Health Center 101 Resources: Governance

Key Online Resources for Training Health Center Board Members (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: NCFH created this guide to key resources to help health centers incorporate online learning into their board governance training plans. More Details...

Consumer Engagement Assessment Tool (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This assessment tool will aid health centers in evaluating their efforts to invite, facilitate, and support consumer input and leadership in the governance of their organizations. For Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) programs within larger FQHC funding structures or public entities, accurate responses to questions about organizational governance and administrative activities may require input from both organizational leadership and HCH program directors. The purpose of these questions is to evaluate how people with lived experience of homelessness are invited into governance, even for programs that are not HCH standalones. More Details...

The Board's Role in Strategic Planning/La Función de la Junta Directiva en la Planificación Estratégica (2023). Resource Type: Micro-Learning. Description: Strategic planning is the board and management team’s attempt to create the health center’s future, achieve its vision, advance its mission, and exert some influence over an uncertain future. This short module identifies key components of a strategic planning process and discusses the role of the board in strategic planning. More Details...

Service Line Expansion: A Guide for Health Center Boards (English and Spanish) (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Health centers sometimes consider adding new services. If your health center is considering expanding the services it offers, your board of directors is a critical part of the process. This guide provides health center boards with an overview of service line expansion including why a health center might consider such expansion; information on the board’s role in the process; and questions to help guide decisions around expansion. More Details...

Geographic Expansion: A Guide for Health Center Boards (English and Spanish) (2023). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Health centers sometimes consider expanding geographically, often by adding new sites. If your health center is considering expanding geographically, your board of directors is a crucial part of the process. This guide provides health center boards with an overview of geographic expansion. It provides an overview of why a health center might consider such expansion; information on the board’s role in the process; and questions to help guide decisions around expansion. More Details...

Tips for Health Center Boards for Evaluating the Sliding Fee Discount Program (English/Spanish) (2022). Resource Type: Microlearning. Description: Health center boards are required to adopt, review and evaluate at least once every three years, and, as needed, approve updates to the Sliding Fee Discount Program as noted in Chapter 19: Board Authority in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program Compliance Manual. This short video provides tips on how boards can work with the health center CEO to evaluate and approve updates to the Sliding Fee Discount Program. It contains sample data and questions a board may wish to ask as part of this process. More Details...

Pharmacy Models: An Introduction for Health Center Boards (2022). Resource Type: eLearning. Description: This short video is intended to provide board members with a high-level overview of various pharmacy models and some of the strategic considerations related to these models. More Details...

Financial Fundamentals & Oversight for Board Members (2022). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Based on a NACHC Board Member training developed by BKD, this webinar will provide governing board members with a basic understanding of their fiduciary responsibilities related to financial oversight, financial reporting, and performance metrics. This session is geared toward new governing board members, seasoned governing board members looking for a refresher, and the finance team. More Details...

That Was Easy Understanding Health Center Finances for Board Members (2015). Resource Type: Archived Webinar . Description: An overview of health center finance topics appropriate for board members without a financial background, presented in the context of the 19 HRSA program requirements. More Details...

Health Center Governing Boards and Managers - Strategies For Successful Partnering With Key Players (2015). Resource Type: Archived Webinar . Description: The information shared in this session is intended to orient health center staff and board members on the topic of effectively connecting with the numerous and varied community, state, and national partners, without whom a health center can never achieve its full potential. Affiliations, Agreements, Contracts, Collaborations, and Scope of Practice will all be reviewed. The vital role of a right-sized, well structured, and effective Key Management Staff, led by the Governing Board’s Sole Employee will be examined and discussed. More Details...

Governing Board- Record of Health Center Policy Approval At-A-Glance (2016). Resource Type: n.a.. Description: Maintaining appropriate authority to oversee the operations of Federally Qualified Health Centers requires Governing Boards to comply with the PHS Section 330 Program Requirements, including establishing and periodically revising health center policies. The number of policies can be overwhelming and keeping policies current is challenging. This tool provides a non-exhaustive list of these policies and is intended to assist health centers and governing boards to keep track of needed updates and approvals. More Details...

Board of Directors - Orientation Checklist (2015). Resource Type: Template . Description: The checklist provides information for different types of orientations: orientation to the organization; orientation to the Community Health Center Program; and orientation to roles, responsibilities, and expectations for board members. This tool can be used by board members and/or Chief Executive Officers to identify their orientation needs or to document the completion of the orientation process. More Details...

Considerations for Health Center Boards: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Governance (2021). Resource Type: Self-Paced Module. Description: Considerations for Health Center Boards on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Governance, is a short introductory module intended as a resource for boards starting to explore or reevaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion in health center governance. More Details...

The Role of Health Center Boards in Business Continuity Planning (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Business Continuity Planning is the process that outlines the potential impacts of an unplanned disruption in operations and identifies the steps organizations will take to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate potential impacts. This short article outlines key considerations for health center boards related to Business Continuity Planning and questions boards can ask the CEO at their health center. More Details...

New Board Member Orientation: PowerPoint Template & Facilitator Guide (2021). Resource Type: Template. Description: Ensuring that new board members receive the information and training to prepare them for their new volunteer role is widely recognized as a good practice and is commonly referred to as “board orientation.” This “New Board Member Orientation – PowerPoint Template” can be customized for board orientation at your health center. The template  contains some slides with general information, as well as a series of slides designed to be updated with health center-specific information. An accompanying “Facilitator Guide” to the “New Board Member Orientation – PowerPoint Template” provides an overview of how to use the PowerPoint slides for the purposes of board orientation. These products are available in English and Spanish. More Details...

Navigating CEO Transitions: A Toolkit for Health Center Boards (2021). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: This toolkit provides an overview of steps involved in preparing for a CEO transition, searching for and selecting a CEO, and onboarding and supporting a new CEO. The appendix includes various templates and tools that can be customized by health center boards. More Details...

CEO Succession Planning: A Toolkit for Health Center Boards (2021). Resource Type: Toolkit. Description: This toolkit provides health center boards with guidance on creating a Chief Executive Succession Policy and a Chief Executive Backup Plan. Various templates are included in the toolkit. More Details...

The Board's Role in Strategic Planning: Case Study (2020). Resource Type: Micro-Learning. Description: This case study offers an opportunity to apply concepts regarding strategic planning from the online module titled, “The Board’s Role Related to Strategic Planning.” More Details...

The Board's Role in Strategic Planning: A Case Study of Cherokee Health Systems (2020). Resource Type: Micro-Learning. Description: This case study offers an overview of Cherokee Health Systems' strategic planning methodology from both the CEO and the Chief Strategy Officer's perspectives. It augments the other lessons in this series, providing a pragmatic example of strategic planning in action. More Details...

Health Center Board Roles/Funciones de las juntas de los centros de salud (2020). Resource Type: Micro-Learning. Description: This short video from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of health center boards. The video highlights where boards and board members can turn to for additional information on compliance with requirements from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program and for good governance practices. More Details...

Consumer Advisory Board Manual (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Special-populations-only health centers are eligible for a waiver of the consumer-majority Board if it meets special efforts to engage consumers. The best way to do this for Health Care for the Homeless health centers is the Consumer Advisory Board (CAB). Championed by the National CAB of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, this manual includes updated lessons from decades of relevant experience. More Details...

Governance Guide for Health Center Boards (English/Spanish) (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The Governance Guide for Health Center Boards addresses major areas of board responsibility and contextualizes them, where appropriate, in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program Compliance Manual (Compliance Manual) and relevant state and federal laws. The Governance Guide also reflects the latest effective governance practices for nonprofit boards. The Governance Guide for Health Center Boards will also be available in Spanish (forthcoming) and replaces the “Health Center Program Governing Board Workbook.” More Details...

Modules on Board Financial Oversight (2019). Resource Type: E-Learning. Description: The Modules on Board Financial Oversight were produced by NACHC and feature subject matter experts from BKD. This five-part series addresses the board’s role in financial oversight, how to read key financial statements, and highlights some key financial performance indicators typically monitored by health center boards. The content in the modules is foundational and intended for those new to board service, board members who want to build their confidence related to financial oversight, or board members that want a refresher on this topic. The Modules can be viewed by individual board members, by the full board as part of its own ongoing board education,* or during new board member orientation.* The Modules include: Module 1: The Board's Role in Financial Oversight Module 2: Reading and Understanding the Balance Sheet (Statement of Financial Position) Module 3: Reading and Understanding the Income Statement (Statement of Activities) Module 4: Understanding the Importance of Cash Flow Module 5: Key Financial Performance Indicators More Details...

Using Outreach Data to Support Health Center Board Engagement (2016). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Outreach programs have unique access to community data that can enhance a health center’s governing board’s ability to make strategic decisions about providing appropriate and responsive care to patients in a financially sustainable manner. This webinar will address how to leverage outreach data to support health center planning and decision-making. HOP will present two effective tools that health center leadership, including board members, can use to inform their work: needs assessments and the Outreach Business Value Toolkit. More Details...

A Quick Guide on Consumer Engagement in Governance of Health Care for the Homeless Programs (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Health centers serving people experiencing homelessness must meaningfully involve consumers with the lived experience of homelessness in their governance, either on their governance Board or through structures like Consumer Advisory Boards. This guide provides practical tips for organizations in setting up effective, empowering consumer governance structures and supports. The ideas in this Quick Guide were developed through conversations with over 20 key informants: consumer leaders, consumer support staff, and executive leaders of HCH projects who have facilitated consumer leadership both locally and nationally. More Details...