The White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), are unveiling a suite of resources designed to facilitate improved coordination among federal agencies, states, and local and tribal governments in delivering healthcare, public health, and social services. Notably, the White House is introducing the inaugural U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health in PDF format. In conjunction, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a Call to Action to Address Health-Related Social Needs and a Medicaid and CHIP Health-Related Social Needs Framework in PDF. These initiatives build upon the Administration’s commitment to advancing health equity by recognizing the influential role that individuals’ social and economic conditions play in their overall health and well-being.

“It is clear that the health of our people does not exist in a vacuum, but it is affected by our access to stable housing, healthy food, and clean air to breathe,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “It is crucial for HHS to tackle health care and public health holistically by addressing patients’ social conditions. Today’s announcement will help to provide opportunities to improve equal access to health care for every American and make progress toward a health system that improves health care outcomes for all Americans instead of advantaged few.”

Click here to read the full release.