By Michelle Shumate
The Leveraging Integrated Networks in Communities (LINC) to Address Social Needs Act, currently before Congress, addresses the lack of coordination between social service and health organizations. Through public-private partnerships, it offers states and regions incentives to use technology to equalize access to essential services. Section 3 of the proposed legislation focuses on evaluation, requiring the U.S. Comptroller General to assess service provider networks based on seven criteria. Research by networks expert Michelle Shumate and her colleagues suggests that the LINC Act should include three additional evaluative measures to encourage the effective and equitable provision of services through these networks. The proposed networks in the LINC Act offer a chance to establish crucial connections between healthcare and social service providers. Well-designed and well-evaluated networks can fulfill essential needs, especially in underserved communities.