MLPB Aging and Health-Related Social Needs Learning and Action Lab Phase II Participant Recruitment

  • 13 Jul 2023

CTC-RI and MLPB invite primary care practices serving older adults to participate in a Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Learning-and-Action Lab series. This is a two-phased initiative designed to inform and improve clinic-based HRSN screening, referral, and problem-solving strategies impacting older adults who live in RI. Through generous funding from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the Lab explores how the screening experience of RI-based older adults (age 55 and over) can be enhanced, and how care teams and insurers can be more responsive to patients’ goals. Phase 1 centered the perspectives of people with lived experience and non-medical professional expertise to inform Phase 2 learning, which will integrate clinical practice members with programmatic support from CTC-RI.

In five videoconference sessions in 2022, 25 Phase 1 participants validated the importance of screening older adults in RI for HRSNs. Participants called out several HRSNs as top priorities facing older adults. In the process, they also shared many examples of how social needs were real and important factors in the health and happiness of themselves as well as of their families, friends, and neighbors. Participants detailed experiences of interactions with RI’s health care systems related to their social needs. Some of these experiences were positive and productive. Many, however, were not. Ultimately, participants agreed that health system screening for HRSNs for older adults in RI held important promise. A report of Phase I can be found here.

In Phase II, the Learning Lab will expand to include representatives from primary care practices serving older adults, and MLPB will be joined by CTC-RI to support implementation of practice transformation strategies. Phase II Learning and Action Lab Flyer

We are seeking to recruit two individuals per clinical practice, who represent a combination of the following (or similar) roles:

  • Practice Manager / Quality Improvement Manager
  • Healthcare provider (e.g., physician, nurse, etc.)
  • Individual who performs social needs screening as part of their role (e.g., medical assistant or community health worker)

Phase II will be comprised of five (5) meetings between September 2023 and January 2024.

Each practice is eligible for a $1,500 stipend per individual involved in the Lab (up to $3,000 total per practice). To learn more about participation, please complete this short interest form by 7/21/23. Questions? Contact Yolanda Bowes, CTC-RI Program Manager at ybowes@ctc-ri.org or Rebecca Kislak at MLPB at rkislak@mlpb.health. 

MLPB is a fiscally-sponsored organization of TSNE. The project is funded by a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.  Created in 1939, the mission of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island is to improve members’ health and peace of mind by facilitating their access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.