CAI National Clinical and Preventive Excellence Initiative

Advancing Clinical Quality and Preventive Care for Health Centers Nationwide

Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Cicatelli Associates Inc. (CAI) is proud to lead the Clinical and Preventive Excellence National Technical Assistance Program (NTAP), a national effort that helps health centers strengthen primary care access, improve clinical quality, expand preventive services, and reverse disease trends. Through tailored technical assistance, resources, and quality improvement support, CAI will foster meaningful partnerships with health centers and their partners or collaborators to achieve measurable improvements in patient outcomes and advance better health for millions of people nationwide.

Partnering with Health Centers to Deliver High-Quality Comprehensive Care

Health centers play a vital role in the nation’s healthcare safety net, delivering affordable, accessible, and comprehensive care to over 32 million of medically underserved Americans across the country. Health centers know their communities best and understand the unique needs of the individuals and families they serve, the challenges they face, and the opportunities to improve health. As health centers confront issues that affect how they provide vital services and, in turn, the care and wellness of the communities they serve, CAI’s National Clinical and Preventive Excellence Initiative will provide timely, actionable support through tailored technical assistance and resources.

The initiative is designed to help health centers strengthen clinical systems, improve care delivery, and build sustainable models that support better outcomes for patients, families, and communities.

Priority Focus Areas

1Access to comprehensive primary care — helping health centers reduce barriers to timely preventive and chronic care services

2Chronic disease management — controlled hypertension, diabetes, depression, and substance use disorder management

3Preventive services — BMI, cancer screening, and depression screening

4Care continuity and coordination — strengthening patient experience and communication between patients and care teams

5Emerging Issues — maternal health

6Mental Health Services — enhancing the quality of integrated mental health services, identifying and treating conditions early

7Patient support services — case management, care coordination, transportation, and outreach

8Prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking — implementing evidence-based strategies, protocols, and partnerships

9Oral health and prevention — an emphasis on integrating oral health into primary care, prevention, and health education

10Clinical quality improvement, assurance, and patient safety — quality and assurance strategies to create a culture of quality and safety

11Clinical practice transformation — increase integrated, team-based practice models and patient-centered models

12Community health and health-related needs — community engagement and community partnerships, using assessments and data to identify and respond to areas of need

Our Technical Assistance Delivery Approach

Tailored to Meet Each Health Center’s Capacity and Need

Resources

Web-based toolkits, implementation guides, and other digital resources

Available to every health center to improve awareness, knowledge, and support implementation of data-supported interventions and promising practices

National Webinars

Live sessions featuring high-performing health centers that deliver practical, data-supported guidance and promising practices that achieve measurable improvements in patient health outcomes

Recorded and archived for on-demand viewing

Outcomes-Focused Cohorts

Six cohorts of 40 health centers in or below the third quartile in clinical performance to improve clinical outcomes and access to comprehensive, high-quality care:

Controlled hypertension (2 cohorts)
Weight assessment and counseling (2 cohorts)
Breast, cervical, and colorectal screening (1 cohort)
Depression screening and follow-up (1 cohort)

Addressing IPV will be integrated into cohort activities
Ongoing implementation support provided through individualized technical assistance provided by practice facilitators, subject matter experts, and clinical consultation
Cohort Cycle: 6 months planning and recruiting cohort members; 3 years engaging with health centers; 6 months evaluating cohort impact

Communities of Practice (CoP)

8 virtual CoPs of 12 health centers (6 sessions each) highlighting a team-based focus area for improvement with individualized facilitation support

Structured peer learning focused on a shared area for improvement
Focus areas: access to comprehensive primary care; chronic disease management; preventive screening; mental health; oral health; maternal health: IPV & human trafficking; and clinical quality improvement, quality assurance, and patient safety

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The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this website. The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $8,000,000. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.