365 - Social Emergency Medicine: Capitalizing on the Pediatric Emergency Department Visit to Screen and Connect Patients and Families to Community Resources

Poster Number: 365
Publication Number: 365.313

Danica B. Liberman, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Phung K. Pham, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Janet E. Semple-Hess, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Background: Motivated by the growing knowledge that social determinants of health (SDOH) are likely the most important influence on a person’s health, the medical community is recognizing its critical role in screening for SDOH and addressing needs through referrals and linkages to community resources. However, screening in healthcare settings remains inconsistent and incomplete.

Objective: To describe the social needs of families screened by the Community Health Advocates Team (CHAT) Desk, situated within an urban pediatric emergency department (PED); and to evaluate the effectiveness of this help desk in connecting families to community resources.

Design/Methods: Trained pre-health undergraduates, onsite in the PED approximately 30 hours/week during daytime and evening hours, weekdays and weekends, screened a convenience sample of families of patients in the PED for social needs, and provided information on available community resources. With prior consent, we contacted participating families by phone several weeks following the PED visit, during which time we assessed their satisfaction with the desk and success in connecting them to resources, and we identified any remaining social needs.

Results: Between January 2019 and March 2020, the CHAT Desk screened and assisted 682 families. (Figure 1) CHAT students routinely provided resources about free outdoor recreational activities for families, but after that, the most commonly provided informational resource related to: health care (n=200), housing (n=143), and food (n=137). (Table 1) Approximately 19% of families (n=129) screened positive for ≥ 3 resources aside from recreational activities. Families who screened positive for ≥ 3 social needs were most likely to not have a primary care physician for their child (p=0.02, z=2.4). Of 682 families screened, 510 families were eligible for and consented to a follow-up phone call, and we successfully contacted 58% (n=294). Almost half of those we reached (n=134, 46%) reported being able to contact at least one of their recommended resources; 100 reported that the resource they contacted was able to assist them and 99 families reported that they plan to continue using the resource. When asked how satisfied they were with CHAT, 93% (n=274) reported being very satisfied or somewhat satisfied; 94% (n=276) said they would recommend it to people they knew.Conclusion(s): The PED of a busy tertiary care children’s hospital is an important and opportune location to screen families for social needs and provide them with information on requested community resources.
Types and Frequencies of Community Resource Referrals Provided by CHAT DeskWIC= Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children; SNAP= Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; YMCA= Young Men’s Christian Association; GED= General Educational Development; ESL= English as a Second Language; IEP= Individualized Education Program; DPSS= Department of Public Social Services; SSA= Social Security Administration
Note: Number of families referred may add up to more than total number of families screened (n=682), as families could receive referrals to more than one resource category.
Flow Chart* Screened positive for 1 or more needs aside from parks/recreational activities.
** Screened positive for 0 needs or only parks/recreational activities