Building Wealth and Health Network

Challenges and Solutions to Public Assistance System Alignment: How Trauma-informed Programming Unveiled Barriers to Aligning TANF and Medicaid

2021

Cross-sector collaboration and systems alignment in public benefit systems can improve the effectiveness of these programs, address social determinants of health, improve family well-being, and create a more equitable society. This brief highlights a number of challenges identified in aligning public benefits such as TANF and Medicare and offers proposed solutions to address them.

Financial Health: The Root of Economic Security - Defining and Measuring a New Social Determinant of Health

2020

This 2020 research brief introduces financial health as a measurable concept underlying elements of economic hardship (housing, food and energy insecurity) that can contribute to greater health equity. The study demonstrates that financial health has a significant impact on overall well-being and belongs in the discussion of social determinants of health.

Reducing Food Insecurity Without Food: Trauma-Informed Financial Education Program Improves Food Security

2020

This 2020 report shows that participation in a trauma-informed educational program reduced the odds of household food insecurity for families with low or no income.

Aligning Systems to Build a Culture of Health: Integrating TANF and Medicaid to Achieve Wealth and Health

2018

Public support programs that aim to improve employment and financial wellbeing should be better coordinated to provide more effective services and reduce costs. This Building Wealth and Health Network brief demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating behavioral health components into financial programming.

Trauma-Informed TANF: A Randomized Controlled Trial with a Two-Generation Impact

2018

This 2018 report highlights the positive impact of incorporating trauma-informed peer support into financial education and standard TANF programming.