Promoting Partnerships with Primary Care Associations

In this episode of the HIV Care Conversations Podcast, Dayna Kirk Morrison, Sr. Director of the Oregon AIDS Education & Training Center (AETC) Programs at OPCA, and Jill Coleman, Program Manager of the South Central AETC’s Oklahoma regional partner, shed light on the transformative impact of partnering with Primary Care Associations (PCAs). The discussion centers around the implementation of sustainable models of care for individuals with HIV, particularly addressing the challenges faced by clinics in remote regions.

Understanding the Landscape in Oregon:

In Oregon, a state with 34 Community Health Centers, 5 centers, including Winding Waters, Mosaic Community Health, Neighborhood Health Center, and the HIV Health Services Center at Multnomah County , offer crucial HIV care services. Morrison notes a significant increase in new diagnoses, particularly in frontier areas, with trends among age groups 25-44 and rising rates within Indigenous, Black, Latine, and Pacific-Islander populations.

The conversation emphasizes the role of stigma, discrimination, and racism in these trends, prompting a shift from focusing solely on HIV and risk behaviors to considering broader factors such as social determinants of health and sexual and social networks.

The Role of HIV Care Conversations:

HIV Care Conversations is a podcast for healthcare providers treating and managing care for people with HIV in the United States. Through short conversations and interviews with field experts, this initiative aims to provide information, solutions, and resources to address existing and emerging issues in HIV care and prevention delivery to improve the health outcomes of those impacted by HIV.

Leveraging Partnerships for Community Impact:

Morrison emphasizes the pivotal role of CHCs and PCAs in increasing access to preventive services for smaller, rural populations. Integrating with OPCA not only provides an administrative link but also fosters a collective voice for transformation efforts in the healthcare system.

This collaborative approach extends beyond Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) efforts to include Value-Based Payment (VBP) and other sustainable healthcare models. Advocacy for legislation supporting access to care and ensuring leadership alignment with workforce development is also highlighted.

“It is our job as a healthcare and public health workforce to make sure there are more tools and resources available to communities. This is where FQHC’s (CHCs) and Primary Care Associations can really play a big role in increasing access to preventative services for these smaller, more rural populations.”

-Dayna Kirk Morrison, Sr. Director of AETC Programs (OPCA)

Top Three Tips for Effective Partnership:

Identify Workplan Crossovers: Look for intersections in workplans and utilize combined resources to garner buy-in and participation to build interdisciplinary HIV programs in health centers. 

Leverage Complementary Roles: Recognize the complementary roles of PCAs and AETCs. While PCAs operate at the administrative, big-picture level, focusing on legislation and sustainable healthcare models, AETCs are on the ground, addressing implementation challenges and understanding the intricacies of everyday clinic life.

Establish Direct Communication Channels: Foster a direct line of communication between PCAs and AETCs to create a robust feedback loop. This allows for a cohesive approach, aligning administrative strategies with on-the-ground insights, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of HIV care initiatives.

Staff Contacts:

AETC Programs and Services | Dayna Morrison (dmorrison@orpca.org)

OPCA Communications | Jordan Frazier (jfrazier@orpca.org)

Relevant resources: