April and May are busy months for the Faith Community Health Network (FCHN). We will be participating in exciting conferences and events to promote faith community nursing, gather knowledge, and share the projects FCHN has been working on over the last couple of years.
On April 20, 2026, 2:00 pm- 4:00pm There is a rulemaking session for the RN reimbursement at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Rules Advisory Committee (RAC). Liz Nation, ADN, RN, Faith Community Nurse and FCHN Board Treasurer will be representing FCHN and testifying during the meeting segment on 410-130-0800 Care Management Services (HB 2789). Navigate to this page https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/pages/rac.aspx and scroll down to April 20, 2026 to read the proposed rule and to register for the Zoom meeting.
April 20-23, 2026, is the Westberg Symposium. Our Executive Director, Deb Fell-Carlson, BSN, MSPH, RN, Faith Community Nurse will be presenting with Deborah Ziebarth, PhD, MSN, RN-BC. Here is the link to register: https://www.spiritualcareassociation.org/conference/ Please take some time to look at the agenda and register if you are interested. Don’t delay! That event is right around the corner.
April 23, 2026, is the OSU Gerontology Conference in Corvallis, OR. Faith Community Health Network will have an exhibit booth at this event. This conference has wonderful resources for caregivers of the geriatric population and information on healthy aging. Here is the link to the Annual OSU Gerontology Conference – OSU Gero to check out the agenda and registration information. If you attend, please come visit our exhibit booth!
Join us on May 4-6, 2026 at the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) Conference in Eugene, OR at our exhibit. We will also have a poster on display presenting our innovative and potentially transformative GardenView project. The poster is entitled “Integrating healthcare into housing: A preliminary look at the impact of embedded nursing on well-being and care coordination” and will be hosted by Marcy Shanks, MSN, MSEd, RN, Faith Community Nurse and FCHN Board Chair. This is a wonderful event to network with other nurses and share knowledge. This conference does provide continuing professional development contact hours. Here is the registration link: https://www.oregonrn.org/m/event_details.asp?id=1981459
May 14-15, 2026 will find Marcy Shanks, MSN, MSEd, RN, Faith Community Nurse, FCHN Board Chair and Ethics Officer and Deb Fell-Carlson BSN, MSPH, RN, Faith Community Nurse, FCHN Executive Director presenting on the GardenView project at the Rural Population Health Forum. Their presentation is entitled “Integrating healthcare into housing: A preliminary look at the impact of embedded nursing on well-being and care coordination.” This is a virtual forum with an emphasis on promoting and improving community health in rural Oregon and is quite affordable. Here is the link for the agenda and registration: https://www.ohsu.edu/oregon-office-of-rural-health/forum-rural-population-health
The Partners for Health Coalition, part of the Coast to the Cascades Community Wellness Network is hosting a free Violence Prevention summit on May 22, 2026. This summit has relevant information and resources on human trafficking, survivors of child abuse, and domestic violence. Here is the link for more information and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/violence-prevention-summit-tickets-1972873685301
May 28, 2026 will find the FCHN team engaged in a Zoom education on Human Trafficking and how FCNs and Health Ministers can help recognize victims and take an appropriate and safe course of action. If you are not getting our meeting notices, please reach out to contactfchn@gmail.com to be added to the list.
FCHN is looking forward to these learning and networking opportunities this spring. If you are interested in being a Faith Community Nurse or Health Minister, please check out the Faith Community Foundations Course starting on Monday October 12, 2026. Registration will be open in mid-April 2026. Click here for more information: Foundations Course – Faith Community Health Network.