2025 Conference Agenda

Please note: schedule times are subject to change

7:00 - 8:00 AM | Registration, Continental Breakfast, Vendor Hall & Networking

8:00 - 8:30AM | Warm Welcome

8:30 - 9:30 AM | Plenary Session #1
Panel: What’s on the Healthcare Horizon
Devon Trolley (Pennie), Patrick Keenan (Pennsylvania Health Access Network)

9:30 - 9:45 AM | Quick Break

9:45 - 11:00 AM | Breakout Session #1

11:00 - 11:15 AM | Quick Break

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM | Breakout Session #2

12:30 - 1:30 PM | Lunch & Networking in Vendor Hall

1:30 - 1:45 PM | PCHC Updates

1:45 - 2:15 PM | Plenary Session #2
Independence Blue Cross Foundation: A Funder’s Perspective
David Moore, Independence Blue Cross Foundation (IBX Foundation)

2:15 - 2:45 PM | Plenary Session #3 TBD

2:45 - 3:00 PM | Quick Break

3:00 - 4:15 PM | Breakout Session #3

4:15 PM | Closing Comments

Session Descriptions

Plenary Session #1

Panel: What’s on the Healthcare Horizon
Devon Trolley (Pennie), Patrick Keenan (Pennsylvania Health Access Network)

Significant changes to healthcare coverage and access are on the horizon in 2026. Join Devon Trolley, Executive Director of Pennie and Patrick Keenan, Director of Policy & Partnerships for the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, for an overview of the changes to healthcare we expect. We will discuss the impact of H.R. 1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill”), the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule, expiring Premium Tax Credits, and other HHS and CMS rules. These changes are expected to lead to significant reductions in enrollments for Medicaid and Pennie programs, which will likely result in an increased demand for free clinics and can lead to an increase in medical debt for uninsured patients seen in hospital settings. Join us to better prepare for these changes as they unfold over the next few years, and for a brief review of accountability measures and policy responses in Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, as our communities respond to these impacts.

Plenary Session #2

Independence Blue Cross Foundation: A Funder’s Perspective
David Moore (Ind. Blue Foundation)

As the result of recent healthcare landscape shifts, free clinics will navigate increased community need and a more competitive fundraising landscape. This session will articulate why free clinics should continue to prioritize data collection and storytelling to better communicate individual and collective impact, while also recognizing the limited resources available to safety net providers.

David Moore, Director of Foundation Initiatives at the Independence Blue Cross Foundation (IBX Foundation), will speak about the programmatic grantmaking initiatives at the IBX Foundation within the context of current trends in corporate philanthropy. Mr. Moore will share how the IBX Foundation supports individual clinics with general operating support, as well as by funding the Pennsylvania Charitable Healthcare Coalition itself at various points to coordinate and communicate the work of member clinics state-wide.

Attendees will learn about the impact of IBX Foundation-supported free clinics, the strategies and priorities of corporate funders, and how advancing data collection and maintenance can support shared storytelling for funders and clinics alike.

Plenary Session #3

Please check back for more information coming soon!

Breakout Session #1

1A: Charting a Course Towards Better Care and Sustainability
Cat Hulburt, U.S. Programs, Americares

Americares Roadmap to Health Equity enables clinics to measure the quality of care they provide while identifying and addressing inequity. It also provides accessible tools and resources to assist with conveying each clinic’s impact for things like grant applications, marketing materials, and partnership-building activities. This session will include an update on Roadmaps growth and feature the experience of PCHC member clinics and the impact Roadmap has made on their operations, care delivery, and opportunities for funding. Participants will learn how to join Roadmap and leave with tangible examples from their peers of how participation can help their clinic.

1B: Panel: Addressing Oral Health Needs in Free Clinics: Models and Lessons Learned
Darcie Schaffer (Volunteers in Medicine), Jenny Salisbury, CFRE (HealthLink Dental Clinic), Kari Rossetti (Neighborhood Resilience Project’s Free Health Center), Rev. Matthew Best (Christ Lutheran Health Ministries Holy Spirit Medical Outreach Clinic and Dental Clinic)

Moderated by Helen Hawkey (Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health)

Free clinics play a vital role in meeting the oral health needs of underserved communities; however, providing dental care often presents unique challenges. This panel will feature leaders from free clinics who are actively offering or expanding dental services. Panelists will share lessons learned about prioritizing services, engaging patients, managing dental workforce and volunteers, integrating oral health with medical care, and sustaining programs through creative funding and partnerships.

Designed for free clinic staff and board members, this session will highlight practical strategies, innovative models, and opportunities for collaboration across clinics. Attendees will leave with new insights and actionable ideas to strengthen and grow dental services within their own organizations.

Breakout Session #2

2A: To Read or Not to Read, Your Health Will Be In Question
Tina Galloway, PharmD (Community Volunteers in Medicine)

Improving health literacy has been a focus of healthcare entities and agencies for decades, yet we continue to see implications that our patients are not navigating their health journeys as consistently as we’d like. Even in this digital and technological era, written materials continue to be an obstacle or hindrance in the path to achieving greater health outcomes. Pfizer’s Newest Vital Sign and translation services are tools to tackle the health literacy gap, but what about literacy in general? How does it impact health literacy and health outcomes? What about language? Healthy People 2030 acknowledges the role of literacy in favorable health outcomes and supports a focus on literacy to improve health. According to the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics’ 2025 Data report, 85% of patients at free and charitable clinics would be better served in a language other than English. Outside of translation services and use of native language speakers, access to specific tools to assess and build literacy in non-English speaking patients seems minimal. Written materials in alternate languages and text in lower-grade reading levels are not sufficient to enable all patients to execute or understand the information. This presentation will highlight current efforts to address literacy, health literacy, and language barriers while encouraging the healthcare arena to take a step back and strongly consider how addressing basic literacy could be more impactful than focusing solely on health literacy.

2B: From Indicators to Action: Responding to Domestic Violence
Mae Reale (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence)

This presentation will provide participants with tools to recognize potential indicators of domestic violence. We will discuss practical strategies for asking about concerns in a supportive and trauma-informed way. Participants will learn skills to respond to disclosures of domestic violence, as well as approaches for addressing situations where no disclosure is made but concerns remain.

Breakout Session #3

3A: PA Navigate: A Statewide Solution Connecting Health and Social Care to Address Social Determinants of Health for All Pennsylvanians
Kat Royer (Community Action Association of Pennsylvania)

PA Navigate (powered by findhelp) is a free, statewide online platform designed to connect Pennsylvanians with vital community-based organizations, county and state agencies, and healthcare providers through a streamlined referral system. Its core mission is to reduce barriers to systems navigation and bridge the gap between health care and social care. The Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP) serves as the community engagement partner for PA Navigate, working to foster relationships with organizations that provide essential services and programs. CAAP’s role is to promote meaningful engagement with the platform to support its successful adoption and usage. This presentation will guide participants through the practical use of PA Navigate, including how to:

  • Search for local resources and services

  • Claim and manage program listings

  • Coordinate and track referrals

  • Leverage built-in analytics to assess community needs and demonstrate program impact

Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how PA Navigate can enhance cross-sector collaboration and improve outcomes for the communities they serve.

3B: Addressing Blood Pressure Control Through Quality Care
Jada Dove, MPH (American Heart Association), Nick Ide, MPH (American Heart Association)

Controlling high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a critical public health priority across Pennsylvania, particularly in urban and rural communities. The outpatient quality improvement program, Target:BP, leverages evidence-based clinical guidelines to drive equitable health outcomes. In major metropolitan or rural areas, public health interventions such as a self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) program and other activities are needed to promote best practices in the clinical setting. In addition, leveraging local champions to serve as cultural and linguistic bridges, delivering education, and fostering trust will address gaps. In addition, community-driven solutions that promote clinical-to-community linkages with culturally relevant content that is digestible are key for ensuring access. New emerging technologies offer a way to understand the needs of the population through a health equity lens. This evidence-based work is replicable and scalable, offering other regions seeking to bridge clinical care with community engagement. By listening to what resonates locally and empowering trusted messengers, we can drive participation, increase sustainability, and improve health outcomes. In this breakout, leaders from the American Heart Association will guide an interactive presentation, providing an overview of the critical components outlined above and engaging the audience for real-time strategy development.

Thank you to this year’s sponsors!