573 - Rates of Connection to Community-Based Resources Among Referred Caregivers in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Poster Number: 573
Publication Number: 573.412

Alder C. Strange, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Zoe Bouchelle, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Elizabeth Messineo, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Lauren VonHoltz, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Wallingford, PA, United States; Danielle Cullen, CHOP, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Ashlee L. Murray, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Haddon Township, NJ, United States

Background: Families’ lack of social resources (food, housing, etc.) is associated with adverse child health outcomes. This understanding inspired the development of the Family Connects (FC) program in a large, urban, academic pediatric emergency department (PED), which aims to address families’ social needs and, consequently, improve children’s health. During PED visits, FC volunteers provide information on community-based resources (CBRs) to families that request support for self-identified social needs. Prior research suggests that information on CBRs can be successfully provided to families in the PED; however, less is known about rates of connection to CBRs after the PED encounter as well as what factors may facilitate or inhibit successful CBR connection.

Objective: To determine the rate of successful connection to CBRs among caregivers requesting information for social need during their child’s PED visit and identify caregiver-reported barriers and facilitators to successful connection.

Design/Methods: This retrospective study examined data from February to July 2022. During this time, student resource navigators contacted families during waiting periods in the PED exam room, either in-person or by phone, and offered resources to address families’ self-identified social needs. Families who received information on CBRs qualified for a follow-up phone survey at least two weeks after their initial PED visit to assess whether they had connected with CBRs and identify barriers and facilitators to successfully accessing them.

Results: Of the 486 families eligible for follow-up, 156 (32.1%) were successfully reached and completed a follow-up survey (Figure 1). Among families completing the survey, 40 (25.6%) indicated that they successfully connected with at least one CBR. The most frequently requested resources were housing and baby/child items (Table 1). Time constraints were the most cited barrier that prevented families from attempting to contact a CBR. A working phone number, person answering the phone, and available website were the most common factors that helped families connect with a CBR (Table 2).

Conclusion(s): For surveyed caregivers who received information on CBRs in the PED, 25.6% were able to successfully connect with at least one CBR. To minimize barriers to connection for families, programs may consider direct, closed-loop referral from the PED to CBRs. Future work is needed to determine whether connection to CBRs successfully addresses unmet social needs and positively impacts child health.