THE FOLLOWING IS A CARLE HEALTH RELEASE
Community health is at the center of the recognition
Carle Health’s commitment to bringing unique health solutions directly to those who need it most is being recognized. The American Medical Group Association (AMGA), a trade association leading transformation of healthcare in America named Carle Health Medical Group its 2026 recipient of the AMGA Acclaim Award, honoring the coordinated and innovative work of Healthy Beginnings, a maternal/child nurse home visiting service that is part of Community Health Initiatives at Carle Health.
The Acclaim Award honors healthcare delivery groups that bring the American healthcare system closer to the ideal delivery model – one that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. More than 175,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, delivering care to one in three Americans. Acclaim Award criteria include improving the patient experience of care, improving the health of populations with a focus on quality outcomes, reducing the per capita cost of healthcare, and emphasizing workplace wellness.
Healthy Beginnings was launched with the clear goal of achieving maternal/child health equity. In addition to specially trained nurses, social workers, community ambassadors, and early childhood educators visit families, starting in early pregnancy and continuing through the child’s second birthday. Families benefit by getting the care and support they need to have a healthy pregnancy and overall health for all members within the household. Since its 2017 inception, more than 1,200 families facing various socioeconomic challenges have enrolled in services. In 2024 services expanded from Champaign County to Vermilion County. The AMGA recognized Healthy Beginnings for its integration with the health system; high enrollee satisfaction; delivery of culturally responsive, relationship-based care; exceptional health and wellness outcomes; and focus on team stability and well-being.
Julianna S. Sellett, DNP, MBA, vice president, Carle Community Health, said, “Receiving the Acclaim Award is an honor we hold in the highest regard and speaks to Carle Health’s unwavering commitment to provide highly accessible, world-class care and service to our community. Our teams work tirelessly, collaborating with a diverse range of cross-sector partners and community members, to build an innovative infrastructure and culture of community health. Our overarching goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their life circumstances, has the opportunity to lead prosperous and healthy lives.”
Executive sponsor of the AMGA Acclaim Award submission was Napoleon Knight, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at Carle Health. “We are living in a pivotal time for healthcare where relationships matter more than ever. Our community health efforts demonstrate each day just how important outreach and relationship building is to support various populations. Through trusted relationships formed with our nurse home visitors, the families they serve feel seen and heard, their experiences are enhanced and various health and wellness outcomes are improved, such as our zero percent mortality rates for mothers who participate in our services. Because of these outcomes, families also experienced reductions in neonatal intensive care unit and emergency department utilization. We are grateful for the vision and support Dr. Leonard, our president and CEO, along with the board of directors put behind community health outreach from the start nearly 10 years ago.”
