North Texas Area Community Health Centers Receive National Quality Header Badges for Diabetes and Heart Health
FORT WORTH, August 6, 2026 – North Texas Area Community Health Centers (NTACHC) has received the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Quality Leader recognition for both Diabetes and Heart Health. This recognition is a prestigious honor for its hard work and dedication for patient-centered excellence.
Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges recognize health center programs that have achievement quality improvements in access, clinical quality, health outcomes and health information technology. CHQR badges are awarded yearly based on the latest Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting year.
According to Dr. Patricia Rodriguez, NTACHC Chief Medical Officer, “This is a tremendous achievement for NTACHC, thanks to our wonderful providers and staff. Every patient interaction, every care plan, every follow-up call, every coordinated effort, and every act of compassion contributed to this success. These awards are a powerful testament to what can be accomplished when we embrace team-based care, remain committed to patient-centered excellence, and work together toward a common goal of improving the lives of our patients and our communities.”
For Diabetes, NTACHC exceeded two of the three targets:
For Heart Health, NTACHC exceeded three of the four targets:
Living Your Best Life Program:
As a recognized leader in chronic disease management across Tarrant County, NTACHC has transformed the care of patients with hypertension and diabetes through its Living Your Best Life (LYBL) program. As a key component of the National Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) and accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES), LYBL has served as a model of innovation since 2020, combining evidence-based clinical care, unsurpassed patient engagement, and a holistic, patient-centered approach to help patients achieve lasting improvements in their health. The program’s outstanding hypertension and diabetes control outcomes underscore NTACHC’s commitment to reducing health disparities, advancing health equity, and improving the lives of the communities it serves.
NTACHC looks to address chronic health conditions with a comprehensive and team-based care approach. Through LYBL, patients are provided with essential education and support on diabetes and hypertension management. This includes personalized diabetes education, prevention strategies, and guidance on healthy eating and exercise habits. Additionally, the program focuses on managing high blood pressure via remote patient monitoring and by teaching patients about hypertension control and promoting crucial lifestyle changes, thus also affecting their heart health. Patients’ providers work with LYBL staff and the pharmacy team, ensuring that they are receiving the highest quality care possible.
The results speak volumes: nearly 80% of patients enrolled in RPM are now managing their blood pressure effectively. Currently, NTACHC has more than 350 patients actively engaged in RPM, with more than 1,170 patients having benefited from the program since its launch. This remarkable achievement demonstrates the effectiveness of RPM in enhancing patient outcomes and underscores NTACHC’s dedication to patient-centered care.
In 2023, LYBL achieved a significant milestone of accreditation by the ADCES. This accreditation represents an official endorsement that an organization’s Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program meets high national quality standards and proves a commitment to patient-centered care.
Diabetes and Heart Health are part of LYBL. Beyond clinical care, NTACHC empowers patients to improve their overall health through healthy lifestyle education including stress management, sleep health, physical activity counseling, medication optimization, and wellness initiatives such as healthy cooking demonstrations, providing patients with practical tools to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve their quality of life to prevent heart attack, stroke and other chronic diseases.
According to Gerrie Whitaker, NTACHC President and CEO, “NTACHC is proud of the strides made in improving the health and well-being of its patients and community, and this recognition is proof that we are making a difference. We are committed to excellence in patient care and want to be your provider.”
For more information about the Living Your Best Life Program or to learn more about NTACHC’s initiatives, visit https://ntachc.org/living-your-best-life/ or call 817.625.4254.
About North Texas Area Community Health Centers:
A nonprofit organization, North Texas Area Community Health Centers, offers a full-range of primary care and preventative healthcare services to patients throughout Tarrant County. In 2002, NTACHC was founded as a federally qualified health center to provide high-quality medical services, serve as a safety net for the lower-income population, and to help successfully address health disparities in the community. Accepting most insurance plans, NTACHC is open to all in its neighborhoods with three community-centered medical homes: Northside Community Health Center, Southeast Community Health Center and Arlington Community Health Center. For more information, visit https://ntachc.org/ or call 817-625-4254.
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