health center program grantees, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alikes, Rural Health Clinics, Tribal organizations, behavioral health facilities, and others with a vested interest in the primary care safety net.

AACHC comprises the state’s largest network of primary care providers and is committed to working with a variety of partners to expand the availability of tools that health centers and organizations serving those in need can utilize to address the needs of their patient populations and improve health outcomes while continuing to demonstrate a cost savings.

AACHC also has strong local, state, regional, and federal partners with which it leverages resources to accomplish goals. AACHC provides a variety of educational opportunities for members, including peer networking committees, which provide a forum for sharing of best practices among member colleagues for optimal healthcare delivery.

Arizona Alliance FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Who We AreArizona’s Primary Care Alliance

“Health centers provide access to quality healthcare for millions of Americans regardless of their ability to

pay...”

– U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, August 2014

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Dear Members, Partners & Affiliated Organizations,As we reflect on the rich history of AACHC and Arizona’s health centers and celebrate primary healthcare for all, it is important that we keep in mind our ongoing role in meeting the needs of our diverse communities throughout Arizona. 2014 has been a year during which health centers have made incredible strides, expanding services and capacity to serve more Arizonans in need of Patient-Centered Medical Homes and a variety of enabling services. The work of AACHC and health centers does not stop at primary healthcare; our work requires an ongoing commitment to healthy communities, where the holistic needs of our

patients are met through multiple services and a commitment to comprehensive care and patient experience, as well as addressing the social determinants of health.

I have been proud to witness the strong collaborations across health centers and other safety net providers that allow us to continue delivering cost-effective, high-quality, culturally-sensitive primary healthcare services in new and innovative ways. We share best practices and promote an environment of continuous learning so that we may continue to grow and evolve as the healthcare landscape, both locally and nationally, continues to grow and evolve. The strong partnerships we forge, collectively and individually, with other organizations committed to access to healthcare for all are key to our evolution.

As we look back on 2014, we honor our board members that have retired and are energized by the new board members that have much to contribute to the direction of AACHC. As health centers strengthen their efforts around outreach and eligibility assistance, clinical risk reduction, provider recruitment and retention, service integration, Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition, and many other areas key to health center sustainability and growth, AACHC will continue to build and demonstrate its value in the way we assist and support health centers as their needs grow and change. We will ensure availability of advocacy, education, and technical assistance for health centers and partners in Arizona in a manner that promotes primary healthcare for all. As we celebrate AACHC’s 30 year history, we look to the year ahead as a year of opportunity and hope that you will take advantage of the resources available through AACHC in 2015.

Warmly,

Avein Saaty-Tafoya, MD MBA HCM EDACCEO Adelante Healthcare2014 Board President

“...2014 has been a year during which health centers have made

incredible strides, expanding services and capacity to serve

more Arizonans in need...”

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PresidentAvein Saaty-Tafoya, MBA, HCMChief Executive OfficerAdelante Healthcare

Vice PresidentKathy ByrneExecutive DirectorEl Rio Community Health Center

TreasurerElizabeth Latham, DHSc, MSN, FNP, BCChief Executive OfficerCanyonlands Healthcare

Secretary James R. WeldenChief Executive OfficerMariposa Community Health Center

Member at Large (Immediate Past President)Travis J. RobinetteChief Executive OfficerSun Life Family Health Center

Member at LargeJohn Swagert, MDChief Executive OfficerMountain Park Health Center

Wendy Armendariz, MBAChief Executive OfficerNeighborhood Outreach Access to Health

Robert Babyar, MDMedical DirectorSun Life Family Health Center

Lynette Bonar, RN, MBA, BSNAssociate Executive OfficerTuba City Regional Health Care

Fran Driver, RN, MSN, MBAChief Executive OfficerDesert Senita Community Health Center

Rodolfo Jimenez, DOInterim Chief Executive OfficerUnited Community Health Center

Clinton KuntzChief Executive OfficerMHC Healthcare

Betty MathisExecutive DirectorWesley Community Center

Jonathan Melk, MDChief Executive OfficerChiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc

Linda Morin, RN, MSNDirector of NursingCopper Queen Community Hospital

Walter Murillo Chief Executive OfficerNative Health

Peggy Nies, RN, BSN, MHSADirectorCommunity Health Center of Yavapai

David Rogers, MBAChief Executive OfficerSunset Community Health Center

Ann Roggenbuck, MPH, MBA, PhDChief Executive OfficerNorth Country HealthCare

Kurt R. Sheppard, MAChief Executive OfficerValle del Sol

William F. Vanaskie, MSExecutive Vice President/Chief Operating OfficerMaricopa Integrated Health System

Kenneth White, Jr., MSWChief Executive OfficerNative Americans for Community Action

2014 Board of Directors

AACHC Team John C. McDonald, RN, MS, CPHQChief Executive Officer

Marcela AhamedCommunity Outreach Specialist

Mandek Aden, MBAOutreach and Enrollment Coordinator

Kat BergmanHuman Resources Assistant

Brenda CardenasNavigator Coordinator

Dianne ChewningDirector of Human Resources

Kymber CorbinAdministrative Assistant to the Executive Management team

Sandra Curtice, MBA Controller

Meryl Deles, MSWNavigator Coordinator

Suzanne Gilbert, CPA, CGMAFinance Officer

Allen Gjersvig, MSDirector of Healthcare Innovation

Shabrina GlassExecutive Assistant to the CEO

Jan GrutziusOral Health Coordinator

Amy HalmSpecial Projects Coordinator

Dorothy HastingsWomen’s Health and Compliance Standards Manager

Jose HolguinReceptionist

Antonia McVaySenior Financial Analyst

Erika MartinezGrassroots Advocacy and Outreach Communications Coordinator

Leah Meyers, MSWArizona Rural Women’s Health Network Director

Lisa Nieri, MSDirector of Community Development and Special Populations

Emily Oake, MHSMSpecial Populations and Outreach Coordinator

Lourdes PaezWorkforce Development Coordinator

Tara McCollum Plese, MPASenior Director of External Affairs

Shelli RossDirector of Clinical and Quality Programs

Jessica Yanow, MPHSenior Director of Operations

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Meet AACHC’s Members

Adelante Healthcare*

Canyonlands Healthcare*

Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.*

Community Health Center of Yavapai*

Copper Queen Medical Associates

Desert Senita Community Health Center*

El Rio Community Health Center*

Maricopa County Health Care for the Homeless*

Maricopa Integrated Health System**

Mariposa Community Health Center*

MHC Healthcare*

Mountain Park Health Center*

Native Americans for Community Action, Inc.

Native Health*

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health*

North Country HealthCare*

Sun Life Family Health Center*

Sunset Community Health Center*

Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation*

United Community Health Center – Maria Auxiliadora, Inc.*

Valle del Sol**

Wesley Health Center*

Meet AACHC’s Associate MembersArizona Family Health Partnership

Center for Rural Health

Desert Mission: John C. Lincoln Health Network

Mountain Health & Wellness*

Northern Apache County Special Health Care District

Pascua Yaqui Tribal Health Programs

People of Color Network, Inc.

Quality Care Network

Regional Center for Border Health, Inc.

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS

St. Elizabeth’s Health Center

Terros**

Wassaja Memorial Health Center

*Health Center Program Grantee/Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC)

**Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHC LAL)4

• Each dot represents a city that has member services available to the public.

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75%

19%

6%

Percent at or Below 100% of Poverty

Percent Between 100% and 200% of Poverty

Percent Above 200% of Poverty

40%

30%

9%

21%

Medicaid

Uninsured

Medicare

Commercial/Other

Facts About Arizona Health Centers - 2013 Data

Number of Organizations: 19Number of Delivery Sites : 135

547,927 Patients Received Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Vision, and Enabling Services

Of those:• 6465 were Veterans• 6363 were Children Seen at Schools• 20,454 were Homeless Individuals

Arizona Federally-Supported Health Centers, 2013Patient Population Characteristics

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79.9%Percent of Children who Received Recommended Immunizations on

Schedule

93.8%Percent of Patients Screened for

Tobacco Use

88.6%Percent of Asthma Patients with an

Appropriate Treatment Plan

81.3%Percent of IVD Patients on an Appropriate

Heart Attack/Stroke Treatment Plan

2014 Health Care Heroes

Lifetime Achievement AwardClarance Vatne

MHC Healthcare

Innovation AwardNative Health, represented by

Walter Murillo

Outstanding Achievement Award

Governor Jan Brewer

Legislator of the Year AwardRepresentative Bob Robson

Legislator of the Year AwardSenator Steve Pierce

Legislator of the Year AwardRepresentative Frank Pratt

Legislator of the Year AwardRepresentative Ethan Orr

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Legislator of the Year AwardRepresentative Eric Meyer

Legislator of the Year AwardSenator John McComish

To promote and facilitate the development and delivery of affordable and accessible community oriented, high-quality, culturally effective primary healthcare for everyone in the state of Arizona. This will be accomplished through advocacy, education, and technical assistance.

Our Mission:

Our Strategic Goals:• Advocacy: Advocate for public policy that supports our mission and the mission of the Community Health

Centers (CHCs).

• Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH): Lead, support and initiate collaborative efforts to enable Arizona CHCs in achieving the goal of Patient Centered Medical Home status.

• Data Collection: Establish a centralized warehouse that will promote meaningful information sharing among Arizona health centers and key stakeholders.

• Outreach: Increase community awareness to promote the value of CHCs, positioning them as the health care provider of choice for all Arizonans.

• Workforce: Provide a variety of comprehensive diversified services that assist the health centers in the recruitment and retention of qualified staff.

• Statewide Growth: Lead collaborative efforts that support the sustainability and expansion of CHCs in Arizona.

• PCA Growth and Business Development: Generate alternative revenue sources through programmatic business development and grant expansion.

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• Brokered a compromise on the Navigator bill to ensure that CMS-certified Navigators and Certified Application Counselors (CAC) and Navigator and CAC organizations could provide assistance to consumers seeking Marketplace or Medicaid Coverage by registering with the state and documenting completion of a background check rather than completing the state insurance licensure test, which would have created barriers to timely service provision for Open Enrollment.

• Continued to educate Legislators and the public on the importance of Medicaid Expansion.

• Worked with the Arizona Dental Association, disability advocates, and advocates for elderly Arizonans to advocate for the restoration of adult dental Medicaid benefits for adults.

• Worked with behavioral and mental health organizations and the Arizona Department of Behavioral Health on the new rules and regulations, which support integration of behavioral health and primary healthcare, for licensure for primary care facilities that provide behavioral health services.

• Assisted health centers experiencing provider licensure and certification challenges to ensure they have the capacity to serve community health needs.

• Worked closely with members of the Arizona congressional delegation, Veterans Administration (VA) providers, VA Health plans, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), and other healthcare organizations to address long waits for primary care and behavioral health services. Health Center Program Grantees were identified as alternative providers for veterans who are not able to access healthcare services with a VA provider in less than 30 days. AACHC continues to work with the VA and partner organizations to ensure the comprehensive health needs of veterans are addressed in a timely, effective manner.

• Presented at NALEO’s (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) National Conference on AACHC, health center, and partner efforts related to outreach and enrollment.

• Partnered with seven health centers on voter registration and “get out the vote” efforts.

• Supported health centers in transitions associated with Medicare and Medicaid Prospective Payment Systems and collaborated with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to ensure that health center needs and concerns were addressed at the state level.

Advocacy: Advocate for public policy that supports our mission and the mission of the CHCs.

Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH): Lead, support and initiate collaborative efforts to enable Arizona CHCs in achieving the goal of Patient

Centered Medical Home status.

• Continued collaboration with the California Primary Care Association on a Medicare Demonstration Project to assist health centers through the PCMH Recognition process.

• Coordinated certified PCMH coach on-site assistance to individual health centers as part of Medicare Demonstration Project.

• Promoted tools that supported Arizona health centers in achieving PCMH certification

Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers is proud of the following key accomplishments in 2014 that speak to the organization’s Strategic Goals:

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• Presented at a variety of conferences and other educational opportunities, representing health centers and the work that they do and, assessing partner needs to communicate back to health centers:

o Arizona AgrAbility Group o MAFO (national farmworker organization) o Arizona Council for International Visitors o Arizona Interagency Farmworkers Coalition (AIFC) annual conference o Latino Summit o Hispanic Leadership Institute o Arizona Translator and Interpreters Conference on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards and health centers o Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy

• Provided training to Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) behavioral health staff on AACHC and health center program requirements.

• Partnered on the development and distribution of a CLAS survey to Arizona health centers.

• Met with Migrant Health Centers and other

organizations serving the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker population in Arizona to assist with outreach efforts and increase access to healthcare for farmworkers across the state.

• Partnered with the Arizona Department of Economic Security to share information with and about Community and Migrant Health Centers and increase efforts to reach the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker population.

• Hosted and participated in numerous meetings with community groups on the role of health centers in the Affordable Care Act.

• Conducted media outreach to ensure appropriate representation of health centers in the media.

• Continued to maintain and promote enrollment activities through Cover Arizona Coalition.

• Created and distributed a monthly electronic newsletter to ensure members and partners had timely information of importance to the healthcare safety net in Arizona.

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• Conducted data comparison and analysis within the Quality Improvement Committee on key quality measures to share best practices.

• Shared clinical data for benchmarking quality indicators through peer networking committees.

• Shared financial data to better understand and promote sustainability for dental and pharmacy programs.

• Partnered with Arizona State University Center for Health Information & Research (CHiR) to collect and mine AHCCCS historical encounter data to demonstrate the financial savings and/or quality provided by health centers to Medicaid members.

Data Collection: Establish a centralized warehouse that will promote meaningful information sharing among Arizona

health centers and key stakeholders.

Outreach: Increase community awareness to promote the value of CHCs, positioning them as the health care

provider of choice for all Arizonans.

Workforce: Provide a variety of comprehensive diversified services that assist the health centers in the recruitment

and retention of qualified staff.

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• Worked to strengthen partnerships with other organizations to increase the utilization and awareness of workforce programs, resources, and trainings available to health centers and member organizations.

• Partnered with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the University of Arizona Office of Rural Health to promote the use of the Arizona Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNet) to assist health centers in navigating the AZ 3RNet website, provide information to healthcare providers seeking jobs in rural and underserved communities in Arizona, and facilitate information sharing across state agencies and health centers.

• Partnered with ADHS to provide the Certified Employee Retention Professional Program (CERP), an online training containing specific tools for participating health centers to improve staff recruitment, hiring, onboarding and exit interviews as well as best practices for staff policies and benefit program.

• Hosted Rural Recruitment and Retention Forums in partnership with ADHS for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites on topics such as shortage designations, health center staff engagement, and recruitment and retention strategies.

• Participated in local and national recruitment events to promote job opportunities at Arizona’s health centers.

• Provided health center staff development training and workshops on teambuilding, conflict resolution, leadership, and employee relations.

• Promoted health careers to high school students by providing statewide presentations on health centers, State Loan Repayment Programs and National Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs.

• Provided rotation placement assistance to NHSC Primary Care Scholars, medical students, residents, physician assistants and nurse practitioners in Arizona health centers as a possible recruitment pipeline.

• Participated in statewide and regional networks to implement systems to support education, training and credentialing of Community Health Workers in Arizona in order to address workforce shortages and improve health outcomes in rural and underserved communities statewide.

• Hosted the second annual Arizona NHSC Scholars Meeting in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) during the AACHC Annual Meeting, providing NHSC Scholars with opportunities to network and learn more about health centers and access to care in Arizona.

• Participated in the National Latino Children’s Summit by providing a presentation on health centers and Access to Healthcare.

• Participated in NHSC’s National Corps Community Planning and Events to promote Arizona as a potential practice site for NHSC Scholars and Loan Repayment Primary Care Providers.

• Collaborated with AT Still University in efforts to include Arizona health centers in upcoming projects.

• Hosted the Annual Invaluable Medical and Dental Assistant (MA) Day Seminar, which was attended by over160 Medical and Dental Assistants from communities throughout the state and served to share best practices and recognize the key roles that MAs and DAs play within health centers.

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• Brought health center professionals from across the state together to share best practices and discuss health center challenges and successes through peer networking committees of Medical Directors, Quality Directors, Dental Directors, Behavioral Health Professionals, Pharmacy Directors, Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Media/Public Relations staff, Outreach and Enrollment Staff, and Human Resource Officers.

• Hosted an Annual Meeting, “Celebrating Access to Care,” that brought together health centers and partners with a focus on integration of services.

• Held the Annual Region IX Leadership Conference, “Grand New Direction” which provided training on a wide variety of topics related to health center leadership, operations, and health information technology.

• Facilitated conversations with various community groups to potentially increase reach and sustainability of health centers.

• Partnered with health centers and LGTBQ organizations to provide training to those in the community serving the LGBTQ population.

• Met with 4 organizations interested in becoming health center program grantees or FQHC Look-Alikes and provided information on Section 330 requirements, board responsibilities, needs assessments, and other topics.

• Met with and provided assistance to 6 existing health center grantees and/or their boards of directors on 19 health center requirements including Board Governance, and Operational Site Visit (OSV) Preparation while also providing statewide training on Operational Site Visit preparation and HRSA’s 19 requirements.

• Supported efforts that led to two organizations receiving FQHC Look-Alike status.

• Provided training on identifying Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers at intake.

• Provided statewide training on CLAS standards and Cultural Competency.

• Provided statewide training on Public Housing Primary Care Expansion and Compliance.

• Worked with the DentaQuest Foundation’s Safety Net Solutions to provide technical assistance to health centers to improve dental operations and promote sustainability of dental programs.

Statewide Growth: Lead collaborative efforts that support the sustainability and expansion of CHCs in Arizona.

• Supported and maintained existing GPO arrangements, including McKesson and Henry Schein, and identified new opportunities to provide savings to the health centers while expanding revenue

• Generated over $85,000 in revenue through exhibitors and sponsorships at meetings, allowing attendees to connect to a variety of products and services.

• Secured new grant funding from:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration to continue serving as Arizona’s PCA, with additional funding awarded to support health centers in their outreach and enrollment efforts for Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, in partnership with Canyonlands Healthcare as the fiscal agent, to house the Arizona Rural Women’s Health Network through a Rural Health Network Development Grant.

• Familes USA for a story banking project to gather information about Arizonans who have successfully enrolled in insurance coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to continue a Navigator program in partnership with organizations throughout the state to provide services to individuals needing assistance with Medicaid and Marketplace enrollment.

• The Arizona Department of Health Services to support coordination of Emergency Preparedness activities and training across health centers.

• The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women to continue the Rural Community Health Center Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Program funded by a Rural Program Grant that supports full-time advocates in four rural health center sites throughout the state.

• The Arizona Department of Health Services to support workforce development activities, recruitment and retention strategies and training, and rotation placement of National Health Service Corps Scholars.

• Community Catalyst , with funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to support outreach and enrollment efforts targeting hard to reach populations, with a focus on individuals with Limited English Proficiency and communities of color, in Pima and Maricopa Counties.

• The DentaQuest Foundation, as part of its Oral Health 2020 Initiative, to collaborate with three other Primary Care Associations to provide training and technical assistance to PCAs nationwide that have not yet been participated significantly in oral health integration efforts.

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PCA Growth and Business Development: Generate alternative revenue sources through programmatic business development and grant

expansion.

• Annual Uniform Data System (UDS) training to assist health centers in preparing for federal reporting.

• Participation in a statewide Preconception Health Task Force to promote healthy pregnancies for Arizona Women.

• Participation in quarterly meetings of the AHCCCS Steering Committee.

• Representing CHCs in Emergency Preparedness activities at the state level and providing Emergency Preparedness training and resources to CHCs.

• A two-day Quality Improvement conference was held in partnership with ADHS sharing best practices and challenges in capturing quality measures.

• Partnering with health centers on the Rural Community Health Center Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Program, which:

• Provided 34 trainings and 43 community education events in 4 rural communities during the first ten months of 2014 while also providing an array of domestic and sexual violence advocacy services to 306 survivors and 393 secondary victims during this time.

• Translated program brochure containing domestic violence and safety information into Spanish, to be used as a resource for program clients and community members.

• Held a community meeting in Apache County to discuss victim/survivor needs and begin development of a Coordinated Community Response team for Apache County.

• Ensured program advocates received training to understand how technology can be misused to harass, terrify, intimidate, coerce, and monitor former and current intimate partners, a growing problem.

• Developed a resource document on implementation of sexual and domestic violence services programming for all health centers.

• Partnering with health centers, Arizona Area Health Education Centers, ADHS, and other organizations to house the Arizona Rural Women’s Health Network, which developed, implemented, and translated a culturally-specific Community Health Worker curriculum on sexual violence designed primarily for individuals working in Latino and Native American communities.

• Extensive Affordable Care Act education and coordination, including:

• Provision of technical assistance for members and partners regarding the Affordable Care Act and statewide and local Medicaid and Marketplace outreach and enrollment efforts.

• Approximately 290,000 consumer contacts made by AACHC’s network of outreach and enrollment assisters during the first open enrollment period

• Approximately 50,000 individuals receiving coverage under AHCCCS or Marketplace plans through efforts of AACHC or affiliated organizations.

• Statewide coordination of Certified Application Counselor and Navigator efforts in conjunction with continued participation in Cover Arizona coalition efforts to inform the public of coverage options.

• Media interviews, TV phone banks, and ACA educational events aimed at informing educating the public on new insurance options.

• Conducted regional trainings to supplement Certified Application Counselor and Navigator training and provide opportunities to share best practices.

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Throughout 2014, AACHC was engaged in additional activities to further its mission and meet the needs of CHCs serving diverse populations throughout the state. Additional AACHC activities included:

A Message from Our CEO2015 marks AACHC’s 30th year as Arizona’s Primary Care Association. Incorporated in 1983 as a collaborative endeavor of existing health centers realizing the importance of partnership, the organization first received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to serve as a PCA in 1985. Since then, the organization has experienced significant change and growth, reflective of the national health center movement. From a staff of one to a staff of over 25, AACHC continues to strive to meet the needs of Arizona’s health centers and safety net providers. While specific activities and goals have certainly changed over time, AACHC has maintained its ongoing commitment to ensuring access to affordable, high quality, culturally appropriate primary healthcare for all Arizonans. This year, as we see increased numbers of individuals receiving healthcare coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act and tireless efforts of our health centers, partners, and advocates, we celebrate Primary Health Care for All. In addition to celebrating our 30th year, in 2015 we celebrate health center achievements in 2014:

• The successful efforts AACHC and our health centers have made to enroll patients and consumers in the affordable healthcare coverage, increasing access to care.

• SeventeenArizona health centers received over $500,000 collectively from the Health Resources and Services Administration in recognition of their Quality Improvement and Electronic Health Record achievements.

• One health center that received a Facility Improvement Grant for their efforts around Patient-Centered Medical Home.• Five health centers that received federal funding to support behavioral health integration.• Over $4.9 million awarded in Arizona to support health center expansion to serve increased numbers of patients.• Two new FQHC Look-Alikes designated in Arizona.

As the scope of our work continues to grow, we at AACHC are prepared to provide continued support to Arizona’s health centers and partners. As we wait to hear regarding New Access Point Awards that may enhance Arizona’s primary care safety net, another potential cause for celebration, we are reminded that we will no doubt face additional challenges. Outreach and Enrollment efforts are ongoing as health centers and partners continue to address barriers to providing the assistance their communities need. The Medicaid Expansion, healthcare needs of our veterans, Health Information Technology, provider recruitment and retention, service integration, and many other key issues of importance to our health centers and partners will require ongoing attention. As we celebrate our successes and reflect on the work ahead, we recognize that collaboration and partnership development are key to all our efforts to increase access to care for Arizonans.

Your Alliance team remains focused on meeting member needs through education and technical assistance. AACHC continues to support our membership through activities such as state and federal advocacy, content-specific seminars, facilitation of peer or best practices networking committees, development and promotion of key partnerships, and other programs and tools designed to meet health center needs. AACHC staff works hard to ensure the organization’s activities support its mission to promote and facilitate the development and delivery of affordable and accessible community oriented, high-quality, culturally effective primary healthcare for everyone in the state of Arizona. This will be accomplished through advocacy, education and technical assistance. In 2014, AACHC’s financial position was further strengthened, and because of our mission, we continue to see our membership grow to encompass a wider range of health services providers and other organizations that desire to benefit from our work.

The 2013 Uniform Data System (UDS) reports indicate that the number of patients served in 2013 by Arizona’s Health Centers increased by 8% over 2012, bringing the total patients served in 2013 to 547,927. We continue to see significant increases in number of patients served by health centers as “providers of choice” and expansion of health center programs and services in a variety of ways that strive to meet diverse community needs. Please join me in celebrating AACHC’s past 30 years and envisioning the potential that the next 30 years holds. We look forward to working collaboratively with you as we move ahead with our focus on patient-centered primary care in diverse communities throughout Arizona. I am honored to work with such a talented AACHC staff and look forward to serving as your CEO in 2015.

Sincerely,

John McDonald, RN, MS, CPHQChief Executive OfficerArizona Alliance for Community Health Centers

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Arizona Alliance FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

700 E. Jefferson Street, Suite 100 | Phoenix, AZ 85034Phone: (602) 252-0090 | Fax: (602) 252-3620 | www.aachc.org