Health Access Community of Practice
Date and Time: 2/25/26 - 5/20/26 from 2:00 - 3:30 PM ET
Community of Practice applications are due December 5, 2025.
Overview
Health Access Community of Practice (CoP)
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) will host a virtual Community of Practice focused on improving patient health. This initiative will explore current care team models and best practices for assessing and addressing patients' health-related needs (HRNs). The program will highlight how health centers can use data and partnerships to expand access to care. It will begin with the crucial role of health screenings and then progress to strategies for achieving broader, system-level change through community partnerships
Learning Objectives
By the end of the Community of Practice, participants will:
- Be able to compare and contrast non-medical factors of health with the concept of Vital Conditions by identifying their similarities and differences and explaining how each shapes health outcomes.
- Learn how to effectively screen for Health-Related Needs (HRNs), select appropriate screening tools, and develop practical workflows for incorporating screening into existing systems.
- Explore the principles of effective community partnerships and develop strategies for moving beyond basic referrals to create sustainable, system-level changes.
- Understand how to use data to identify, understand, and prioritize community-level HRNs, and to measure the impact of interventions.
Requirements
- Participating Community Health Centers (CHCs) must agree to allocate a project team consisting of 1-4 staff members. Staff members should be consistent throughout to ensure ongoing participation and knowledge retention. It is strongly recommended to have at least one senior leader, manager, or director participate but not required.
- Participating Community Health Centers (CHCs) will attend and contribute to each of the four sessions including completing the Pre/Post Assessments for each session
- Each participating CHC must have representation at all sessions.
- CHCs will complete an evaluation at the end of the Community of Practice and 90 days after the conclusion of the Community of Practice. Both evaluations are part of the HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) reporting requirements for T/TA activities.
Community of Practice Structure
The Community of Practice will be structured with many opportunities for participants to engage with each other while reflecting on how they as individuals and organizations advance health access.
Session Structure - Live Session with Small Breakout Groups
The Community of Practice will be organized into four (4) sessions. Each session will be 90 minutes using Zoom as the platform. During each session, there will be an opportunity to have more in-depth discussions in smaller breakout groups. Each session will have the following components:
- Featured presentation.
- Hands-on activities and knowledge checks to deepen understanding of session-related content.
- Opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement by sharing experiences with fellow participants.
Dates
Wednesday, 2:00pm – 3:30pm ET throughout February to May 2026. Exact dates and session topics are below.
| Session | Date |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Non-Medical Factors of Health & Vital Conditions 101 | February 25, 2026 |
| Session 2: Screening HRN and workflow considerations | March 25, 2026 |
| Session 3: Powerful Community Partnerships: Moving Beyond Referrals for Systems-level Transformation | April 22, 2026 |
| Session 4: A Data-Driven Approach to Understanding Factors Contributing to HRNs | May 20, 2026 |
This training is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,625,000 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
