How To Assess Social Support Needs: A CMS Screening Tool Focused On Social Determinants

Researchers with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have developed a 10-item screening tool to identify health-related social needs. The tool focuses on five domains that can be addressed through community-based services: housing instability, food insecurity, transportation difficulties, utility assistance needs, and interpersonal safety.

The tool was explained in “Standardized Screening for Health-Related Social Needs in Clinical Settings: The Accountable Health Communities Screening Tool” by Alexander Billioux, M.D., DPhil.; Katherine Verlander, M.P.H.; Susan Anthony, Dr.PH.; and Dawn Alley, Ph.D., of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The report . . .