Carrie B. Riley, a Partner in the Health Care practice group, specializes in transactional and federal grant-related matters. Ms. Riley’s clients include a wide array of nonprofit health care entities, with a focus on federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and behavioral health providers.

Ms. Riley helps her clients navigate the complex web of programmatic requirements and fraud and abuse laws in the context of implementing transactions between providers. Health centers and other federally-funded/designated organizations turn to Ms. Riley because of her vast experience implementing collaborative relationships that leverage benefits while ensuring compliance with applicable law. Common transactions include mergers, successor in interest grant transfers, purchase of services agreements and residency program affiliations.

Ms. Riley is also well-versed in matters regarding the health center program and the applicable Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) requirements. Ms. Riley routinely advises clients regarding numerous compliance-related issues related to obtaining designation as a FQHC and operating in compliance with applicable requirements. For example, Ms. Riley advises clients in matters related to grants management, service and site expansion, procurement, staffing and governance. In addition, she assists clients in preparing for HRSA operational site visits and in responding to compliance findings.

Ms. Riley also has unique experience assisting organizations that maintain a Title X Family Planning project, either as direct grantees or as subrecipients. She also regularly provides trainings to FQHC and their community partners across the country and has presented at numerous national conferences.

Ms. Riley has had a long-standing interest in public health activities. Prior to law school, she worked for four years at the JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., a public health research and technical assistance organization, assisting Title X family planning providers.

Representative Matters

  • Providing legal services to implement the consolidation of nonprofit provider organizations through merger or acquisition, with a particular focus on nuances applicable to the transfer of federal HHS grants and the requisite approval processes.
  • Assisting health centers prepare for HRSA operational site visits, with a focus on reviewing and revising bylaws, key policies (e.g., sliding fee discount program), and contracts/referral agreements.
  • Supporting health centers to identify, evaluate, and implement expansion opportunities, including but not limited to establishing new sites and services.
  • Providing advice to health centers on compliance with federal programmatic and grant requirements impacting governance, management and operations.
  • Supporting the establishment of residency program affiliations as between teaching hospitals and health centers.
  • Identifying and establishing ED care coordination strategies as between hospitals and outpatient safety net providers.
  • Educating providers regarding the requirements applicable to the HRSA Health Center Program and the OPA Family Planning Program.

Published Works

  • Service Line Expansion: A Guide for Health Center Boards (Contributing Author), National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Feb. 2023.
  • Geographic Expansion: A Guide for Health Center Boards (Contributing Author), National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Feb. 2023.
  • Section 330 Compliance Toolkit (Contributing Author), Feldesman Leifer LLP (Feldesman), Jan. 2023.
  • Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC): Contracting and Community Partnerships Toolkit (Contributing Author), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Oct 2020.
  • Emergency Department Care Coordination: Targeted Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes and Decrease Costs (Author), National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Feb. 2017.
  • Advancing Quality Family Planning Practices: A Guide for Health Centers (Author), NACHC, Apr. 2017.
  • Patient Privacy Requirements Beyond HIPPA (Presenter), HCCA 17th Annual Compliance Institute, National Harbor, MD, Apr. 2013.
  • Partnerships between Federally Qualified Health Centers and Local Health Departments for Engaging in the Development of a Community-Based System of Care (Author), National Association of Community Health Centers, 2010.
  • Affiliations between Health Centers and Local Correctional Facilities to Provide Continuity of Care for Offenders (Co- Author), Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, 2009.
  • Information Bulletin: Identifying, Disclosing, and Managing Board Members’ Conflicts of Interests
  • (Co- Author), National Association of Community Health Centers, 2008.

Classes/Seminars Taught

  • Contract Essentials: How to Protect Your Health Center from Unfavorable Terms and Conditions, Feldesman Webinar Series, Organizer and Contributing Presenter, 2023.
  • Governance Training Series for Health Center Boards: Navigating Legal Considerations, Feldesman Webinar Series, Organizer and Contributing Presenter, 2023.
  • Referral Agreements and the Health Center Program, Feldesman Webinar, March 2023.
  •  Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Opportunities in FY2023, Feldesman Webinar, Feb 2023.
  • Industry Update: The Impact of Overturning Roe v. Wade on Health Centers, Feldesman Webinar, June 2022.
  • Understanding and Enhancing Your Health Center’s Bylaws: Key Elements and HRSA Requirements, Feldesman Webinar, May 2022.
  • Regulatory Update (Panel Presenter), National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Policy & Issues Forum Conference, Feb 2022.
  • Title X Final Rule, Feldesman Webinar, Jan 2022.
  • Implementing Affiliations within the Bounds of HRSA Restrictions: Exploring the Range of Opportunities, Feldesman Webinar, Nov 2022.
  • Providing Services Outside the Scope of Your Grant: How to Ensure Compliance, Feldesman Webinar, Sept 2022.
  • Telehealth Looking Forward: Payment and Financial Considerations, Feldesman Webinar, Nov 2021.
  • From Direct Designation to Collaboration: The Spectrum of Federally Qualified Health Center Opportunities for Local Health Departments (Co-Presenter),  National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), July 2020.
  • Health Center Scope of Project: Telehealth Series (Co-Organizer of 7 Part Webinar Series), Feldesman, May 2020.
  • Leveraging Community Support: The Anti-Kickback Safe Harbor Protection for FQHCs, Feldesman Webinar, April 2018.
  • Integration & Affiliation Agreements (Presenter)Contracting Academy: National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Conference, May 2016.
  • Practice Innovation and Emerging Models to Improve Family Planning Services (Presenter), NACHC 2016 Community Health Institute (CHI) Conference, Aug. 2016.
  • Better Together: Creating Successful Strategic Integrations in a Time of Change (Presenter), NACHC 2013 CHI Conference, Aug. 2013.
  • Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Corporate Compliance, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and College of Professional Studies, 2008 – Present

Previous Experience

  • John Snow Inc. / JSI Research & Training Institute, Boston, MA; Project Coordinator and Staff Associate, 2001 – 2004