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

study

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.

A study from the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) found that between 2018 and 2023, the number of retail pharmacies declined by 3.9 percent in the US. The number of retail pharmacies located in rural communities declined 5.9 percent, versus a 3.4 percent decline in urban areas.

MNACHC CEO Report - New data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics estimates that the national uninsured rate increased to 8.2% in Q1 of 2024. This is up from 7.7% a year prior. Overall, 27 million people had no form of health insurance in March 2024, compared to 25 million at the same time in 2023.