Helping States Connect Health and Social Services
There is growing recognition that social factors—such as individual behavior, socioeconomic status, and the physical environment—can have a greater impact on health outcomes than medical care. Still, most health care expenditures are for medical services.<br /><br />
But a new vision for integrating health and social services is beginning to emerge across the states. In a new Commonwealth Fund <a href="/publications/issue-briefs/2014/jul/state-policy-framework-integrating-health-and-social-services">issue brief</a>, researchers at the Center for Health Care Strategies lay out the three components necessary for such an integrated system: a mechanism for managing the coordination of services, quality measurement and data-sharing tools, and responsive payment and financing methods. <br />
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Authors Tricia McGinnis, Maia Crawford, and Stephen A. Somers also present a five-step policy framework to help states move beyond isolated pilot programs and establish an infrastructure that will support ongoing integration of a full range of health and social services, particularly for Medicaid beneficiaries.<br />
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Read more at <a href="/newsletter/ealert/helping-states-connect-health-and-social-services">commonwealthfund.org</a>.<br />
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