CHIA Monthly Digest - January Edition
Friday, January 9, 2026
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About the CHIA Monthly Digest
The Digest is a member-friendly, all-inclusive digital communication tool designed around the LEAD values that bring important topics to your email box every month. Find focused subject matter at your fingertips and accessible links to plan your CHIA and AHIMA activities. The Snapshot provides an outline of the stories, like a table of contents, so the reader can find information quickly.
CHIA - Always Connecting the California Health Information Community
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The Snapshot
Scroll to the corresponding section for more detail.
L
EADERSHIP:
Ringing in the New Year with President’s Message Freida’s Focus; Fond Farewell from Sharon; Introduction and Welcome to new Interim ED; 2026
Ballot Announcement; BOD-facilitated Community Chat and more!
EDUCATION:
Plan for eHI Symposium and 2026 Advanced Coding Workshop AND Mark Calendars for CHIACON26 June 7-10
ADVOCACY:
CA Legislature Starts Again...Legislative & Advocacy Committee Begin Bills2Watch; Strengthen your ‘Advocacy Intelligence’
DISCOVERY:
Discover the newest DIGEST feature, Did You Know?; Discover President-elect CALL for Volunteers; Latest updates...Component Group Corner; Educational Opportunities Supported by Scholarships – Apply by March 1
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Freida’s Focus: President’s Message
Ringing in 2026 starts with a gracious and fond farewell to
Sharon Lewis; an introduction and welcome to
Janet Paul,
Interim Executive Director, and an exciting direction for all CHIA members!
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From Freida A. Smith, M. ED, RHIA
“After 10 years of dedicated service, we bid farewell to Sharon Lewis, CHIA CEO, as she embarks on a well-deserved retirement. Sharon has been instrumental in fostering CHIA’s Strategic Plan and advancing L
EAD
– Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Discovery
initiatives that have strengthened our profession and community. Her vision and commitment have left an
indelible mark on CHIA, and we are deeply grateful for her countless contributions. Please join us
in wishing Sharon all the best in this exciting new chapter of her life. Her legacy will continue to
inspire us for years to come.”
A Message From Sharon
And “We are pleased to announce that Janet Paul, RHIA has been appointed as the Interim CEO of CHIA, effective immediately.
Janet brings over 30 years of experience as an HI professional, most recently as Vice President, Corporate HIM & Privacy Officer at Community Health Systems, where she demonstrated exceptional expertise in healthcare administration and information management. Many of you will also remember Janet from her dedicated service as a former CHIA Board member, where she contributed valuable insights and leadership. Janet’s extensive background in HI management, combined with her deep understanding of CHIA’s mission and values, makes her uniquely qualified to guide our organization during this transition period. Please join us in welcoming Janet to her new role. We are confident that under her leadership, CHIA will continue to thrive and service its members effectively. I encourage you to reach out and welcome her as she begins this new chapter with CHIA.”
Get to Know Janet
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2026 CHIA Ballot Announced by Nominating Committee
Board of Directors Releases the Ballot in Advance of Voting in February
Future LEADership Ready to Ignite the Future of CHIA. Voting available February 9-24, 2026.
Candidates' Bios and Position Statements Will Be Featured on the Website week of January 26.
On behalf of the CHIA Nominating Committee and the Chair, Sally Gibbs, we are happy to announce the 2026 CHIA Ballot.
AHIMA Delegate Candidates
- Leveta McFarland, RHIA
- Lizbeth Felix, MPH, RHIA
- Roberta Baranda, MS, RHIA, CHP, FAHIMA
- Venus Alejandrino, RHIA
Director Candidates
- Kathleen Witte, RHIA, CCS
- Amy Rollings, CDIP, CCS
- Alex Nuno, RHIT
- Amy Henderson, RHIT, CCA, CHPS, CHPC
President-elect Candidates
- Joseph Albert Legaspi, RHIA, CHDA
- Freddie Guzman, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CHC, CHPC, CPC, CRCR, FAHIMA
A special thank you to the following Nominating Committee members for their diligent work in formulating this important ballot of CHIA leadership.
- Sally Gibbs, Chair
- Kamar Braish, Board Liaison
- Larry Smith
- Charlene Mitchell
- Melany Merryman
- Deborah Collier
- Gloryanne Bryant
- Kristen Borth
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Special ‘Board-facilitated’ Community Chat January 30
Let’s Talk Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities (CARF) | Noon – 1:00 PM
Thinking about CARF accreditation or just curious what it’s all about? Join members of the BOD for a relaxed, informative session to cover the essentials...who is presenting it and a little history on CARF and how it stacks up against the Joint Commission.
Learn what to expect before, during, and after the survey, including tips to make the process smoother and what happens once it’s all done. Plus, we’ll chat about ongoing requirements and answer your questions along the way. If CARF has ever felt overwhelming, this is your chance to get clarity in a friendly, straightforward way!
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Acknowledge Member-Leaders | Nominations Due 3/1
CHIA Calls All Members to Place Nominations for the 2026 CHIA Recognition Awards
Nominate peers for the CHIA 2026 Recognition Awards and Scholarships. As part of CHIA's commitment to encourage, nurture and celebrate exceptional volunteer and professional leadership, the CHIA Recognition Awards honor exemplary service, reward contributions that build the HI knowledge base, recognize excellence in preparing future HI professionals, and encourage new talent and leadership. LEARN MORE HERE
Complete Recognition Awards Nomination Form for Distinguished Member, Educator, Mentor, Volunteer, HIM Industry Champion and HIM Grant Recipient
View pastCHIA Recognition Awards Recipients
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Time to Start Planning for CHIACON26 – San FranciscoMark Your Calendar...Make Your Travel Arrangements...Join us Bayside June 7-10, 2026
Your Convention Committee is hard at work planning for CHIACON26. It’s not too soon to make travel arrangements and set aside June 7-10 for another exciting Convention and Exhibit back in Northern California. During three impactful days, attendees engage with inspiring leaders, presenters, industry partners and health information professionals coming together for innovative education and meaningful connections through LEAD - leadership, education, advocacy , and discovery
..
You don’t want to miss this special event as we celebrate “Golden Gate Glam” and the great initiatives of CHIA in 2025-26. Build your education CEUs, meet your peers, engage in California’s biggest health information network and education of the year.
See you in San Francisco---”Golden Gate Glam” awaits!
REGISTRATION OPENS FEBRUARY 2026
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eHI Symposium:
Explore the Future of Healthcare, Innovation and AI
Two-day eLearning Program: February 4 & 11, 2026
Step into the future of digital health with CHIA’s two-day eLearning Program, featuring six sessions that dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of AI and automation. Embrace the next generation of innovation, from the legal complexities of data privacy and robotic automation to mastering data governance and large language models. This year’s program is your gateway to the future of digital health. Join us as we explore the cutting-edge AI technologies transforming healthcare, careers and workflows.
Approved for 6 CEUs for Full Program
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Advanced Coding Workshop
Live Four-part eLearning Series: Thursdays March 5, 12, 19, & 26, 2026 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm (PT)
A fast-paced, multi-day workshop for advanced coding and CDI professionals covering MS-DRGs/APR-DRGs, lower extremity interventions, HCC accuracy, RADV audits and 2026 ICD-10-PCS and CPT coding updates. Gain hands-on practice, expert guidance and practical strategies to strengthen coding accuracy, compliance and audit readiness.
This eLearning program will be held on four consecutive Thursdays
beginning March 5th. Best value
is to purchase the full workshop. Sessions can be purchased
separately.
Approved for 3 CEUs per day; 12 CEUs for the full program
Day One
MS-DRG/APR-DRGs using ICD-10-CM to identify Resources, Severity and Risk
Day Two
Mastering Lower Extremity Interventions: 2026 CPT Coding Changes and Beyond
Day Three
HCC Accuracy & RADV Audits: Navigating the New Era of Value-Based Care
Day Four
ICD-10-PCS April 1, 2026 Updates and NTAPs for 2026
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Legislative & Advocacy Committee Begin Bills2Watch
California Legislature Begins Second Year of Its Two-year Term Soon
The dedicated L&A Committee members reconvene this month to begin their important work to monitor the new legislative cycle in Sacramento which includes identifying relevant new bills and profiling those that matter most to California and CHIA health information professionals. Don’t forget to review the CHIA Bill Watch on the CHIA website. Stay informed...Build your ‘Advocacy Intelligence’.
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Mark Your Calendar for 2026 AHIMA Advocacy Summit
March 16 and 17, 2026 at the Hilton National Mall, Washington, D.C. | Registration Open
Hold the date
. Register Now. We’re
heading back to “The Hill”
March 16–17, 2026, for the
AHIMA Advocacy Summit!
Don’t
miss your chance to meet
with members of Congress
and their staff to
advocate for policy
issues
impacting
the HI profession.
Make sure your
voice is part
of the conversation.
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New
Information
for
Emerging
Professional
(Student)
Members
Jumpstart
your
career
with
a
special
“Student”
discount.
Invest
$20
and
unlock two years of member-only values through
LEAD
that
include
scholarships,
mentorship
and
discovering
new
pathways
to
elevate
your
career.
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Discover Did You Know? Our Staff Member Spotlight
Discover Janessa Moya, CHIA Membership and Event Coordinator
We are delighted to add our new Discovery featuring CHIA staff profiles, Did You Know?
Each month you will meet one
of the Executive Office staff members and
learn how they contribute to CHIA in their
specific roles and how to contact them
at any time. We begin this
month... Get to know Janessa Moya, CHIA Membership and Event Coordinator...
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Discover Many Educational Opportunities that Abound through Awards & Scholarships
Students and Emerging Professionals Encouraged to APPLY NOW | Deadline March 1
T
he CHIA Board of Directors
approved funding that
enhances
CHIA’s Award and Scholarship program.
Efforts to
engage future leaders
through
L
E
A
D
–
L
eadership,
E
ducation,
A
dvocacy and
D
iscovery
include the following:
- Five (5) $1000 CHIA Emerging Professionals (Student) Scholarships (increased from $750)
- Twenty (20) Exam Reimbursement awards for CHIA members who successfully take and pass AHIMA-credentials exams.
- New: Ten
(10) AHIMA Microcredential Reimbursement awards after successful completion.
- Funding for Research Support Awards
- Funding to support CHIA Emerging Professionals BOGO (Buy one, get one) year memberships for up to 100 CHIA Emerging Professionals (AHIMA Students)
- Funding for the HIIM Program Grant
Applications for scholarships and awards are open now to eligible CHIA members and due no later than March 1, 2026. Get to know more about Seeking applications
.
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Discover the All-Important Call for Volunteers
President-elect Kamar Braish, MS, RHIA Wants Members to Sign Up Now...Do Your Part
Earn up to 5 CEUs per 2-year CEU cycle for your personal volunteer efforts. It’s time to choose where you want to make a difference. If you haven’t signed up for your Volunteer Workgroups of choice, DO IT NOW. CHIA’s strength is directly related to member-leader passion for igniting initiatives that benefit the California health information (HI) community.
Volunteerism “CHIA-style” incorporates
member expertise and enthusiasm. Contribute
your time and elevate your personal
career through LEAD
– Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Discovery
!
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Discover Our CHIA Component Group Corner
Get the Latest Update on Component Work Group Progress and Join the Meetings
CHIA has three Component Groups hard at work: Medical Coding Community, HI Operations Work Group, and HI & Emerging Professional Mentor Network. If you haven't joined one of these groups yet, consider it for 2026. Each workgroup engages during its Component Group Meetings. Follow the instructions below and then register for these sessions.
Click Join the Group on
the User Platform. Even though the group
is marked as PRIVATE, by clicking join,
you become part of a component group that
is exclusive to CHIA members. Dual
Membership (AHIMA + CHIA) ensures membership
into these CGs.
Don’t wait any longer...Join now!
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Component Group Calendar
Join group to participate.
HI & Emerging Professional Mentor Component Group Meeting
January 8, 2026
HI Operations Workgroup Meeting
January 15
, 2026
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Discover Your Profile on the CHIA Website...Update Now
Check the AHIMA Dashboard to Ensure Your AHIMA Dues Are Current
Dual Membership is part of the CHIA value proposition of LEAD
– Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Discovery.
When you join AHIMA, you are asked
to choose a Component Association (CA),
usually your state association.
When you choose California, you
choose the largest CA for
AHIMA and your investment of $50
provides the many exclusive and
valuable CHIA benefits for members
only.
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Have you Discovered CHIA's HI Resources?
Discover HI Access Resources | Privacy & Security in CA
Unlock the knowledge and skills needed to confidently navigate the complex world of patient health information with CHIA’s latest Health Information Access resources. Designed by leading health information professionals and informed by expert legal advisors, these comprehensive tools provide practical guidance to help master the intricacies of managing protected health information, privacy and security regulations and best practices.
Discover eBook Series | Release of Information in CA
CHIA’s Release of Information in California (ROI) eBook series empowers health information professionals to confidently master the complexities of managing and releasing protected health information in California. Featuring eleven (11) detailed eBooks.
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Discover
CHIA’s
Latest
News
A
New
Way
to
Access
CHIA
News
Miss
a
Monthly
digest?
Looking
for
the
latest
member
messages?
CHIA
is
posting
information
to
the
Latest
News
Section
on
the
CHIA
homepage.
Click
here
to
access
the
CHIA
Homepage
and
locate
the
latest
news
by
scrolling
down
to
the
middle
of
the
page,
finding
the
section
shown
below.
By
clicking •••
at
the
top
right
corner
of
the
box,
you
will
be
taken
to
the
latest
news
section
where
you
are
welcome
to
read
and
comment
on
any
posts.
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Discover Upcoming Events
Community Chat: Let's Talk Commission on Accreditation of Rehab Facilities (CARF)
January 30, 2025
eHI Symposium - Explore the Future of Healthcare, Innovation and AI
February 4 & 11, 2026
Advanced Coding Workshop
March 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2026
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