The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have recently released several resources to help federal agencies, states, local and tribal governments coordinate better between healthcare, public health and social services. Among these resources is a 54-page playbook that focuses on addressing social determinants of health.
This playbook outlines the steps that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Environmental Protection Agency are taking to improve health by addressing the social circumstances of individuals. These programs include community infrastructure investments, grants to empower communities in addressing health-related social needs, and promoting coordinated use of resources and data to improve health outcomes.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized the importance of addressing patients’ social conditions in order to holistically improve healthcare and public health during a recent event