2026 Community Health Conference (CHI) & EXPO Call for Abstracts

Deadline: February 20, 2026

The NACHC Community Health Conference (CHI) and EXPO is the largest annual gathering of health center clinicians, executives, operations and management staff, direct patient-facing staff, health center board members, and advocates along with Health Center Controlled Networks and State/Regional Primary Care Associations. Health centers are in an era when change must be viewed within the context of opportunity. They must find new ways to deliver care more effectively and efficiently. The pathway to sustainability and competition calls for training in new disciplines, collaboration, workforce development, technology, and pursuing innovative models of care that address the emerging public health issues and challenges of our day.

About the Education Program:

NACHC anticipates offering at least 60 sessions during the 2026 CHI. This year, we are looking for sessions that will help unite health centers leaders to shape the future of primary care by positioning health centers as the Employer, Provider, and Partner of Choice (EPPOC) for primary care and advancing health access:

• Partner of Choice: Position health centers as the partner of choice among all healthcare stakeholders to catalyze innovation and improve health. Healthcare Stakeholders = Patients, Providers, Payers, Purchasers, & Policy Makers.
• Employer of Choice: Position health centers as the employer of choice by identifying strategies and best practices to educate, recruit, and retain a high-quality, resilient, diverse, and culturally competent workforce that represents the people we serve.
• Provider of Choice: Positioning health centers as the provider of choice for all patients (and payers) across the lifespan through the provision of comprehensive, high-quality primary care that delivers on the Quintuple Aim with access in the center.

Important Call for Abstract Dates

• February 20, 2026: Completed submissions are due by 11:59 PM ET.
• March 2 – March 30, 2026: Abstract review period
• April 2026: Education program announced: abstract submitters will be notified via email

Session Formats:

• Workshop: A 60-minute presentation that is highly interactive and focuses on problem-solving or skill-building. Your presentation should therefore be a mix of didactic information sharing and hands-on work. Workshops are intended to change attendee behaviors and should therefore incorporate exercises that will help attendees take home actionable steps that they can immediately incorporate into their health centers.
• Panel Discussion: A 60-minute didactic presentation with a panel of experts sharing insights and opinions. Panel discussions are designed to share information on emerging topics and new developments. These sessions should incorporate some interactive components (e.g. polling, Q&A) to better understand your audience's starting points and motivations.
• Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networking Session: A 60-minute facilitated session focusing on topics that affect health centers such as – but not limited to – legislative and regulatory practices, operational issues, good governance practices, and the unique challenges that come with health center management and patient care. P2Ps are designed for learning in small group settings, where participants exchange ideas and network on issues most relevant to health centers.
• Timely Twenty-Minute Tips (T3s): TED-style talks that deliver simple, concise and knowledgeable information in short twenty-minute segments. T3s are NOT sales pitches for products and services, and should instead focus on topics and agnostic solutions that are accessible for most health centers.
• NEW in 2026: Challenge Labs: Challenge Labs are 90 to 120-minute immersive, scenario-based sessions designed to help participants collaboratively address real high-stakes challenges facing community health centers. These sessions emphasize applied problem-solving, peer learning, and practical takeaways. Challenge Labs are not just presentations or panels - they should be designed as facilitated learning experiences where participants actively engage in solving a clearly defined challenge.

Content Priorities:

You told us what sessions and topics you're looking for in 2026, and we listened. The following topic suggestions are taken directly from 2025 CHI evaluation comments and follow-up assessments with past and prospective attendees:

• Strategic Adaptation & Future-Proofing: We seek forward-looking proposals that explore how health centers can adapt to changing healthcare, policy, and funding landscapes. Submissions should balance vision with practical considerations and real-world constraints.
• Financial Stability: We invite proposals that address the financial realities facing health centers today, including funding volatility, cost pressures, and long-term sustainability. Submissions should focus on practical strategies, tools, or models that help organizations stabilize finances, diversify revenue, optimize resources, or plan under uncertainty.
• Policy & Advocacy: We're looking for sessions that go beyond policy updates to help participants understand, interpret, and respond to evolving federal and state policy landscapes. Proposals should connect policy shifts to operational, financial, or strategic implications for health centers and their partners.
• Workforce, Leadership & Governance Capacity: We invite proposals that strengthen leadership, management, and governance capacity within health centers. Submissions should focus on practical skills and approaches that equip leaders and boards to navigate times of financial or operational stress.
• Operational Efficiency & Performance Improvement: We welcome proposals focused on improving operational efficiency and performance in resource-constrained environments. Sessions should highlight scalable practices, systems, or process improvements that help health centers operate more effectively.
• Compliance & Regulatory Readiness: We seek proposals that help health centers navigate compliance requirements and manage organizational risk in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Sessions should prioritize clarity, preparedness, and practical applications that break down complex requirements into usable guidance.

Submissions Must Relate Directly to at Least One of These Tracks:

• 340B Compliance and Policy
• Advocacy and Mobilization
• NEW in 2026: The CEO Journey for Current and Aspiring Leaders
• Health Center Essentials
• Health Center Governance
• Policy Analysis
• Value-Based Care/Payment Innovation and Transformation
• Whole-Person Health & Quality Improvement
• Workforce Investment in the Future

Abstract Tips:

• For-profit entities must partner with a health center or PCA/HCCN/NTTAP to be considered, and session faculty must include these health center or PCA/HCCN/NTTAP partners.
• Submissions with full session details (e.g. title, description, learning objectives, & speakers) will be prioritized.
• Please confirm all speakers in your abstract prior to submission.
• Demonstrate how your work is relevant to health centers.
• Please clearly describe how the session fits the selected track(s).
• Unless otherwise noted, sessions are limited to 60 minutes in length, including time for questions and answers.

Abstract Submission Selection Criteria:

• Interest: Would the session attract high interest from attendees?
• Application: Would the ideas shared in this session be applicable to other health centers?
• Clarity: Are the abstract and learning objectives clear and well-articulated?
• Creativity: Would this session introduce new ideas, approaches, and concepts?
• Relevance: Is this topic relevant to health centers?

NACHC may consider combining sessions based upon topic, session format, speakers, or other factors. NACHC also reserves the right to edit session titles and descriptions to meet the organization's marketing and branding guidelines. NACHC will contact submitters if this affects any sessions that are selected for the final program.

Speaker Expenses:

At the time of publishing this call for sessions, no travel or hotel expenses will be provided to speakers. Speakers currently qualify for a $50 discount on conference registration fees and must register in order to participate beyond their individual session.