The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and OneOp will offer a “Medicaid, Food Security and the Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being” webinar on April 26 from 10-11 a.m.
The webinar is free, and participants can register at https://tx.ag/April26OneOp. Once registered, participants will receive an email with instructions and the link to the event. Those who cannot use the link may view the event live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/OneOp/live.
OneOp webinars are for professional service providers who work with military families. OneOp, formerly the Military Families Learning Network, is a virtual professional development platform for providers who serve military families. The webinar is part of the Food Security in Focus collection of events.
“Professionals can join this webinar to explore the connection between Medicaid, food security and the well-being of their clients,” said Rachel Brauner, AgriLife Extension military program specialist, Bryan-College Station.
The webinar provides one continuing education credit for many professional programs. Visit the OneOp website for a complete list. Certificates of attendance are available for providers interested in documenting their training activities.
Importance of military family readiness
Military family readiness promotes service member and family health and well-being in a variety of ways, Brauner said. Among these are helping to connect service members and families to needed resources and support services at the community, state and national level.
In addition, family readiness requires an understanding of the underlying economic, social and environmental factors that influence health status and outcomes, she said. “These factors may interact and have a compound effect.”
For example, Brauner said, a family facing health care expenses may have to cut back on spending for necessary needs such as food and shelter.
“The inability to afford or access nutritious foods may contribute to chronic health conditions. Programs and services can help to address various threats to health and well-being,” she said.
One such program is Medicaid, a joint federal-state program that has been providing healthcare access and coverage for millions of Americans, including military families, since 1965.
Speaker, learning objectives
The speaker for the webinar will be Christopher Plein, Ph.D., professor of public administration and Eberly Family Professor for Outstanding Public Service, West Virginia University, Morgantown.
Plein, who is also part of OneOp and works on issues related to military caregiving and individuals with special needs, will:
- Discuss social determinants of health paradigm. This model or paradigm, which accounts for the influence of underlying social, economic, environmental factors on health status and outcomes has been utilized by numerous authorities and experts, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Identify how Medicaid coverage can help to offset the economic burden of health costs, improving the economic status of families who can then better afford essential needs such as food.
- Examine barriers and obstacles to accessing Medicaid and other programs due to factors associated with the social determinants of health.
- Determine various Medicaid services and initiatives focused on nutrition and food security.
- Review possible future steps and developments in Medicaid’s role in food security and in addressing the social determinants of health.
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Susan Himes is a writer and media relations specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife. She writes news releases and features from science-based information generated by the agency. She also covers human interest stories and events across the state.
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