Medicaid agencies nationwide are increasingly addressing individuals’ health-related social needs (HRSN) to enhance health and well-being, reduce disparities, and lower health care costs. Programs like housing services, nutrition supports, and case management are particularly effective at improving health outcomes, especially for marginalized communities. States can leverage federal flexibilities through managed care in lieu of services and settings and 1115 waiver demonstrations to expand HRSN services, foster cross-sector collaboration to provide social services, and promote accountability for HRSN initiatives.

This resource center highlights promising HRSN program design and implementation considerations for state Medicaid agencies and their partners. It offers practical tools and state-specific examples from CHCS’ work nationally to help bridge the gap between health and social care with an aim to improve health outcomes and advance health equity for Medicaid members.

Addressing HRSN through Medicaid is an evolving practice. As new innovations and best-practices emerge, this resource center will grow and incorporate additional resources.

Explore resources in the following three topics:

More on Addressing Health-Related Social Needs

For additional resources and tools on meeting HRSN through Medicaid, visit these websites:

  • Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN) – Features a robust library on screening tools, interventions, and outcomes related to social needs, including summaries on the evidence on addressing HRSN.
  • HealthBegins – Provides resources to help Medicaid programs and health care systems measure impact and implement evidence-based strategies focused on “upstream” interventions to address the social drivers of health.