FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Denver, CO (December 2, 2020) – Visible Network Labs has has received funding for a Systems for Action research study assessing the capacity of community social services organizations and their partners to meet the needs of new clients identified through the emerging social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and referral tools used by medical providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This investigation into clinical-to-community referrals will help providers better identify and target pressing social needs among their patients.

In a previous study, researchers developed a method for assessing the capacity of social service organizations to accommodate referrals from medical providers. In this follow-up study, a team based at The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center and Visible Networks Lab use social network analysis, secondary data, and qualitative interviews to explore how clinical-community referral networks and referral patterns have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these changes may affect service delivery and outcomes for community residents. Findings will guide efforts to strengthen the capacity of communities to meet the health and social needs of their residents.

Read the full press release with more information on this exciting grant below. Thank you to Systems for Action and the Robert Wood Johnson for supporting this important research investigation and study. You can read our past research, including the study that informs this new research approach in our Network Science Research Library, located here.