E2Practice NMDOH: Implementation resources for Non-Medical Drivers of Health

In partnership with the Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN), the Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health has curated a special collection of Evidence to Practice (E2Practice) resources. The collection is designed to support healthcare systems implementing screening, referral, and service delivery related to non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH) such as food, housing, and transportation access. Resources in the collection include implementation toolkits, evaluation frameworks, and referral protocols that we hope will facilitate the uptake of evidence-based practices.

In selecting resources for this special collection, consideration was given to Texas’s large and geographically diverse population and health policy context, which shape how both healthcare and NMDOH services are delivered and financed. The collection includes resources that may be especially useful for Texans and for other states with similar policy environments. Features of Texas practice policy context that were considered include: 

• Implementation of non-medical services: Following a rapid expansion of NMDOH screening implementation, many providers in Texas have established screening processes and are strengthening their ability to connect patients with community services to address identified NMDOH needs. 
• Payment/reimbursement pathways for non-medical services. Recent state legislative activity in Texas has included policy proposals to finance NMDOH services through Medicaid as well as through health benefit programs administered by the state’s employee and teacher retirement systems.
• Eligibility: Eligibility for Medicaid is limited primarily to low-income people who are children, are pregnant or in the postpartum period, are parents or caretakers, are older adults, or have disabilities. Recent NMDOH-specific policies have specifically focused on improving pregnancy and postpartum outcomes. 
• Workforce: Recent Texas workforce policies related to NMDOH have focused on community health workers, doulas, and lactation consultants. 
• Data infrastructure: Texas policy initiatives include support for data infrastructure that can support NMDOH data sharing, including through the health information exchanges, referral platforms, the 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Network, and the State Health Analytics and Reporting Platform.

Each entry includes links to original sources hosted in the SIREN national database. To retrieve the list, users can filter the curated collection: E2Practice.

This collaborative effort is supported by funding from the Episcopal Health Foundation.