Supporting free clinic patients' social needs with MSW interns: A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Social Determinants of Health
• Public Health Interventions
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Social needs (housing, food, transportation) significantly impact health outcomes.
• Free clinics serve vulnerable populations but often lack resources to address social needs.
• Existing gaps in screening and assistance for social needs in free clinic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a partnership between a free clinic and a social work program.
• To assess the effectiveness of a social needs screening tool and embedded social work intern services.
• To identify patient demographics associated with social needs.

Main Methods:

• A midwestern free clinic partnered with a Masters of Social Work (MSW) program.
• A social needs screening tool was integrated into clinic workflow.
• An MSW intern provided direct assistance to patients identified with social needs.
• A 6-month pilot study collected data on screening rates and service utilization.

Main Results:

• 66.4% of 223 screened patients had positive social needs.
• Only 4% of patients utilized MSW intern services.
• Social needs varied significantly by age, gender, race, education, and primary language.

Conclusions:

• Screening for social needs and providing embedded social work services are valuable in free clinics.
• Screening alone may not be sufficient to drive patient utilization of social work services.
• Further strategies are needed to enhance engagement with social support services.