In building the STAR² Center, The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) sought to learn about the work that other organizations were already doing to address clinician workforce issues, and talk to known experts in the field about recruitment and retention challenges, opportunities, and needs. The group of almost 20 interviewees provided insight into the workforce landscape, yielding four main recommendations for health center growth in the recruitment and retention arena:

• Development of Provider Satisfaction Programs 
• Prioritized Continual Funding for Workforce
• Health Center Involvement in Training Health Professionals
• Individualized Technical Assistance

A focus on provider satisfaction at the local level, coupled with prioritized funding for workforce programs and new training models, would greatly improve the workforce environment for health centers. Given individualized technical assistance, health centers could learn about good models and make the best plan for their specific team of providers and their community.

Key Informant Interview Report