February 2026 Network News
February 23, 2026
Member Area
Your hub for connection, collaboration, and resources.
September 22-24, Arlington, Virginia
Call for proposals now open!
Your hub for connection, collaboration, and resources.
As a Civitas member, you gain exclusive access to valuable tools, program updates, recordings, templates, advocacy resources, and member-only opportunities. This space is designed to help you stay informed, amplify your impact, and connect with other leaders advancing health improvement, health information exchange, data infrastructure, and multi-stakeholder health innovation efforts.
We are looking forward to the Civitas 2026 Annual Conference, which will take place September 22-24 in Arlington, Virginia.
If you are interested in increasing your organization’s visibility at the conference, please review the sponsorship prospectus!
As you plan your travel for the conference, we have several partnerships to help you save. Visit the link below to learn more.
Civitas is excited to announce the formation of two new workgroups launching this year! The Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Workgroup is now active. Members are currently being identified to lead the Rural Health Transformation Workgroup and develop its charter. Read more about these workgroups at the link below.
John Kansky, Indiana Health Information Exchange, translated national survey insights into practical financial guidance for HIEs and HDUs.
Dr. David Kendrick, Civitas, reviewed three years of HIO Survey data.
Access the recordings, presentations and materials from past Civitas member events.
Upcoming:
Past Events:
Upcoming:
Past Events:
Upcoming:
Past Events:
Upcoming:
Past Events:
Civitas members are encouraged to participate in our Councils and Workgroups that support their work and interests. See a full listing of our offerings below.
Members have exclusive access to webinars featuring leaders within our network and industry. Access the recordings, presentations and materials from past Civitas events.
We strongly recommend that full members prioritize SB&T members in procurement or partnership activities. See a full listing of our SB&T members and their services.
COMING SOON! Access resources based on priority interests and functional work areas.
View the full listing of Civitas Networks for Health’s Full, Affiliate, and SB&T members.
Due Date: April 1, 2026
Organization: CMS Innovation Center (CMMI)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Applications must be submitted via the Participant Portal by April 1, 2026 for the first performance period beginning July 1, 2026; applications received after this date will be considered for a January 1, 2027 start.
The purpose of the Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model is to improve care delivery and outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions by testing value-based payment approaches that strengthen care integration, promote health equity, and support scalable, evidence-based interventions across diverse care settings.
Due Date: June 5, 2026
Organization: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The purpose of the immigrant health initiative is to support research to design and implement effective interventions to enhance health advantages and reduce health disparities among U.S. immigrant populations (particularly agricultural workers, unaccompanied minors, first generation immigrants, and children of immigrant families) and address factors related to immigration experiences that affect health. For this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI), the term “1st generation” refers to people who were born outside of the U.S. and its territories and relocated to the U.S. The term “2nd generation” re
Due Date: July 8, 2026
Organization: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The purpose of the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) Planning Grants program is to support federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes, Tribal colleges and universities, Tribal health programs, or Tribal organizations (collectively, eligible AI/AN Tribal entities) to plan and conduct preparatory work for developing competitive NARCH applications.
hidden by css
To update your organization’s profile or designate a new primary contact, please visit this website.
Please visit our Member Directory to view your organization’s information, including your primary point of contact. If you’re still unsure of your organization’s designated primary contact, email us at and we’ll confirm or update this for you.
hidden by css
Funding opportunities and collaborative project updates are regularly shared through our member newsletter and will soon be posted in our Member Area (coming soon!) These opportunities are updated weekly on Mondays.
Use the Civitas Member Directory in the Member Area to search by location or designation. You can also connect through workgroups, councils, and at events. Want to be added to a workgroup or council? Please fill out this interest form.
Visit the Workgroups & Councils section of the Member Area to view current groups. You can request to join by filling out the brief sign-up form included on each group’s page.
hidden by css
SB&T member benefits include:
SB&T members are invited to present on collaborations with HIEs or RHICs. Submit your proposal 6–8 weeks in advance via the SB&T Webinar Request Form. Submissions must include:
Note: Webinars must include an HIE/RHIC member and cannot be overly promotional.
hidden by css
New members are invoiced following Board approval. Onboarding begins once payment is received. If joining after June 30, full dues are required with a half-rate applied to the following year’s renewal.
Membership is renewed annually for the calendar year (Jan 1–Dec 31). Invoices are issued by November 1, with reminders to update your organizational and financial info beforehand.
Yes. Each entity is considered a separate member and must apply individually. Additional contacts across parent/subsidiary groups must be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Members may withdraw at any time with written notice. However, no refunds will be issued for previously paid dues.
Membership may be terminated for non-payment or code of conduct violations with approval from the Civitas Board of Directors. Read the full policy.
Membership is valid for one year from payment and is non-transferable.
Yes — Civitas has drafted and distributed an Ethical AI Use Policy for members. Please review the policy, as we will be operating in accordance with it.
Jolie Ritzo
CEO
📩 jritzo [at] civitasforhealth.org
Reach out to Jolie with questions about Civitas’ vision, executive partnerships, strategic direction, and leadership engagement.
Jessica Little
Chief Operating and Programs Officer
📩 jlittle [at] civitasforhealth.org
Jessica oversees Civitas’ national programs and operations. Contact her for big-picture questions related to member programs, organizational partnerships, and operational planning.
Michaela Cohoon
Executive Assistant, Board & Government Affairs Liaison
📩 mcohoon [at] @civitasforhealth.org
Michaela supports executive scheduling and coordinates communication with our Board of Directors. She can also help direct your inquiry if you’re unsure who to contact.
Jessica Little
Chief Operating and Programs Officer
📩 jlittle [at] civitasforhealth.org
Jessica oversees Civitas’ national programs and operations. Contact her for big-picture questions related to member programs, organizational partnerships, and operational planning.
Madelynn Valu
Director, Programs
📩 mvalu [at] civitasforhealth.org
Madelynn is your go-to for workgroup coordination, programmatic resources, and cross-member learning opportunities.
Demri Henderson
Grants & Program Manager
📩 dhenderson [at] civitasforhealth.org
Connect with Demri for anything related to grant-funded initiatives, reporting requirements, or collaborative programmatic webinar opportunities.
Karen Ostrowski
Director, Health Policy and Regulatory Affairs (Consultant)
📩 kostrowski [at] civitasforhealth.org
Questions about Civitas’ federal or state advocacy efforts? Karen is your contact for public policy updates, regulatory engagement, and advocacy collaboration.
Kate Kroell
Senior Manager, Member Relations
📩 kkroell [at] civitasforhealth.org
Kate is your first stop for anything member-related—renewals, benefits, onboarding, or how to get involved with the Civitas community. She also supports the Annual Conference sponsors and exhibitors.
Kelsey Matheson-Daly
Director, Communications & Marketing
📩 kmatheson [at] civitasforhealth.org
Have a story to share? Need support promoting your organization’s work? Kelsey manages Civitas messaging, website, media outreach, newsletters, and marketing strategy. She also leads all communications for the Annual Conference.
Lenora Ross
Program Manager, Events
📩 lross [at] civitasforhealth.org
Lenora leads our event planning, including the Annual Conference and webinars. Contact her with event questions, speaker logistics, etc.
Still unsure who to reach out to? Email our general inquiries mailbox at contact [at] civitasforhealth.org
Civitas Networks for Health aims to affirm the role of its members in the nationwide interoperability and health improvement landscapes with to aid individual, population, and public health; further health equity; and improve health outcomes. The goal is to build partnerships, influence funding and legislation, as well as advocate for regulatory actions that support Civitas members’ critical work. Check out our advocacy resources and updated advocacy agenda below.
As a Civitas member, you are part of a community of organizations doing critically important and often similar work. We encourage members to connect with one another, learn from each other, offer or receive support and collaborate. If you need assistance making a connection to another member, please contact us at contact(at)civitasforhealth.org. We would be happy to help make an introduction.
Access messaging and content resources to communicate Civitas and our network to your organization’s internal and external audiences. Toolkit includes language, logos, social media links and more.
Summary Across the state of West Virginia, the West Virginia Health Information Network (WVHIN) is transforming how providers deliver care—especially
Background: How CIVHC is Using Pricing Transparency as a Tool for Change Rising health care costs affect everyone from patients
Through its partnership with the Connecticut Health Information Exchange (Connie), the Connecticut Poison Control Center (CPCC) at UConn Health has
Civitas Networks for Health® (Civitas) and the Consortium for State and Regional Interoperability (CSRI) have an established, longstanding partnership, with
Read Article