Across the country, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are rising to meet urgent and complex health needs. Whether supporting school-based health, coordinating referrals, or conducting equity-driven assessments, these organizations are doing more than ever—with limited staff, shrinking budgets, and often outdated systems.

In communities across the country, schools, clinics, and public health teams are doing the critical work of identifying unmet health and social needs. From food insecurity to housing instability and mental health, these challenges are routinely documented through health-related social needs (HRSN) assessments and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screenings.

In today’s healthcare and social services landscape, access is only the beginning. The real measure of quality lies in what happens next—after a screening form is filled out, after a child is referred for support, or after a family is connected to a local resource.