Focus on Health Equity and Action Cyberseminar Series

Upcoming Session:
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
12PM – 1PM (ET)

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Title: Assessing Circumstances and Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN): An Overview of a VHA Social Risk Screening and Social Needs Referral Initiative

Description:

Hospitals and health systems, including the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), are increasingly working to identify patients’ social risks and address social needs as part of clinical care. Assessing Circumstances and Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) is a VHA social risk screening and referral program that aims to identify and address unmet social needs among all Veterans to improve health outcomes and advance health equity. This session will provide an overview of ACORN, including background on the development of the initiative, information about the ACORN Dashboard, and research and clinical implications.

Presenters:

Alicia Cohen, MD, MSc (she | hers)

Core Investigator, VA HSR&D Center of Innovation in Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS-COIN)
Primary Care Physician, Women’s Health Clinic and Homeless Clinic, VA Providence Healthcare System
Co-lead, VHA Assessing Circumstances and Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) Initiative
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University Medical School and School of Public Health

Sarah Leder, MSW (she | hers)

Health Systems Specialist, Office of Health Equity
Specialist, VHA Assessing Circumstances and Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) Dashboard, Data, and Evaluation Team

Lauren Russell, MPH, MPP (she | hers)

Social Determinants of Health Lead and Health System Specialist, VHA Office of Health Equity
Co-lead, VHA Assessing Circumstances and Offering Resources for Needs (ACORN) Initiative

Intended audience:
Researchers, clinicians, care coordinators, policy makers, educators, data analysts, Veteran stakeholders and representatives of vulnerable Veteran groups who are interested in understanding and/or promoting equitable health among all Veterans.

Past Sessions

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 About the Focus on Health Equity and Action Cyberseminars

The VHA Office of Health Equity (OHE) in partnership with the VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) launched the Focus on Health Equity and Action Cyberseminars.  Each cyberseminar spotlights activities that promote the implementation of the VHA Health Equity Action Plan (HEAP), and aims to:

1. Catalyze, synergize, and coordinate VHA programs, projects, and initiatives to effectively identify, understand, seek and implement solutions to diminish and where possible eliminate health disparities;
2. Demonstrate alignment with other federal partners working to achieve health equity;
3. Bring focus to VHA efforts to provide a more equitable, individualized and patient-driven health care delivery system;
4. Improve overall quality of care through equity in all policies and the achievement of health equity for all;
5. Incorporate the innovative ideas and input of all users in order to encourage a bottom up approach while maintaining a strong connection to the overarching goals of the VA;
6. Capitalize on the existing network of advocates and programs in both administrative and clinical realms to weave health equity dialogue and cultural attunement into training and other activities within and outside the health care system; and
7. Serve as a guide and/or starting place that would remain a living document which is open to modification and adaptation to continuously meet the needs of the Veterans entrusted to the VHA.