The 21st Century Cures Act (Cures) is a bipartisan health care innovation law enacted by Congress in 2016 that includes provisions to promote the free flow of health information and interoperability.
In this Practice Alert, NASW provides resources for social workers to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available and general eligibility guidelines to access a vaccine in the initial phases of distribution. NASW encourages individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when they meet their state’s eligibility criteria. NASW is advocating for vaccine access for social workers and populations that are at high-risk for COVID-19, and NASW will continue to monitor federal and state vaccine distribution plans.
Taking social risk factors into account is critical to improving the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic illness. Social workers are specialists in providing social care who have a long history of working within health care delivery, and in-depth training and credentialing. With expertise in patient and family engagement, assessment, care planning, behavioral health, and systems navigation, social workers identify and address multiple factors that contribute to health and well-being.
NASW played a lead role in conceiving and funding The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Consensus Study Report, Integrating Social Care into the Delivery of Health Care: Moving Upstream to Improve the Nation’s Health. This landmark report recognizes that social workers are specialists in identifying and addressing social needs, and it includes numerous recommendations to ensure that the nation’s health care systems address the many factors that contribute to health.
Updates on what social workers need to know now.
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