Keynote Address – Connect, Collaborate, and Innovate to Improve Community Health
May 3, 2023 | 9:15 am – 10:15 am
Presenter: Terry Dwelle, MD
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click here.

Dr. Terry Dwelle will kick off the CHAD Annual Conference by exploring how health centers can connect, collaborate, and innovate to improve the health of their communities. He will discuss the intersection of health centers and public health and share strategies for leaning on the strengths of both models to build healthier communities, including a focus on worksite wellness and school-based care. He will also address the vital role of community engagement in identifying and managing solutions to community needs.

Health Equity & Clinical Quality
Inclusivity and Healing from a Lakota/Dakota Perspective
May 3, 2023 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Presenters: Tom DeCouteau, Jr., Chief Cultural Health Officer, and Serene Thin Elk, Chief Behavioral Health Officer
Room: Prairie Rose Room
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

This presentation will include information on D/N/Lakota cultural teachings and how it is incorporated into the integrated care model at South Dakota Urban Indian Health. Presenters will review concepts of generational and historical trauma and how this impacts the health needs and outcomes of Indigenous community members. Presenters will discuss cultural considerations when working with Indigenous relatives and how adopting a collective identity approach within organizations can strengthen staff wellness and the relatives/patients you serve.

Great Plains Health Data Network
Operationalizing Your Data Strategy
May 3, 2023 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Presenter: Shannon Nielson, MHA, PCMH-CCE, Owner and Principal Consultant
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Data is an essential resource that health centers leverage to make decisions, understand trends, and improve access to health care. But having the data and using it effectively can present different challenges. In this session, you will learn how to operationalize the data strategies developed with support from the Great Plains Health Data Network. The session will highlight how to utilize data to engage staff and board members. The speaker will also discuss the essential elements needed for data governance.

The second half of this session will allow you to practice interpreting data to drive change within your health centers using aggregated data from data strategy dashboards from the network.

HR & Workforce
Innovative Workforce Development Opportunities
May 3, 2023 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Presenters: Bridget Diamond-Welch, USD Nursing Program, Melana Howe, Corporate Liaison/Apprenticeship Coordinator, and Austin Russell, Healthcare Partner Advisor
Room: Metropolitan
Presentation: USD – Click Here
Presentation: LRSC – Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Unfortunately, health care staff don’t grow on trees. Many health centers are impacted daily by critical staff shortages. Given the dramatic changes that have occurred due to COVID-19 and ongoing workforce shortages, it is more important than ever for organizations to identify innovative approaches and solutions for hiring, growing, and retaining their current workforce.

Join us to learn about innovative approaches to building your pipeline, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training.

Changing the Community Health Game: It’s Not Delivery, It’s Delighting
May 3, 2023 | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Presenters: Amanda Laramie, Coach, and Adrienne Mann, RN, Trainer, Coach, PCMH-CCE
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click Here

Picture the black-and-white scenes of The Wizard of Oz and its transformation into a technicolor wonderland. The combination of increased access to care through technology and expanding Medicaid is like this experience for many states, complete with a wicked witch around the corner. Community members with previously limited access to medical care suddenly have increased access and choices. Health centers must prepare to compete for these patients while weathering an economic downturn, a staffing crisis, and continued recovery from the pandemic.

In this session, you will learn strategies for increasing new and existing patient engagement and how to delight patients to increase retention.

Health Equity & Clinical Quality
In Partnership: The Role of CHWs in Improving Patient Care
May 3, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Moderators: Shannon Bacon, MSW, LSW, Senior Health Equity & Partnerships Manager, and Lindsey Karlson, Director of Programs and Training
Panelists: Ernesto Alfaro, Community Health Worker,  Amber Brady, RN, and Christine Carey, CNP (tentative)
Room: Prairie Rose Room
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Community health workers (CHWs) have a unique role in health care, working at the intersection of community and health to focus on bridging patient gaps that can make it difficult to access health care and live a healthy life. Several health centers in the Dakotas are building community health worker programs. This session will highlight their experiences and how they have leveraged community health workers to improve patient outcomes.

Great Plains Health Data Network
Leveraging Telehealth Programs to Launch Health Centers Into the Future
May 3, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Presenters: Amanda Laramie, Coach, and Adrienne Mann, RN, Trainer, Coach, PCMH-CCE
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Telehealth is like the fanny pack: it’s back! But why did it ever go away? While many health centers launched telehealth programs in the early days of the pandemic, many have struggled to keep them going or have simply been excited to move back into in-person care. Telehealth can be a foundational launching point for health centers into improved resiliency and preparation for the future.

This session will cover building a strong foundation for telehealth and patient care beyond the four walls of the clinic to stay competitive and prepare for alternative payment models.

HR & Workforce
Taking the Path of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
May 3, 2023 | 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Presenter: Helen Rhea Vernier, MSc, Training Specialist
Room: Metropolitan
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) should be key guiding principles for any modern workplace. This is especially true for organizations like health centers, which have the privilege and legacy of social justice as a foundation. Health centers have the distinct honor of following in the footsteps of leaders in the spaces of justice, health equity, labor rights, migrant rights, and more. In this session, we will lay the groundwork for understanding DEIB and share insights from health centers across the country that are leading in this space.

Health Equity & Clinical Quality
Building the Framework for a Successful Care Management Program
May 3, 2023 | 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Presenter: Shannon Nielson, MHA, PCMH-CCE, Owner and Principal Consultant
Room: Prairie Rose Room
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Care management programs can potentially improve health outcomes and patient experiences while generating revenue for the health center. How can we ensure that care management programs achieve their intended results? This session will focus on developing, implementing, and measuring effective care management. You will learn how to develop whole care management programs that improve patient outcomes and generate a return on investment. We will cover implementing programs with appropriate staffing, processes, workflows, and revenue opportunities.

Great Plains Health Data Network
Leveraging Telehealth Programs to Launch Health Centers Into the Future – Continued
May 3, 2023 | 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Presenters: Amanda Laramie, Coach, and Adrienne Mann, RN, Trainer, Coach, PCMH-CCE
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Telehealth is like the fanny pack: it’s back! But why did it ever go away? While many health centers launched telehealth programs in the early days of the pandemic, many have struggled to keep them going or have simply been excited to move back into in-person care. Telehealth can be a foundational launching point for health centers into improved resiliency and preparation for the future.

This session will cover building a strong foundation for telehealth and patient care beyond the four walls of the clinic to stay competitive and prepare for alternative payment models.

HR & Workforce
Building an Inclusive Organization: Practical Steps for Implementing DEIB
May 3, 2023 | 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Presenter: Helen Rhea Vernier, MSc, Training Specialist
Guests: Dr. Stephanie Low, CEO at Community Health Service, Inc., Shelly Hegerle, HR and Workforce Manager, CHAD, and Shannon Bacon, Senior Health Equity Manager, CHAD
Room: Metropolitan
Presentation: Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives and programming are critical to the success of the current health center workforce. But taking these concepts from words to actions requires steps that are not always clear. In this presentation, we will discuss practical pathways to implementing DEIB programs, building inclusive workplaces, and specific ways they are working towards these goals. CHAD and Community Health Service Inc. staff will share examples of implementing DEIB in their workplace.

Health Equity & Clinical Quality
Turning the Curve on Community Health and Well-being: Results-Based Accountability™
May 4, 2023 | 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Presenters: Karen Pifher, MS, Founder, Megan Jenson, MBA, Partner, Results-Based Accountability™ Certified Professional
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: Click Here.
Session Evaluation: Click Here.

Health centers are uniquely positioned to impact community health and well-being, but knowing where to begin and how to measure success can be difficult. Presenters will introduce Results-Based Accountability™ – a data-driven, common-sense, and equity-based framework that helps communities and organizations move beyond talking about problems to taking action. Join this interactive session if you’ve wondered how to utilize your data, such as social drivers of health, to drive collaboration and community change. Presenters will meet you where you’re at and provide tangible strategies that can be adapted to your specific circumstances.

Policy & Advocacy
Maternal Health Innovations Panel
May 4, 2023 | 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Moderator: Lindsey Karlson, Director of Programs and Training
Panelists: Katelyn Strasser, MPH, BS, Administrator, Office of Child and Family Services; Kimberlee McKay, MD, OB/GYN and Clinical Vice President, OB/GYN Service Line; Christine Wey Hockett, PhD, Director of Community Health Research; Andrew Williams, PhD, MPH, Executive Director and Principal Investigator
Room: Prairie Rose Room
Presentation: Strasser – Click Here
Presentation: McKay & Hockett – Click Here
Presentation: Williams – Click Here
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Health centers are integral in supporting maternal and child health in their communities. This session will provide insights from three organizations across the Dakotas, building innovative services and programs to better care for these patients and highlighting opportunities to partner in this work. Speakers will highlight population health data related to maternal health, rural health system integration, innovation, and quality improvement strategies to better maternal health.

HR & Workforce
Creating and Sustaining an Organizational Culture of Wellness
May 4, 2023 | 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Presenter: Helen Rhea Vernier, MSc, Training Specialist
Room: Metropolitan
Presentation: Click Here.
Session Evaluation: Click Here

Addressing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), burnout, and employee wellness and satisfaction requires a thoughtful, systematic, and sustainable approach to implementing tools that effectively retain and recruit mission-driven health center staff. As the health care workforce landscape rapidly changes, leadership must remain nimble and acknowledge the paramount need to develop a culture of wellness.

Although the driving factors of burnout are complex, mitigating and alleviating the problem is not insurmountable. This presentation will offer concrete steps to care for your staff’s physical, emotional, and financial wellness, showing that you place staff wellness at the center of your strategic planning and workforce development.

Advocacy in Action
May 4, 2023 | 10:45 am – 11:30 am
Moderator: Shelly Ten Napel, Chief Executive Officer
Panelists: Patrick Gulbranson, Chief Executive Officer, and Lexy Eggert, Chief Development and Strategy Officer.
Special Guests: North Dakota State Senator Judy Lee and South Dakota State Senator Casey Crabtree
Room: Cityscape Ballroom

If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound? Health centers do important work and have an incredible story to tell. Knowing how to tell the story of health centers is an important skill when speaking with local, state, and federal decision-makers. This session will provide insight into two health centers’ approaches to building relationships through storytelling. Speakers will review recent legislative efforts in North Dakota and South Dakota and share what they have learned when engaging with lawmakers.

What’s Next for Medicaid in the Dakotas?
May 4, 2023 | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speakers: Sarah Aker, SD Medicaid Director, and Krista Fremming, ND Medicaid Director (Interim)
Room: Cityscape Ballroom
Presentation: South Dakota Medicaid – Click Here
Presentation: North Dakota Medicaid – Click Here

In this final session of the CHAD Annual Conference, we celebrate the vital partnership between the Medicaid program and federally qualified health centers. We serve similar populations and have a shared mission to improve health outcomes. This panel welcomes Medicaid leaders from North Dakota and South Dakota to discuss major Medicaid initiatives, including the unwinding of continuous eligibility, the addition of the expansion population in South Dakota, and what is coming in payment policy for traditional Medicaid and managed care. Speakers will discuss possible ways to address challenges with access to dental care, planned investments in maternal health, and other shared health equity initiatives.