The Wilder Foundation released its triennial study last week to better understand homelessness's prevalence in Minnesota. One of the more alarming findings in the report is the overrepresentation of Native Americans experiencing homelessness and unsheltered homelessness.

MDH released the 2024 Rural Health Chartbook this week, in recognition of National Rural Health Day on Thursday.

Governor Walz issued a proclamation recognizing Rural Health Day in Minnesota yesterday. Click here to view the proclamation.

The Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) Office of Rural and Primary Health Care (ORPHC) announced that Sawtooth Mountain Clinic received the 2024 Minnesota Rural Health Team Award.

The Minnesota StarTribune ran an editorial on Monday referencing the closure of both independent and chain pharmacies. 

MNACHC got a letter to the editor published in Tuesday’s edition as a response.

The CDC released 2023 data for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) this week. The report notes that the epidemic may be slowing as:

NACHC announced this week that Direct Relief will make adult Covid-19 vaccines available to health centers and and health center look-alikes.

Last Friday, Southside CHS CEO Ann Cazaban and a list of dignitaries broke ground on the One Southside - a 30,000 sq/ft integrated health community clinic located in the historically significant East Lake Street community of South Minneapolis.

MNACHC mourns the passing of Bill Tendle, former Executive Director of Southside CHS, for 20 years, starting in 1997. The full obituary can be found here.

MDH’s Health Economics Program (HEP) released a final report recommending the “broad availability and use of telehealth as a tool to deliver health care services” in Minnesota. The report is in response to the Legislature’s directive in 2021.

Yesterday, HRSA announced $240 million in awards to launch and expand mental health and substance use disorder services in more than 400 health centers nationwide.

MDH’s Health Care Homes program highlighted the work of People’s Center Clinics & Services (PCCS) in their latest newsletter.

The March of Dimes released a report citing that more than 150,000 babies were born to birthing people living in maternity care deserts.

CEO Report: Two new reports (here and here) from MN DHS highlight the “successes and lessons learned” from the unwinding of Medicaid eligibility during the pandemic. During the '“unwind,” nearly 1.5 million Minnesotans had their eligibility re-checked.

MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE: Antony Stately is a fourth-generation survivor of boarding schools.

These schools, which were engineered to strip Indigenous children of their culture, created decades of historical trauma that would manifest itself in alcohol and drug usage.

Now executive officer and president of Native American Community Clinic, Stately is trying to address that trauma by providing Indigenous medical treatments and showing patients that they are valued in a way that Western health care often does not.

After an uptick in measles cases in late July, health officials urge families to ensure they’re up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Since May, 36 cases of measles have been reported and unvaccinated children in the Twin Cities are experiencing the brunt of the outbreak.

Congratulations to the 14 Minnesota Health Centers that received HRSA Quality Recognition in at least one category. Based on 2023 UDS data, CHQR badges are awarded to those who made notable improvements in access, quality, equity, and health IT.

MNACHC CEO Report -

The Commonwealth Fund

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HRSA released a video earlier this month providing an overview of the history and role of the Health Center Program. Click here to see the video, and we encourage you to share it with your Board members and staff.

In addition, HRSA has a lengthier document that provides a deeper dive into the Health Center Program from it’s inception as part the Civil Rights Movement, to today.