Table of Contents

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are facing challenges in identifying and attracting qualified health care professionals. These challenges include workforce shortages exacerbated by burnout, competitive compensation packages, and a shortage of training programs for potential candidates. In continuation of our efforts to raise awareness about mental health, we are exploring the connection between well-being and workforce resilience. The ability to cope with stress and change in healthy ways, enabling problem-solving and effective care, is a vital trait to possess in community health settings. Today, OPCA is highlighting the importance of supporting workforce resilience to sustain our health care system in delivering comprehensive, high-quality patient care. You’ll learn:

  • What is workforce resilience?

  • The experience of FQHC, White Bird Clinic, in supporting its staff and workforce challenges.

  • How OPCA’s Workforce Development Manager can support CHCs.

Resources, tools, and upcoming learning opportunities mentioned in this blog are provided in the CHC Toolbox section.

Workforce Resilience

Workforce resilience is the capacity of employees—and the systems supporting them—to adapt, recover, and thrive amid stressful situations. The connection between workforce resilience and mental health is the extent to which an employee feels connected to a support network and has access to available resources. Health center staff work demanding schedules that vary based on role, specialty, and location. If a health care professional is experiencing difficulty in assessing and identifying a patient’s needs, the quality of care will be impacted. In community health settings, monitoring employee satisfaction is crucial in sustaining a mission-driven team. Some of the benefits of supporting workforce resilience are higher staff retention, enhanced care team performance, and stronger organizational culture.

Resilient health center staff do more than endure challenges—they flourish. Supporting workforce resilience enables FQHCs to retain motivated employees who excel at delivering comprehensive, compassionate care in all circumstances. To see workforce resilience in action, OPCA sat down with health center staff who are navigating challenges while staying grounded in team-based, patient-centered care.

White-bird-clinic-logo

Interview

During an interview with White Bird Clinic health center staff, the team shared mental health services and programs they offer to the community, the current organizational structure of the health center, and insight into workforce challenges. First, I asked what inspires them about working at a FQHC, especially White Bird Clinic.

“I’ve been in health care, 30 years total. [I] started work in a nonprofit nursing home right out of high school, and they put me through the Washington State nurse assistant certification. So, I’ve been in outpatient clinic management for about 20 years, [and] about 5 years prior to that as a hospice aid. So, I do tend to gravitate to what I call high patient acuity, high patient intensity. I’ve been here [White Bird Clinic] a little over a year as the Health Center Director over medical and dental.”

Julie Cummings, MBA
Health Center Director

“I became interested in helping folks access a range of services when I began my career as a therapist. It was so evident that the barriers to accessing wrap-around integrated care was something that discouraged clients and providers alike. It seemed like there could be a different way to give folks the help they need and deserve while coordinating with other like-minded providers. There are many things I love about working here. The people I work with are a top reason why I do what I do. The compassion and empathy with which all our folks approach their work is inspiring to me. And, of course, supporting our most vulnerable neighbors with their needs is the driving force behind the work that I do.”

 

Erica Goldsmith, LCSW
Behavioral Health Clinical Manager

“Folks seeking mental health services can visit our website and fill out the screening form on the behavioral health counseling page. If people need assistance filling out this form, they can come to our office at 202 E. 14th Ave., and our front office staff, Kiah, can help them. The counseling program is staffed with 7 mental health therapists, 1 Mental Health graduate-level intern, and 4 peer support folks. We coordinate care between peer support and mental health staff so that our clients can get wrap-around care. We also have the support of our medical and dental clinics and our case management department to integrate care, which is making a big difference for our clients. I have seen the foundational importance of relationships being the driving factor in client response to services. When a trusting therapeutic alliance is built with clients, they feel empowered to make decisions and take actions to help themselves to heal and grow.”

Erica Goldsmith, LCSW
Behavioral Health Clinical Manager

“When I see these new patients coming in, I look at like obvious issues and see how we can try to meet their needs. Patients are probably going to need both a physical health eval and possible psych medication evaluation. Often, they also need substance use counseling. I sign them up with our onsite PCP nurse practitioner for the physical health portion. We subcontract through Array for our telehealth nurse prescribers, so I set them up for an evaluation as well with those psych providers, [because] more often than not, that is the more critical need. A lot of our folks do have chronic conditions, but it’s not their most urgent need. Well, a lot of our patients are unhoused or recently hospitalized to psychotic breaks or other behavioral health concerns. We try to bring them in to get integrated care as soon as possible. The optimum approach for the patient is that we’ve addressed the immediate need first, and then we address the whole body later.”
Julie Cummings, MBA
Health Center Director

To increase access to health care services, White Bird Clinic reopened its walk-in clinic, which is now available three days a week. During the walk-in clinic, Erica’s social work intern supports care teams by connecting patients with behavioral and mental health services when a provider identifies an individual who may need additional support. White Bird Clinic also partners with Saint Vincent DePaul to provide health care at Eugene’s brand-new resource center. On Fridays, telehealth psychiatric services are available.

Response from: Julie Cummings, MBA, White Bird Clinic Health Center Director

Response from: Julie Cummings, MBA, White Bird Clinic Health Center Director

Response from: Julie Cummings, MBA, White Bird Clinic Health Center Director

OPCA’s Workforce Development Manager

OPCA’s Workforce Development Manager, Michelle Bowers, plays a key role in supporting Oregon’s community health centers by developing and implementing workforce training and technical assistance programs. Her work focuses on strengthening workforce pathways, sharing recruitment and retention tools and strategies, identifying and promoting health professional education and training opportunities, and collaborating with state and national partners to address healthcare workforce challenges.

Health centers can reach out to Michelle at mbowers@orpca.org for:

  • Guidance on workforce recruitment, retention, and incentive programs
  • Best practices and technical assistance for workforce development
  • Support in building partnerships with educational institutions and workforce organizations
  • Updates on federal and state workforce initiatives and requirements
  • Participation in the HR Leaders Peer Group for shared learning and networking

Michelle shared a list of resources, tools, and programs available to health centers in the CHC Toolbox section.

CHC Toolbox

CCBHC Workforce Innovations Digital Downloads

  • Staffing Model Redesign
  • Workforce Policies and Procedures
  • Employee Wellness and Resilience

Strategies to improve the well-being of the health and public safety workforce must address the full range of relational and operational drivers of burnout and moral injury.

Strategies for Health Organizations

In response to the challenges of the world, our visionary founder, Tiffany Grimes, introduced a series of free, weekly 15-minute mindfulness broadcasts in late spring 2020. Now, as our communities continue to grapple with the ongoing impact of our overcharge world, Tiffany invites you to discover the extraordinary power of mindfulness through our free weekly, Mindfulness Broadcast as well as our curated collections free guided mindfulness videos.

The Mindfulness Broadcast – Empower – Coaching, Workshops

NEON’s Wellness at Work project supports the health care workforce throughout Oregon by providing training to frontline staff working with rural or culturally underserved populations. We also offer training for supervisors and administrators who support this workforce.

NEON Trainings

Research shows that frontline staff in health and behavioral health settings thrive when they have strong supervision.  Staff succeed when they work in an environment that is culturally responsive, the scope of their work is clear, and they are well supported.

NEON Trainings

The realities of our health care system are driving many health workers to burnout. They are at an increased risk for mental health challenges and choosing to leave the health workforce early. They work in distressing environments that strain their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. This will make it harder for patients to get care when they need it.

Health Worker Burnout | HHS.gov

Related Resources

Related Posts

The Oregon Network of Community Health Centers Builds Identities for Each of its Three Strategies for Supporting Health Centers
Tackling Diabetes Through Prevention
Pushing for Better Care: Perinatal Services
Healthy Students, Stronger Communities: School-Based Health Centers