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The ND Oral Health Coalition annual in-person meeting was held on September 17. Coalition members
gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of members over the past year and share ideas to continue improving access to oral health care for all North Dakotans. The coalition’s efforts to improve access to oral health for all aligns with CHAD’s mission, and we appreciate the opportunity to serve as the facilitator for the ND Oral Health Coalition.
Special thanks to Family HealthCare’s Moorhead Dental Clinic for hosting the meeting within their building. Attendees enjoyed touring the dental clinic and meeting the University of Minnesota dental students who are on 4-week rotations at Family HealthCare, in addition to hearing a presentation about the U of M’s new rural career track for dental students.
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Health Centers in the News
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Focus on Rural Health featured an article on Kylee Schmiesing, community health worker at Coal Country Community Health Center, and CHWs’ impact on rural health.
Horizon Health hired Brady L. Kerkman as their new Foundation Director of Development.
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of prevention, screening, and early detection. According to the CDC, each year about 270,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. and 42,000 die from it. Other than skin cancer, it remains the most common cancer among women.
In 2024, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its guidelines to recommend mammograms every two years for women ages 40 to 74 at average risk. This change lowers the starting age from 50 to 40, which could help detect more cancers earlier.
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Effective Communication for a Strong Compliance Program
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Clear, consistent communication is key to ensuring compliance and building patient trust within health centers. This session will explore practical strategies for introducing topics such as the sliding fee program, discussing patient payment expectations, and supporting staff in navigating these sensitive
conversations. Participants will learn how to develop a communication plan for health center staff, strengthen staff confidence in implementing policies, and gain tools for navigating difficult conversations with patients while maintaining empathy and professionalism.
Monday, October 20 | 1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT
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Suicide Prevention in Primary Care: The Zero Suicide Model
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Join us for an in-depth, interactive training workshop on suicide prevention in primary care. Led by Katie Gallant, MSW, and Sarah Kemp Tabbut, LCSW, from ND HOPES and ND THRIVES, this workshop will equip participants with the
tools and knowledge to implement evidence-based suicide prevention practices. The training is grounded in the Zero Suicide Framework, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention across care settings.
Thursday, November 13 | 9:00 am - 12:30 pm CT / 8:00 am - 11:30 am MT
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New Toolkits to Support Your Work
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CHAD continues to create resources to make your work easier and more effective. Our Communications and Marketing network team has been receiving new toolkits designed to support outreach and engagement efforts.
The newest edition is the Health Centers 101 Toolkit, created to raise awareness about what health centers are and the impact they have in our communities. These tools are available to all members and can be used to strengthen communication, build awareness, and support your local efforts. Included in this toolkit are a series of promotional videos CHAD developed in partnership with KickTurn Studios to promote awareness, show the impact of health centers, support workforce and recruitment efforts, and more.
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The Get Covered Newsletter is for anyone in South Dakota helping individuals and families navigate their health coverage options—whether you’re a community health
worker, part of a nonprofit, working in health care, or supporting enrollment in any way.
Sign up for essential updates on eligibility guidelines, enrollment timelines, policy changes, training opportunities, practical resources, and real-life success stories from the Get Covered SD program.
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Nominations Open for the 2026 Emerging Leader Awards
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The nomination period is now open for the 2026 Emerging Leader Awards, presented by the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health in collaboration with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).
The Emerging Leader Award highlights the accomplishments of exceptional staff 35 years of age or younger who work in community health centers, primary care associations, and health center-controlled networks. If you have a wonderful staff member deserving of recognition on a national stage – especially someone whose dedication, accomplishments, and leadership capabilities have been
illuminated during breaking public health and health policy challenges – please nominate your candidate by Friday, November 7, 2025.
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Back to Basics: DRVS 101
Whether you're brand new to DRVS, in need of a refresher, or are curious for new tips and tricks, join Azara for their DRVS 101 webinar. This webinar is designed for practice staff who may have recently joined the organization or for those who could benefit from an overview of DRVS core functionality.
Thursday, October 2
1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT
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Back to Basics: DRVS Admin
Calling all DRVS Super Users and Administrators! In this webinar, Azara will provide an overview of all the key admin functionalities that can support you in creating cohorts & registries, managing provider & location groups, establishing targets, setting shared filters, and configuring email subscriptions. Learn how to take DRVS to the next level by tailoring the
functionality to support your practice's unique goals, priorities, and structures. Participants attending this session should have DRVS Admin privileges.
Thursday, October 9
1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT
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UDS Empowered! - Preparing for 2025 UDS Submissions Using DRVS
Next year’s Uniform Data System (UDS) submission deadline will be here before you know it! This webinar will cover important changes to the 2025 UDS CQMs and tables and review the related mapping & data categories to help ensure your success come February. Get a head start on your validation and reporting efforts to avoid the stress of UDS. Please submit any questions you
have on the 2025 updates with your registration.
Tuesday, October 14
12:00 pm CT / 11:00 am MT
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Back to Basics: Data Hygiene
While we all know data validation is a year-long effort, it is too often left on the back burner until UDS submission begins to creep over the horizon. During this webinar, Azara hopes to inspire you to explore the DRVS tools available that can make your data quality efforts even more approachable. By leveraging this functionality, you will be able to identify, monitor,
analyze, and improve the quality of your data, helping you to avoid the pre-reporting chaos and ensure healthy data all year long. This webinar is recommended for team members responsible for supporting data quality and validation. This might include clinical quality, IT/EHR support, or data analysts and administrative staff, among others.
Thursday, October 16
1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT
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As the Community
HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, we believe that everyone has a right to high-quality, reliable, affordable health care, regardless of where they live. We work with health centers, community leaders, and partners to increase access and improve health care services in areas of the Dakotas that need it most.
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This account 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 $1,423,637.00 with 0 percent 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.
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