Health Center Controlled Network - PROJECT TITLE: 2025 ILLINOIS HEALTH CENTER CONTROLLED NETWORK - Engage Illinois APPLICANT: ILLINOIS PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION (IPHCA) ADDRESS: 1999 WABASH AVE, SUITE 200, SPRINGFIELD, IL 62704 PROJECT DIRECTOR: CHERI HOOTS, COO; PHONE: 217-541-7413; FAX: 217-541-7301 email: choots@iphca.org GRANT FUNDS REQUESTED: $1,455,000 The Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) represents all 56 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and FQHC Look-Alikes that operate in Illinois, two that operate in Iowa and one in Missouri. These community health centers (CHCs) operate in over 430 sites in underserved rural, urban, and suburban communities providing comprehensive, integrated primary care including medical, behavioral, and oral health care to over 1.5 million patients annually. IPHCA proposes to create a network of 40-50 participating health centers to work collaboratively to leverage health information technology and data to enhance how these centers deliver affordable, accessible, and high-quality care with specific focus on data management and analytics; interoperability of systems and digital health tools; and UDS+ implementation with funding from the FY 2025 Health Center Control Network Cooperative Agreement. IPHCA sees tremendous value in pursuing this cooperative agreement as it aligns with Illinois’ community health center’s priority of transformation to value-based care arrangements. IPHCA strives to create a data-informed alternative payment methodology (APM) and a clinically integrated network (CIN) to better assist Illinois health centers. The support and work from the Health Center Controlled Network agreement will create opportunities and similar successes for our Illinois health centers like many of our Primary Care Association (PCA) counterparts across the country. IPHCA’s proposal builds on its 42 years of success as the state’s Primary Care Association. In addition to executive management and administrative personnel, IPHCA’s organizational structure includes program staff devoted to clinical quality, workforce development, finance and operations, communications, shortage designations, data analysis, training, oral health, behavioral health, outreach and enrollment and emergency preparedness. With this level of experience, staffing, and strong national partnerships, IPHCA can respond quickly and in a coordinated fashion to the changes taking place in the health care environment.
