Partnering for Health Equity by Impacting Social Determinants of Health

MHealthy, the University of Michigans (U-M) faculty and staff health and well-being program, recognizes that social determinants of health (SDOH) must be assessed and addressed to advance health equity in the workplace. MHealthy has implemented several strategies for doing so, and each will be discussed in detail in the presentation. One major strategy is an effort to address income as a primary SDOH. U-M’s Emergency Hardship Fund [offered by U-M’s Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)] supports employees undergoing significant financial hardships due to illness, loss or tragedy with one-time grants. The program experiences demand beyond its capacity. MHealthy will discuss the development and implementation of a pilot program intended to address this need that pairs individuals experiencing a financial hardship with a Success Coach. The program seeks to impact SDOH and enhance well-being by addressing barriers to employment and retention through delivery of skills training, connection to resources and material support. After completing this session, participants will be able to: (1) Name three social determinants of health that are significant in employee populations; (2) Identify strategies for integrating social determinants of health assessments and screenings in workplace well-being initiatives; and (3) Understand the Success Coach model for addressing income as a social determinant of health.