CPCA’s HCCN Award Paves the Way for Stronger Data Collaboration with Health Centers
The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) has achieved a significant milestone: recognition as a Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN). This designation from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) allows CPCA to deepen its collaboration with participating community health centers, advancing data-driven improvements in care delivery and health outcomes.
A New Chapter in CPCA’s Work
For decades, CPCA has supported California’s community health centers, organizations that provide essential health services to some of the state’s most underserved communities. By receiving an HCCN designation, CPCA now has an opportunity to lead a new chapter of innovation and infrastructure building, focused on health information technology and data.
The HCCN program was designed to help health centers leverage data and technology to improve quality of care, enhance reporting, and meet evolving federal and state requirements. As an HCCN, CPCA will serve as both a convener and a resource hub, helping health centers adopt best practices, streamline data sharing, and build strong health IT systems.
CPCA’s application focused on health centers in the Central Valley and Central Coast. In some cases, participating health centers (PHCs) had not benefitted from the support of an HCCN. Many are 330(g) recipients and serve a large population of seasonal agricultural workers.
Why Data Matters Now
California’s community health centers serve more than 6 million patients each year, many of whom face systemic barriers to accessing care. With shifting Medicaid policies, growing demands for quality reporting, and the expansion of value-based care models, health centers are under increasing pressure to demonstrate outcomes and effectiveness.
Data analytics is key to meeting these challenges. Yet many health centers lack the infrastructure or staffing to collect, analyze, and act on the vast amount of information generated in electronic health records and other systems. As an HCCN, CPCA will provide training, technical assistance and peer-learning opportunities to close these gaps.
Building Capacity Across the Network
As part of its HCCN work, CPCA will focus on several priorities outlined by HRSA:
Data Management and Analytics: Supporting health centers in improving data quality, building dashboards, and using analytics to inform decision-making.
Data Sharing: Helping organizations securely exchange health information across providers and systems to create a more complete picture of patient care.
UDS Modernization: Preparing health centers for changes to HRSA’s Uniform Data System (UDS+) reporting, which will require new standards for data submission and analysis.
In addition, CPCA has elected to pursue goals in value-based care and artificial intelligence, reflecting its commitment to forward-looking strategies that anticipate the needs of health centers and their patients.
Looking Ahead
The HCCN designation comes at a pivotal moment. California is undergoing significant changes in how it delivers and pays for health care, with initiatives like Medi-Cal’s CalAIM and expanding integrated care models reshaping the landscape. By positioning itself as a data partner, CPCA is ensuring that health centers have the tools and support they need to thrive in this environment.
The work ahead will require close collaboration with participating health centers, ongoing engagement with state and federal partners, and a focus on improved health outcomes to ensure that improvements in data and technology translate into better outcomes for all patients.
By stepping into a new role with its HCCN designation, CPCA is reaffirming its mission: to strengthen community health centers so they can continue to be a lifeline for millions of Californians.
Email lsaenz@cpca.org with questions.