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.

Involvement with the criminal justice system increases markedly during the transition from youth to adulthood in the United States. Providing targeted services and supports to vulnerable emerging adults during this transition may be an effective way of reducing the conditions and behaviors that lead to incarceration and its adverse health effects. The research team led by Texas A&M University uses a randomized trial to test the effectiveness of the Transformative Justice (TJ) program in reducing criminal justice recidivism and improving health outcomes by coordinating health and social services for justice-involved young adults.

American cities face stubbornly large racial disparities in infant mortality, preterm and low birthweight births along with unacceptable rates of maternal mortality. The Los Angeles Maternity Assessment Management Access and Service (MAMA) program is an innovative, multi-sector initiative that seeks to address the constellation of social factors that contribute to adverse maternal and infant outcomes, including housing instability, food insecurity, untreated mental health conditions, domestic violence, and substance abuse.

The Evolution Foundation in Oklahoma serves the Greenwood Historical District - formerly known as Black Wall Street - in North Tulsa. Their systems alignment challenge is to address the historical trauma and distrust of children, youth, young adults and families resulting from the 1921 Tulsa race...

Systems for Action (S4A) Research Program: Systems for Action (S4A) is a national research program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and based at the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado. As program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we are working towards a...

The Youth Action Hub (YAH) is a participatory action research (PAR) hub and network in Connecticut driven by Black, Brown, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ young people with lived expertise of homelessness and housing instability. They are testing three new strategies through PAR which they anticipate will...

The YWCA Madison in Wisconsin operates housing programs that are designed for those most impacted by systemic racism and other forms of oppression. They have been awarded $60,000 through the Equity Capacity Building Grant (ECBG) mechanism to build community members’ power. YWCA needs community input...