Social Determinants of Health
FEATURED ARTICLE
States Share Innovative Approaches to Improve Population Health through Accountable Health Models
/in Policy California, Michigan, Oregon, Washington Annual Conference, Blogs Accountable Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Jill RosenthalMore than 200 state health officials crowded into a National Academy for State Health Policy’s (NASHP) annual conference session recently to learn about strategies to improve population health and reduce costs while simultaneously transforming their state’s health care finance and delivery models. An Accountable Community for Health (ACH) is: An alliance of health care providers, […]
NASHP Identifies State Strategies to Address Mental Health and Education Inequities
/in Policy Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, Ohio Blogs Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Najeia MentionState policymakers increasingly recognize the need to address the social determinants of health — housing, employment, education, and income — to reduce health care costs and improve population health. Educational attainment, for example, provides dividends for overall health. People with higher levels of education generally live longer and experience healthier lives. The quality of education […]
Community Health Worker Resources for States
/in Policy Minnesota, New York, Utah Reports Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health, Value-Based Purchasing /by Tina KartikaAs states transform their health systems, many are turning to community health workers (CHWs) to improve health outcomes and access to care, address social determinants of health, and help control costs of care. While state definitions vary, CHWs are typically frontline workers who are trusted members of and/or have a unique and intimate understanding of […]
State Health Policymakers Look to Washington and Each Other to Fight the Opioid Epidemic
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Healthy Child Development, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Lyndsay Sanborn and Kitty PuringtonIn the last two weeks, there has been a flurry of federal and state activity focused on the nation’s opioid epidemic that currently kills more Americans than guns or car accidents. In Washington, the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis released its final report featuring 56 recommendations to stem opioid and […]
Strategies to Strengthen Health and Housing Partnerships Through Medicaid to Improve Health Care for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
/in Policy Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Hannah Dorr and Charles TownleyIndividuals experiencing homelessness are disproportionately impacted by chronic medical and behavioral health conditions, and many of these individuals lack health insurance or a usual source of care. State Medicaid agencies and safety net providers are important partners in meeting the medical, behavioral health, and social service needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In this […]
Strengthening Health and Housing Partnerships through Medicaid to Improve Health Care for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
/in Policy Webinars Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by NASHP StaffIn Times of Constrained Resources, How Can States Innovatively Fund Health-Related Social Needs? Thoughts from Louisiana and Virginia
/in Policy Louisiana, Virginia Blogs Health Equity, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Amy ClaryState leaders know that low-income and vulnerable populations often need services and supports outside the scope of a single state agency—or a single funding stream—to live healthy lives. In some states, braiding or blending funding streams lends programs a measure of flexibility, efficiency, and resiliency that a single source of funding might not. In the […]
State Health and Housing Programs in the Proposed FY 2018 Federal Budget: Six Housing Programs to Watch
/in Policy Blogs Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Hannah DorrState health policymakers are increasingly acknowledging housing as a key component of health, and are weaving housing strategies into their broader health system transformations. States have powerful levers at their disposal and a range of funding streams that they can bring to bear to support integrated health and housing, while local public housing authorities also […]
Three Ways the Proposed White House Budget Could Affect Public Health in States
/in Policy Blogs Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Medicaid Expansion, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP WritersBudgets are important windows into the priorities of an administration. While the White House budget for FY 2018 proposes some targeted infrastructure investments,[i] it also proposes to reduce funding for public health infrastructure and services. The budget proposed by the White House is expected to change in Congress; however, it is important for states to […]
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
Eight States Join NASHP’s Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovation Program Policy Academy to Address Maternal Mortality
/in Policy Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia Infant Mortality, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by Taylor PlattThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has announced a new, two-year policy academy kicking off in April for state health officials interested in building state capacity to address maternal mortality for Medicaid-eligible pregnant and parenting women, with the goal of improving access to quality care. Through the Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovation […]