2024 Conference Agenda

Agenda

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Registration, Continental Breakfast, Vendor Hall, Networking

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Welcome Address

  • Deb McClain, Board Chair

  • Kristen Rapp, Executive Director

Keynote Address
Bricks, Wheels & Boots: Mobilizing Charitable Care to Build a Safety Net

  • Dr. Mark B. Stephens, Penn State College of Medicine (See Bio Below Agenda)

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Break

9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Breakout Sessions

  • 1A: Making Healthcare Accessible: A Language Guide for Clinics Serving LEP Populations
    Matt Hess, Senior Director of Operations, Global Wordsmiths

    • This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of how free or low-cost health clinics can better serve Limited English Proficient (LEP) consumers. We’ll explore key topics such as an overview of Language Accessibility, the differences between Interpretation and Translation, Cultural Competency, and following the most common languages and trends in Pennsylvania. The session will also address the serious implications of language barriers in healthcare, including their impact on patient outcomes and health disparities. Attendees will receive a legal overview of Title VI and other regulations that protect LEP patients, along with practical solutions for clinics, such as securing services, best practices in Interpretation and Translation, and making patient materials accessible. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, allowing participants to share their own experiences working with diverse populations.

  • 1B: Food Is Medicine
    Susan Veldheer, Penn State College of Medicine

    • There is no doubt that healthy food impacts health, nor that diet and nutrition play a large role in a person’s ability to manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. The phrase “Food is medicine” has gained substantial popularity in recent years and there are a variety of these programs currently being tested in healthcare settings. This session will provide an overview of the current state of the Food is Medicine movement, including a review of the evidence on diet and health and FIM programs being implemented across the country. We will also invite free and charitable health clinics to share their examples of successful program models that participants can replicate. 

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions

  • 2A: Simplified Fundraising Planning for Small Nonprofits
    Chad Barger, ACFRE ACNP

    • Join fundraising master trainer, Chad Barger, ACFRE, ACNP, for a workshop covering fundraising planning. We’ll cover some of the biggest mistakes that nonprofit organizations make when putting together their annual fundraising plan and how to avoid them. Processes and tools will be shared which pare the planning process down to its simplest form. Attendees leave with actionable steps that they can take to make their organization’s planning process more effective and efficient.

  • 2B: Medication Access Panel – Americares, Direct Relief, The Grace Lamsam Program of the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

    Free and charitable clinics may be able to provide free care from volunteer physicians, dentists, and other clinicians, but what happens when a person without insurance needs medications? This panel will provide information and resources to attendees about options to access and distribute medications for these patients. 

    • Cat Hulburt, Americares

    • Marisa Barnes, Direct Relief

    • Ariana Gordillo De Vivero, National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

    • Mary Herbert, Clinical Director at the Program for Healthcare to Underserved Populations, Birmingham Free Clinic

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch & Networking in Vendor Hall

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
PCHC Membership Meeting
PCHC Report to the Members

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Plenary Session: Making the Most of the Numbers

Data is a necessary component of the work of free and charitable clinics. This plenary will share information about collecting and comparing your clinic’s data to other free clinics to increase health equity; how to use publicly available state and county data reports to assess unmet health needs; how to access and utilize local data specific to the costs of living, gaps in healthcare access, and other social determinants of health; and demonstrate outcomes to inform funders, policymakers, community partners and the public about the impact free clinics have on the patients they care for and the communities they serve.

  • Americares’ Roadmap to Health Equity Project - Cat Hulbert, Senior Director, US Programs, Americares

  • United Way of PA ALICE data and the 211 dashboard - Phil Falvo, Public Policy Director, United Way of PA

  • Amanda Taylor Gehman, Program Manager, PA Area Health Education Center

  • Moderator: Erin Raub, Director of Government Relations, Wellspan

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Break

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Breakout Sessions

  • 3A: Connecting Oral & Physical Health in a Volunteer Clinic
    Kelly Braun, PA Office on Rural Health & Helen Hawkey, PA Oral Health Coalition

    • Join us for an insightful session on integrating oral and physical health in free and charitable clinics. This course will explore the critical connection between oral health and overall health outcomes, backed by key metrics such as MEPS numbers that illustrate the prevalence of dental and medical care gaps among different populations.

      We will emphasize the importance of preventive care, highlighting that dental disease is largely preventable. Understanding the bidirectional relationship between systemic health and dental care is essential; we will discuss how both the medical and dental teams at a clinic can improve oral health. Additionally, we will examine the systemic burden of dental disease on emergency room visits and the healthcare system as a whole.

      The session will cover workforce considerations and how to leverage public health dental hygiene practitioners (PHDHP) within medical settings or within a separate dental clinic. We will also provide practical strategies for implementing clinical care—from basic referrals to establishing fully operational dental clinics. Participants will leave with the tools they need for effective referrals, including resources for finding dental care, maintaining updated listings, and tracking volunteer licensure requirements for continuing education credits. This course aims to empower volunteers with the knowledge and skills to bridge the gap between oral and physical health care.

  • 3B: Valued, Cared for, and Loved: Social Determinants and Care Management in a Free Clinic
    Steve Kurtz, Executive Director, Katallasso Family Health Center

    • Staff and volunteers at free clinics know our patients often come to us with needs related to transportation, employment, and economic security, housing and food insecurities, environmental stressors, violence, and language barriers. For some free clinics that rely on volunteers, it can be hard to envision how to move from knowing to intentionally integrating these needs into the care we provide and tracking the needs and the impact of our care. Katallasso Family Health Center in York, PA has recently made this change and has learned a lot along the way. Join them to learn how they approached it, what they’ve learned, and how they’ve responded.

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Closing Session