ADVOCACY

The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) actively represents its diverse membership in legislative and regulatory forums in Sacramento and Washington. CPCA sets an aggressive advocacy agenda to ensure and sustain state and federal funding for community health centers and to protect the ability of community health centers to offer affordable, quality care. Working with member leaders, each year CPCA uses the state budget cycle, state and federal legislation, to prepare health centers for a strong future by proactively engaging on issues from behavioral health integration to care transformation and workforce shortages to telehealth innovation. CPCA is acutely focused on ensuring that the needs and issues relevant to the CHC patient population – racially/ethnically diverse, low-income, homeless, and agricultural workers – are accounted for the in the association’s advocacy agenda.

LEGAL RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

CPCA maintains research capacity to ensure timely and accurate analysis and action on regulatory and legal issues affecting community health centers and their patients. CPCA’s staff actively monitors and informs members of pertinent legislative and regulatory developments that affect community health centers, and prepares comments with member feedback regarding such developments on behalf of CPCA. Under the direction of the CPCA Board, as needed, CPCA will take legal action alone, or with partners, to guarantee government agencies do not undermine health centers or the patients they serve.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

CPCA is committed to providing members with the training and technical assistance they need to effectively succeed in California’s managed care environment, to elevate the health center delivery model and system, and to effectively manage and improve the health of patients. Community health centers have regular access to information and programs on a variety of timely topics, e.g. state and federal regulatory compliance, leadership development, managed care, behavioral and oral health, operational efficiency, quality improvement, workforce recruitment and retention, payments and billing, facility licensing, emergency preparedness, and more. We also offer regular day-long or multi-day training events such as the Quality Care Conference, the Chief Financial Officers Conference, and more.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT

CPCA assists member community health centers in keeping pace with the sweeping changes occurring in technology and information systems in health care. CPCA’s Technology (IS) expertise offers training and technical assistance to help health centers secure critical tools to be competitive and efficient in managing limited health care resources. Additionally, CPCA maximizes the partnerships developed with electronic health record vendors to offer technical assistance and training to member health centers on the use of the EHR such as hosted user groups for NextGen, eClinicalWorks, and Azara Healthcare: DRVS and Data Analytics Work Group.

PEER NETWORKING

Through CPCA, members have access to peer network forums that provide opportunities for collaboration, information-sharing, and strategy development. In addition, members of peer networks have access to online community discussion boards through the CPCA Connected Community platform, which also includes online libraries for allowing members to directly upload and download documented best practices, policies, and procedures that can be leveraged across the state. Peer networks are accessible to only health center employed staff of member organizations and are available in many targeted disciplines, such as peer networks for CFOs, Billing Managers, Clinic Emergency Preparedness staff, Compliance Officers, Dental Directors, Behavioral Health Directors, Human Resources professionals, and many others.

Additionally, the CPCA Board and Committees brings community health center representatives together to discuss and consider the pressing political and social issues facing community health centers, and to collaboratively develop strategic direction and guidance for CPCA programs and activities.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, DATA ANALYTICS, & PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOME

CPCA dedicates staff resources and works closely with its members to enhance the quality of care, effectiveness of clinical interventions, and efficiency of services to reduce documented health disparities among the vulnerable populations served by community health centers. In addition to ongoing training, educational and networking opportunities, CPCA manages the Statewide Quality Improvement Committee (SQIC). SQIC is a member-only peer network that meets with the purpose to share strategies and best practices for improving the triple aim within community health centers. CPCA also offers yearly NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Introduction and Advanced training programs, the only HRSA-sponsored workshop in Region IX. Lastly, CPCA coordinates a twice-yearly data analytics workgroup to support members with enhancing and sustaining their data validation and analytic capacity.

REGIONAL SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION

The sheer size, scope, and diversity of California, along with the complexity of health programs and policy choices that are often locally based, necessitate both a strong statewide community health center presence and solid representation of community health center interests in local and regional forums. Membership includes multiple regional consortia of community clinics and health centers. In partnership with the CPCA, regional consortia advocate on behalf of health centers and their patients, with special focus on local government programs and services.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

CPCA seeks out and develops strategic partnerships with state and federal agencies, foundations, allied state and national health organizations, elected officials and advocacy groups to forge consensus and build coalitions to achieve mutual goals. To advance the mission and support community clinics and health centers, CPCA also meets regularly with leadership from the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), the Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency, the State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the State Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) as well as participates in state level working groups and task forces.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

CPCA engages in regular and strategic communications to inform and educate the media and the public about community health center services, patients, and critical public policy issues affecting community health centers and their patients. The media and public relations program is a partnership between CPCA and its members to celebrate community health center achievements and to alert opinion makers and the public about pressing issues and public health concerns affecting health centers and the communities they serve.

COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA

CPCA communicates with its members in a variety of ways, including the Weekly Update e-newsletter, CEO messages, subject-specific updates, and its website. CPCA also publishes the Access e-newsletter and an Annual Report, which are widely distributed to CPCA members, legislators, key state departments, and other partners. In addition, CPCA maintains an active presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter in an effort to engage members and the general public in its organizational priorities and keep them abreast of important issues.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CPCA annually convenes health care professionals from around the state and the nation to explore the changing health care environment, consider pending challenges and opportunities for community health centers and the health care system, and to engage key stakeholders in an ongoing dialogue on the issues surrounding health care access and quality. The Annual Conference is heavily attended and consistently yields new strategies and approaches to meeting pressing needs in the upcoming year.

Requests for further information about membership should be directed to:
Elle Grant
Associate Director of Member Engagement
916-440-8170 ext.1042
egrant@cpca.org