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CCC Invited by the White House to Speak at Roundtable
Monday, February 7, 2022Central City Concern was honored to participate in a virtual roundtable, “Innovation with Community Health Organizations and Providers,” hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Health Resources and Services Administration Center for Innovation (HRSA CFI) on February 3.
This roundtable was part of the OSTP “Community Connected Health Initiative” – an effort dedicated to exploring and acting upon how innovation in science and technology can lower the barriers to access quality healthcare and lead healthier lives by meeting people where they are in their communities.
CCC’s Jacquelyn Hunt spoke in a “lightning talk” about how CCC has used technology to face the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jacquelyn explains how CCC adopted the software Central Worklist to integrate data from our housing tenant management software with COVID-19 testing status from our health services division while minding the boundaries of data privacy, and how we were able to quickly implement and make telehealth options accessible to our residents. View the lightning talk below.
While the recording of the full roundtable has not yet been posted, it will eventually be on the U.S Department of Health and Human Services YouTube Channel.
CCC continually advocates for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and for making the systems we work in accessible, integrated and equitable.
It’s crucial that our clients have ongoing support to access internet services and internet capable devices, especially since the pandemic has dramatically limited access to free Wi-Fi and device charging in community spaces. Health services, like those at CCC, also need access to funding for technological upgrades that come with regular re-investments to keep these tools current. Unfortunately, most funding for these services and tools are one-time grants.
All the telehealth and virtual options Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs) like CCC have put in place were made possible as a result of the federal government making temporary changes under the current public health emergency that allow them to expand into telehealth services and develop unique partnerships to best utilize technology to connect people with services.
As of now, when the public health emergency ends, so will much of the expanded access and innovation we have been able to build. The federal government must act to allow FQHCs like CCC to continue providing telehealth services. As the president and his administration continue to evaluate the state of emergency, we hope President Biden will show leadership to make these temporary rules permanent to secure long-term access to telehealth services.
We need the HEALTH Act or similar legislation to ensure so that we don’t move backwards.
Our public policy team works year-round to advance policies to end homelessness, improve health care access, increase economic justice, correct racial disparities and achieve greater alignment of the support systems our clients rely on.
