Health-related social needs (HRSN) services
Under the terms of Washington State’s Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver (MTP 2.0), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved payment for health-related social needs (HRSN) services. HRSN services address an individual’s unmet, adverse social conditions that contribute to poor health. These needs, including food insecurity, housing instability, unemployment, and/or lack of reliable transportation, can drive health disparities across demographic groups. The HRSN Services Overview provides a description and details about each HRSN service, including go-live date, eligible population, and provider network.
Currently available HRSN services
- HRSN screening and referrals
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HRSN screening and referrals is an HRSN service offered via the nine regional community Care Hubs (CCHs) across Washington state. Under this service, CCHs coordinate HRSN referrals by working closely with community organizations, social services, health care facilities, correctional institutions, managed care organizations, and governmental bodies to help individuals improve and manage their health. CCHs also work with trained community-based workers (CBW) to connect individuals to services. The CCHs were established by the Accountable Communities of Health. HCA is working with Tribal partners to establish a statewide Native Hub.
Learn more about the HRSN screening and referral services.
- HRSN housing services
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In addition to the Supportive Housing and Supported Employment services under the Foundational Community Supports (FCS) program, HCA offers two HRSN housing benefits under the Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) 2.0:
- Housing Transition Navigation, which aims to remove barriers to affordable housing, including transition costs and housing deposits to help a person establish a basic household, and
- Rent/Temporary Housing, which provides stable living situations for individuals transitioning out of institutional care settings who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Learn more about HRSN housing services.
- Medical Respite Care
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The Medical Respite Care (MRC) program offers clients discharging from inpatient care with a safe and stable housing option when they do not already have one. MRC helps ensure that the medical care received in a hospital or clinic setting is not compromised due to unstable living situations and allows individuals with complex medical and psycho-social needs to recover from an acute medical condition in a stable environment while reducing future hospital utilization.
Learn more about Medical Respite Care.
Future HRSN services
HCA is currently working with subject matter experts, community organizations, and key implementation partners on the following services:
- Caregiver respite
- Nutrition supports
- Home modifications services
HRSN resources
- Understanding the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) Role in Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Services: provided by the Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA) of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
- Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Services Overview: This document provides a description and details about each HRSN service, including go-live date, eligible population, and provider network.