For Immediate Release
2014 ANNUAL CJA CONFERENCE “LEADERS HONORED DURING MEMBER AWARD CEREMONY!”
DETROIT, MI (October 9, 2014) – National nonprofit, Communities Joined in Action (CJA), hosted its 9th annual conference,Accountable Health Communities:Aligning & Implementing Healthcare Reform, at the Charlotte Marriott City Center from Wednesday, October 16th through Friday, October 18th. Money raised from the eventand a concurrent silent auction benefittedCommunities Joined in Action and its 200 members.
Member Awards were announced at the luncheon on the first day of the conference honoring the nation’s community health leaders. Steve Galen, MS and President and CEO of Primary Care Coalition was awarded the Mary Lou Andersen Lifetime Achievement in Healthcare Transformation. The Emerging Leader in Healthcare Transformation award was presented toDr. Leslie Smith and Margaret Brennan on behalf of the Primary Care Access Network of Orlando, FL. Karen Shepard, CPA and Chief Financial Officer for St. Charles Health System, won the Healthcare Transformation award. Rev.Joseph E. Washingtonwas given the Marilyn Hughes Gaston Health Equity award.
The conference attracted 175 community health leaders from health systems, health collaboratives, health centers, health plans, public health and social service providers, philanthropy, and consumers who are committed to achieving better health, improving health care and lowering health care costs. Pre-conference intensives and breakout sessions were held that awarded CEU credit hours for attending social workers. Participants called it a “success” and “the best one yet!” Attendees were especially excited to gather to share information and support during this era of health care change. Several committed to joiningCJA’s new campaign forPatient and Community Engagement.
“Health reform requires a change in focus – a change from more health care to more health,” says Laura J. Brennan, MSW and Board Chair of CJA. “The conference [provides] the latest information and valuable tools on how to foster collaboration that assures shared responsibility among clinical providers, community health leaders and consumers to improve the health of the population and transform local systems of care.”
About Communities Joined in Action
Communities Joined in Action (CJA) is a private, non-profit membership organization of nearly 200 community health collaboratives – each of our members being committed to improving health, improving access, and eliminating disparities in their communities. Our mission is to mobilize and assist these community health collaboratives to assure better health for all people at less cost. CJA supports our members by facilitating the rapid dissemination of innovations across communities. We provide access to technical resources, peer-mentors from model communities, best practices, as well as host conferences and facilitate local networking opportunities among other services. More information is available on our website at
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