The Bureau of Primary Healthcare has designated agricultural workers, individuals experiencing homelessness, and residents of public housing as special populations. Community health centers may receive designated funding to serve these special populations. The North Carolina Community Health Center Association (NCCHCA) provides support and coordinates technical assistance that strengthens the capacity of North Carolina Community Health Centers in serving these designated populations. NCCHCA provides an array of group and individual training options, as well as technical assistance to help health centers fully develop their capacity to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate health care services to all patients, with particular attention to the unique needs of agricultural workers, individuals experiencing homelessness, and residents of public housing.
This workgroup addresses topics of greatest need and interest identified by frontline workers and their supervisors at health centers serving special populations. The group shares promising practices and exchanges resources in order to facilitate the delivery of quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate health care services to special population patients. Recent topics have included primary vision care in the fields, Outreach & Enrollment with Special Populations, using theater as popular education, and HIV/AIDS educational resources for agricultural workers. The group meets quarterly.
Recently, Emergency Preparedness and Response has become an area of particular interest to special populations. Click here for NCCHCA’s Emergency Preparedness page.
The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) has an extensive database of resources related to immigration and health center services.
Click here for the CPCA Immigration Resources page
Click here for their Public Charge Resources page
Join the National Health Center Immigration workgroup co-led by CPCA and the Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)
The East Coast Migrant Stream Forum is an annual conference that offers health professionals skills-based training and professional development opportunities. Each year, the forum provides an opportunity to hear from experts in the field about the latest trends in migrant health, to share best practices, to learn about cutting-edge research, and to discover the latest resources and services in agricultural worker health. Through intensive training and informative workshops, attendees are challenged to enhance their cultural competence, explore new ideas and discover innovative strategies that contributes to improving health care delivery for migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and their families living and working along the East Coast.
In 2016 and 2017, the North Carolina Community Health Center Association partnered with Health Outreach Partners (HOP) to create two workforce development webinar series for outreach workers, supervisors, and directors, as well as a variety of other enabling services staff. Click on the following links to view an archive of NCCHCA’s 2016 or2017 workforce development webinar series:
Staff trainings can be provided to clinic managers, outreach staff, and other frontline workers on topics identified by the health center which are needed to more effectively serve their special populations. Available topics include cultural humility, Migrant Health 101, Identifying special populations (agricultural workers, homeless, and public housing patients) upon registration, and outreach, as well as topics which may be tailored specifically to the health center’s needs.
Becoming a Leader in Migrant Health: Preparing for Health Center Board Membership
Migrant Health Center Board Self-Evaluations
Self-Evaluation Templates: English and Spanish
Clinical Resources for Migrant Health
Searchable EPA resource for clinical providers on Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/recognition-and-management-pesticide-poisonings
Instructions for clinical providers to comply with North Carolina’s mandatory reporting of pesticide poisonings https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/oee/pest/reporting.html
Suggestions for Health Centers desiring to serve farmworkers to improve accessibility to services https://www.ncfhp.org/making-your-clinic-or-health-center-more-accessible-to-farmworkers/
Suggestions for Health Centers with Farmworker Outreach Staff to maximize the role of the outreach worker in meeting clinical goals https://www.ncfhp.org/integrating-outreach-workers-into-your-healthcare-team/
A Quick Guide on Board Composition for Health Care for the Homeless Projects
National Consumer Advisory Board
Consumer Involvement in Governance (webinar)
National Standards for Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health & Health Care
Addressing the Needs of LGBT People in Community Health Centers: What Governing Boards Need to Know
Health Center Program Compliance Manual
Health Center Program Compliance Manual: Frequently Asked Questions
North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act (NCGS Chapter 55A)
Health Center Program Statute: Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act
Health Center Program Regulations: 42 CFR 51c (all health centers) and 42 CFR 56.201-56.604 (Migrant Health Centers only)
Uniform Administrative Requirements for HHS Awards: 45 CFR 75
Health Center Mergers, Acquisitions & Other Corporate Changes
Prior Considerations and Key Process Steps for Requests to Change Federal Award Recipient
BoardSource
NC Center for Nonprofits
HealthCenterCompliance.com
MyNACHC Learning Center
Certificate in Health Center Governance
Individual Technical Assistance is also available to health centers related to a variety of topics on developing services and seeking funding to serve special populations, assessment of accessibility, and for managing and integrating an outreach program into the organization.
If you have additional questions, please contact Erica Hall, Special Populations and Community Health Worker Coordinator.
