As hospitals and clinics increase screenings for social determinants of health (SDOH), referrals to agencies that provide services to address these needs also will increase. However, questions remain about the ability of nonprofits and other “community resources” to absorb these increased referrals for services. Using secondary data analysis, a review of existing capacity assessment models, and case studies of human service centers in Florida and Texas, researchers will develop and implement an approach for assessing the capacity of community social services organizations and their partners to absorb and meet the needs of referred clients. Findings will lead to improvements in understanding the nonprofit sector’s ability to respond to growing demand, ultimately contributing to the long-term goal of strengthening cross-sector partnerships and integration of services and systems to improve health outcomes.

Principal Investigators:
Danielle Varda, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver
Co-Director, Center on Network Science
CEO, Visible Network Labs

Katie Edwards, MPA
Executive Director, The Nonprofit Centers Network

Community Partners:
Todd Ely, PhD
Associate Professor, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs

Malinda Mochizuki, MPA
Events & Community Partnership Manager, Center on Network Science, University of Colorado Denver

Rachel Hogg, DrPH
Assistant Professor, College of Health Sciences, University of Kentucky

Kinsey Adamson
Operations Assistant, Serve Denton

Kameron Hodgens
Campus Administrator, The Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center

Charlene Altenhain, PhD
Executive Director, The Glasser Schoenbaum Human Services Center

Sarah Lampe, MPH
Executive Director, Trailhead Institute

Project Details:
Year: 2017
Funding Amount: $250,000
Status: Inactive