Impact Studies

Impact studies examine the impact of a novel system alignment strategy on relevant measures of health and wellbeing for affected populations. These studies build on pilot studies confirming the feasibility and acceptability of the systems alignment strategy and use rigorous research methods to evaluate the impact on measures of health and health equity. As of 2019, Impact studies receive up to $500,000 in total funding to be used over a 36-month period to study the impact of a proposed system alignment strategy. Prior to 2019, Impact studies received up to $250,000 in total funding to be used over a 24-month period.

Aligning Behavioral Health and Child Welfare Systems to Address the Opiate Crisis in Rural Ohio

Children affected by the opioid epidemic need a complex array of services and supports to safeguard their health and wellbeing, including child protective services, legal representation, educational...
Aligning Health and Social Systems to Promote Vaccination Access for Populations Experiencing Systemic Barriers

This study assesses effective strategies to eliminate disparities in access to COVID-19 vaccination by race and ethnicity by building on an existing nationwide initiative of the Aging and Disability...
Can California's CalAIM Medicaid Transformation Initiative Achieve Systems Integration? Identifying Key Facilitators of Cross-Sectoral Coordination for Individuals with Complex Needs or at High Risk

This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, evaluates the effectiveness of California’s CalAIM Medicaid Waiver program in integrating social service and public health organizations into Medicaid coordinated systems of care for individuals with complex health and social needs. CalAIM is designed to dismantle forms of structural racism by investing nearly $2 Billion in helping Medicaid health plans and medical providers forge stronger alliances with local social service organizations and public health agencies in addressing the complex health and social needs of Medicaid beneficiaries, including paying for nonmedical services needed by these beneficiaries.
An Aligned Delivery and Financing Model to Address Food Insecurity and Social Needs of Low-Income Pregnant Women

This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, evaluates the effectiveness of an aligned service delivery and financing model designed to improve maternal and infant health by helping Medicaid-eligible persons receive access to healthy foods during pregnancy.
Integrating Health and Social Services through a Novel Independent Practice Association

This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, investigates the impact of a novel independent practice association (IPA) formed among community...
Multisector Task-Sharing to Improve Mental Health in Harlem, NY

This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, evaluates the effectiveness of a multisector task-sharing collaborative in addressing the inter...
Social Bonds as a Pooled Financing Mechanism to Address Social Drivers of Health Equity

This study, funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Systems for Action research program, investigates whether a novel type of social bond can pool resources across multiple competing...
Transit and Treatment: Aligning Systems to Address Substance Abuse in Connecticut

This study tests how a transit system can enhance substance abuse treatment outcomes and reduce provider-level treatment costs for substance abuse amidst the opioid crisis in Connecticut. Increasing...