At the September 2007 WACMHC Strategic Planning Retreat, workforce was identified as one of the top three priorities for Board members. WACMHC was directed to develop a state specific workforce strategy to address workforce within the Community Health Centers. Workforce is not just licensed health care clinicians but rather includes all staff working with the CHC setting. There are many programs, partnerships, and opportunities in developing an effective state specific strategy. These include activities from director recruitment and retention of providers, incentive programs to support making a match with providers, pipeline programs, as a well developed system within the CHC to support having the full complement of all providers. Data has been collected and information gathered, and conversations have taken place with many of our partners to include the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association, Area Health Education Centers, Community Health Network of Washington, Washington State department of Health and State Agencies, to launch this work.

For more information on Workforce activities at WACMHC, please contact Abbie Chandler-Doran at (206) 546-4026 or adoran@wacmhc.org.