ACU 2026 Conference

ACU 2026 Conference: Riding the Wave of Transformation: All Hands on Deck

July 26-29, 2026 | The Watergate Hotel | Washington, D.C.

Jump To: Registration | Pre- and Post Conference Workshops | Agenda | Venue | Sponsorships | Exhibitors | FAQ

The ACU Annual Conference brings together hundreds of healthcare clinicians, administrators, and public health and industry leaders from across the country, all with an interest in expanding access to care and improving healthcare delivery for medically underserved populations. The meeting is a special opportunity for clinicians, administrators, researchers, students, and advocates to network, learn, and share strategies to support our collective work.

In the midst of a shifting environment, health centers can seize the opportunity to be disruptors and to center accessible and affordable care for underserved communities in a transforming healthcare landscape. To support these initiatives, ACU’s 2026 Annual Conference will highlight innovative payment arrangements, care models, technology, policy strategies, and partnerships that increase access to care, support a thriving workforce, improve patient outcomes, and enhance sustainability, while underlining the critical role teamwork plays in achieving the common goal – increasing access to quality care for all.

Early Bird Extended! Register by May 11 and Save

Save up to 35% on your ticket to #ACUConf with our Early Bird discount.

Don’t miss four engaging days of innovation, learning, and fellowship: register now for ACU’s 2026 Conference to explore strategies to advance access to and quality of care for underserved populations on July 26-29.

Pre- and Post-Conference Workshops

Optimizing the Role of Community Health Workers at Health Centers in a Changing Healthcare Environment

Sunday, July 26: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Please note: Additional registration is required to attend.

Bridging the gap between healthcare professionals and their patients’ communities, community health workers (CHWs) are healthcare system force multipliers who can improve health outcomes, address disparities, and reduce costs. Their success stems from being trusted members of their communities who have a deep understanding of the cultural and social factors that influence health as well as their ability to help patients navigate a complex healthcare system. In recent years, state, federal, and local partners have increasingly recognized the value of CHWs to connect people to resources and support access to needed clinical services. Yet, CHWs still face challenges advancing the profession due to funding, certification, and higher education requirements. Furthermore, as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA) cuts funding and creates policy changes to Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplaces, the CHW role will become increasingly important as millions of Americans navigate these changes and health centers’ resources become more restricted.

Through a series of didactic sessions, workshops, and panel discussions, this full-day pre-conference event will prepare health center leaders, CHW supervisors, and primary care associations to advance and elevate the CHW role. Participants will uncover strategies to reduce costs, generate revenue, improve outcomes, and build more efficient, well-coordinated care teams.

2026 Behavioral Health Leadership Forum

Wednesday, July 29: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Please note: Additional registration is required to attend.

Join us for a unique full-day seminar in behavioral health leadership at community health centers (CHCs) following ACU’s 2026 Conference! On July 29, this in-depth seminar and networking event will highlight best practices in behavioral health for medically underserved communities, from starting new service lines and ensuring their sustainability to enhancing existing care with effective strategies for suicide prevention, Collaborative Care, substance use disorder treatment, and more!

Conference Awards & Recognition Opportunities

2026 ACU Annual Conference Award Nominations

During our Annual Conference, ACU will give special acknowledgment to individuals and organizations in the field that stand out for their commitment to elevating care, clinicians, and communities.

Please submit your nomination by Sunday, June 1st, 2026 for the following awards to be presented at ACU’s 2026 Annual Conference* on July 26-29, 2026:

Clinician of the Year: The clinician of the year represents the heart of our work and has demonstrated their commitment to improving the health of underserved communities through compassion and excellence in health care delivery.
Congressional Champion: This award recognizes a member of Congress who serves as a champion for increased access to care, improvements to health care delivery, and support for the healthcare workforce.
Marc Wetherhorn Advocate of the Year: This award recognizes a clinician, administrator, patient, or student whose advocacy efforts have contributed to improvements to policies and/or systems that impact the health of underserved populations.
Organizational Excellence: This award recognizes organizations that have implemented innovative and effective strategies to improve health care in underserved communities. Strategies may include but are not limited to efforts to sustain a skilled and capable workforce and programs and collaborations to increase access to services and improve patient outcomes.
Excellence in Behavioral Health: This award recognizes a clinician or administrator who has demonstrated commitment, vision, and excellence in their work to improve access to and quality of behavioral healthcare for patients in medically underserved areas. The winner of this award will receive free registration to the Behavioral Health Leadership Forum in addition to free conference registration.
Geiger Gibson-ACU Next Generation of Excellence Award: For those studying or pursuing training in pursuit of a health profession, including medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, pharmacy, behavioral health, and allied health fields, at any stage from undergraduate study through clinical training. Eligible nominees have gone beyond the requirements of their studies or training to demonstrate initiative and leadership in addressing the healthcare needs of underserved communities, whether through organizing, advocacy, direct service, innovation in care delivery, or actively shaping programs and challenging systems to drive measurable change.

*Note: All award recipients will receive free conference registration.

Submit Nominations by June 1st

Became a Fellow of ACU

Learn More

The Fellowship of ACU is a professional designation to recognize ACU members who are bona fide specialists in working with underserved populations. Fellows of ACU are recognized for their dedication to caring for those people and communities that have faced barriers to accessing healthcare and related services, and their engagement with ACU and its broader community.

The 2026 Fellowship Cohort will be celebrated at the conference. Applications are due by May 15,2026.

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Keynote Speakers

Tom Engels, Administrator of the Health Resources & Services Administration

A national public health authority now in his second tenure as the leader of the Health Resources & Services Administration, Tom Engels oversees initiatives at community health centers serving more than 32.5 million people at health centers across the U.S.

Tom Engels

Administrator of the Health Resources & Services Administration

Jim Macrae, Associate Administrator of HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care

Mr. Macrae has led the HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care for more than 15 years, managing a $6 billion annual budget supporting more than health centers providing high-quality primary health care to more than 31 million people nationwide.

Jim Macrae

Associate Administrator of HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Health Care

Dr. Candice Chen, MD, MPH, Associate Administrator of HRSA's Bureau of Health Workforce

A renowned public health leader, Dr. Candice Chen, MD, MPH, oversees HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce and its 70 programs across the U.S., each working to build and retain a robust, multifaceted workforce to improve access to quality care.

Dr. Candice Chen

Associate Administrator of HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce

Rory Gardiner, Award-Winning Comedian and CCMA-Nominated Country Artist

Rory is an award-winning comedian and CCMA-nominated country artist. With over 100 million views on social media, his presentations blend stand-up comedy, music, and storytelling to deliver a powerful message on resilience, perception, and bold action.

Rory Gardiner

Award-Winning Comedian and CCMA-Nominated Country Artist

What Attendees Are Saying About ACU’s Annual Conference

Jessica Clarke Williams, DMD, MSD, FACD

It was my first time attending the ACU conference, but definitely not the last! As a clinician of the underserved, I found the ACU Conference to be a supportive, multidisciplinary space with one common goal: strategizing on how to best deliver quality care for those who often do not have access.

Michele Lamantia, MD, CPE | Chief of Internal Medicine and IM Program Director, San Ysidro Health

It was a well planned out program. All the speakers were inspiring, and I will not miss an opportunity to attend next year.

Kyle McDaniel, Medical Student

As a student, I really enjoyed the ACU Conference because it exposed me to initiatives and ideas that I don’t get to learn about at my school or at other conferences. I especially liked the student-oriented programming that opened my eyes to innovative approaches to caring for underserved patients and allowed me to connect with like-minded students.

Jeffrey Ring, PhD

The conference was awesome in all ways. The pre-conference workshop . . . was exceptional and should be converted to a plenary for all next year. The final plenary was inspired.

View Our Agenda at a Glance to Plan Your #ACUConf Experience

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Venue: The Watergate Hotel

2650 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037

Room Reservations: Guests can reserve a room at the link below or call The Watergate at (844) 617-1972 and reference the group name “Association of Clinicians for the Underserved.” The room rate is $214.

Reserve Now

Sponsor ACU's 2026 Conference

Showcase Your Organization at #ACUConf in Washington, D.C.

Our Sponsorship packages are your opportunity to reach key healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators, and advocates from across the U.S. with premier brand visibility, direct messaging, joint education sessions, and more. Choose from any one of our packages, or contact us for tailored offerings. Explore our Sponsorship Prospectus to learn how to reach a multifaceted group of healthcare professionals at #ACUConf!

View the Sponsorship Prospectus

Exhibit at ACU's 2026 Conference

Reach a Broader Healthcare Community at #ACUConf

ACU’s 2026 Conference offers an invaluable opportunity to gain visibility, expand your reach, and interact with ACU’s network, encompassing senior leaders, clinicians, advocates, and administrators from health centers, primary care associations, free clinics, and countless others from across the healthcare sector. Learn more about exhibitor opportunities and contact us for more information!

View the Exhibitor Prospectus

Have Questions About the ACU 2026 Conference? Browse Our FAQ

Please contact Sarah Gutema, Program Manager, with any questions regarding the Conference, or view our Conference Archives. Want to be informed of the latest developments? Sign up for our mailing list.

When and where will the conference be held?

The conference will be held from July 26th-29th at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.

What’s the easiest way to get from the airport to the hotel?

The closest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The DC Metro Blue Line runs directly from the airport to the Foggy Bottom-GWU stop, which is a 10-minute walk to the hotel.

Is there financial assistance for people interested in attending the conference?

ACU offers discounted registration for students and volunteers. To learn more, please contact ACU’s Conference Planner, Narine Hovnanian, at nhovnanian@clinicians.org.

Is there single-day registration available for the multi-day event?

No, you will need to register for the entire event with the exception of the pre-conference sessions, conference reception, and post-conference sessions.

Are there virtual options for attending this conference?

This year’s conference will be entirely in person.

What is the cancellation policy?

Refund requests will be honored, less the processing fee, only if received in writing by June 26, 2026. No refunds will be made after June 26, 2026. To request a cancellation of your registration, please contact ACU’s Conference Planner, Narine Hovnanian, at nhovnanian@clinicians.org.

Are meals included?

Yes, we offer breakfast, lunch, and refreshments throughout the day on Monday, July 27thand Tuesday, July 28th. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided on Wednesday, July 29th to registrants of the Post-Conference Behavioral Health Leadership Forum. If you have special needs and/or dietary restrictions, please let us know when registering.

What is the attire for the conference?

Business casual is recommended. Meeting rooms can get chilly, so we recommend layers for your comfort.

What is Hill Day?

Participants will visit Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress or congressional staff and advocate for policies that support the health workforce. ACU staff will schedule meetings for all participants who express interest and complete their registration by July 22, 2026. Registered participants will receive a Hill Day packet and attend an in-person informational training on July 28 to prepare them with the skills and knowledge needed to advocate effectively.

What is the Code of Conduct for participants?

Please review the conference Code of Conduct for more information about expectations for behavior, consequences of unacceptable behavior, and steps to address unacceptable behavior.