What are social needs?
From a healthcare perspective, social needs include things like having enough food, transportation, a stable place to live, education, friends to support you, and access to water and electricity. When you don't have enough of these things, it can harm both your body and mind. For instance, if you can't go to your doctor, can't get fresh food, or your utilities are turned off, it can make life very stressful and hurt your health.
When you do have what you need, like food and a safe place to live, it can help you stay healthy and feel better overall. Meeting these social needs is really important for your mental and emotional health. It helps you build good relationships and be part of your community. These things can make a big difference in how happy and connected you feel in society.
What do you need?
Select a category below to learn more about how you can request items or services to support your total health.
Climate devices
- Air conditioners
- Air filtration units and/or filters
- Mini-refrigerators
- Heaters
- Portable power supplies
Housing supports
- Rent support
- Utility support
- Home modifications/remediations
- Hotel stays
- Storage fees
Nutrition supports
- Assessment for medically tailored meals
- Medically tailored meals
- Nutrition education
Other supports
- Educational materials and books
- Exercise equipment and gym memberships
- Baby equipment
- Camp enrollment
- and more!
What’s the difference between HRSN and HRSF (Flex)?
There are two ways you may be eligible to receive the social needs supports described above. When you submit your request, CareOregon will review it to determine whether your request meets eligibility criteria for Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) or Health Related Service Fund (HRSF) based upon the information you provide.
Health Related Social Needs (HRSN)
- HRSN is a new Medicaid benefit for members on the Oregon Health Plan.
- This benefit provides a specific set of climate, housing and nutrition items/services.
- Eligibility is determined by a qualifying health condition, life transition and/or criteria set by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
Health Related Service Fund (HRSF), or “Flex”
- HRSF is an existing Medicaid program that helps fulfill a need that standard Oregon Health Plan benefits don’t cover.
- Provides a range of services or items.
- Eligibility is decided for each person based on their health and treatment plan. It depends on whether the service or item you want will help your health and if it is approved by the HRSF program.