NCQA Is Recruiting Federal Health Centers to Participate in HRSA-Funded Program

NCQA is recruiting Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) sponsored health centers and Look-Alikes (LAL) interested in achieving and maintaining Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition. This project is funded through a new task order under our Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract with HRSA.

“NCQA has been partnering with HRSA to improve quality and efficiency in health centers since 2010,” says William Tulloch, NCQA’s Director of Quality Services. “More than 3,200 health centers have earned NCQA PCMH Recognition to date. NCQA is ready to support the next generation of health centers as they pursue this valuable credential.”

This year, NCQA will expand our support for health centers by offering our Behavioral Health Integration Distinction—an important step toward helping patients achieve whole-person health.

Benefits of PCMH Recognition

The PCMH model of care can help build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams, while meeting regulatory requirements. Here are some of the benefits of pursuing PCMH Recognition:

• Improve quality and efficiency. Health centers develop streamlined workflows and adopt a team-based approach leading to improved quality of care, increased efficiency, higher satisfaction among patients and staff, and reduced costs.
• Reduce health disparities. Health centers learn to identify, assess and address social drivers of health as a fundamental component of the PCMH transformation process.
• Comply with regulatory requirements. PCMH requirements are aligned with HRSA’s Uniform Data Systems Resources and state Medicaid requirements related to access and clinical quality outcomes.

Visit our website to learn how the PCMH model of care can improve health center operations and view testimonials from health centers that have successfully completed the program.

Benefits of Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration

Behavioral health conditions like mental illness or substance use disorder can often be identified and treated in a primary care setting, which can offer patients a seamless experience and lead to better health outcomes.

NCQA’s Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration helps health centers and LALs integrate behavioral healthcare into their practices. Here are some of the benefits of this distinction:

• Showcase your expertise. Demonstrate to patients, payers and partners that your organization has the right resources, evidence-based protocols and standardized tools to support the needs of patients.
• Deliver whole-person care. Expand your capacity to provide comprehensive care that acknowledges patients’ physical and behavioral health needs.
• Improve outcomes. Integrating behavioral health and primary care leads to improvements in access, clinical outcomes and patient experience.

Health centers and LALs that have already achieved PCMH Recognition or are actively working toward it can apply for the Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration.

How NCQA Supports Health Centers and LALs

In addition to covering survey expenses, NCQA will provide office hours, regional and national training sessions for health center staff, individualized technical assistance from NCQA PCMH Certified Content Experts and educational content.

“Health centers are already doing the work, so applying for PCMH Recognition is the natural next step in the process,” says Tulloch. “NCQA provides the tools and resources to help health centers succeed.”

Visit our training and technical assistance webpage to access recordings of past training sessions and office hours.

How to Apply

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to indicate their interest in the program. Use this link to access step-by-step instructions for submitting an NOI.

LALs should follow these instructions:

1. Go to the BPHC contact form.

2. Scroll down to the Look-Alike Designation section and click on the Accreditation and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition (APCMH)—LAL A new contact form will open.

3. Select the Notice of Intent option from the drop-down menu.

4. Enter the details about your request in the space provided.

Please submit your NOI as soon as possible to reserve your spot. If you have questions, please contact HRSA via the BPHC contact form.