Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN)

"However, the greatest tragedy is the absence of truth in the Secretary’s statements to the public as well as to members of Congress. If we cannot take him at his word, how can we possibly trust his judgment?" - Alan B. Cohen Read the September Editor's Note in the newest issue of The Milbank Quarterly : https://lnkd.in/gzGpMmJP

This is not just a personnel shakeup - it’s a five-alarm warning that public health itself is under attack. The attempt to fire or force the resignation of CDC Director Susan Monarez, coupled with the resignations of four of the agency’s highest -ranking officials is deeply alarming. Read this statement from For Our Health , an initiative of American Public Health Association . cc Matthew Marsom Mary Pittman https://lnkd.in/gZxVyw6i

In firing CDC Director Susan Monarez and politicizing public health, this administration is silencing dissent and endangering lives. Everyone deserves the freedom and liberty to make decisions about their health based on the best available information. This administration continues to strip away those rights, leaving our nation vulnerable—especially rural communities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, and children. We remain committed to speaking out against threats to public health—and to creating a future where health is not a privilege, but a right. 🔗 Read @drrichbesser’s full statement: https://rwjf.ws/2NfiQ0 📰 Read the op-ed co-authored by Dr. Besser and former CDC leaders: https://lnkd.in/gntcZuhu

If you’re new to SIREN, our monthly newsletters feature a Research Round-Up section—a curated selection of the latest peer-reviewed studies, commentaries, issue briefs, reports, and toolkits in social care research. 📚 You can view the August Research Round Up here: https://lnkd.in/gytTe7EX 📚 And for the full list of all articles, visit the SIREN Evidence and Resource Library: https://lnkd.in/gc6MzGRD

Opportunity comment on CMS’ proposed changes to the Physician Fee Schedule Changes in CMS policy related to social care integration are happening quickly. Many of you in the SIREN community are likely aware that CMS has removed the inpatient quality reporting (IQR) measures related to social risk assessment and positive screen rates (https://lnkd.in/gT6yeUqn). Today we’re sharing a new opportunity to provide input on additional CMS reforms: CMS has invited comments on the CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule rule, in which they are proposing significant coding and payment changes related to social risk assessments as well as to community health integration and other services to address health related social needs. With great appreciation for the folks over at the Partnership to Align Social Care, SIREN is gearing up to send constructive input on the proposed changes. You can learn more about both the proposed policy changes and the request for input in recent PASC webinars (https://lnkd.in/ga48qSmQ). Individuals and organizations can also plan to sign on to the PASC comments when they are available. And if you’re writing a new comment, you can find tips for writing an effective public comment on federal regulation here: https://lnkd.in/g69jEDwe Comments are due here by September 12, 2025: https://lnkd.in/ejg2z2HW

We are seeking your input! We are considering launching an individual membership program that would enable individuals to support SIREN’s work, including on content like the SIREN Screening Tool Table and the Evidence and Resource Library, as well as the SIREN newsletter, webinars, and podcasts. Members would be asked to contribute a modest annual fee and would receive select member-only benefits. Please respond to this survey to tell us what you think of this idea. Thank you! Complete the survey here: https://lnkd.in/g6FJhnSX

𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝑵𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 Webinar Recovering from federal funding cuts, protecting what data exists, and ensuring that health equity research continues will require all of us to work together. RWJF investigators studying healthcare, immigration, and other systems discuss challenges and opportunities for research in today’s sociopolitical landscape: ⚫Chima Ndumele | Evidence for Action (E4A) ⚫Ian Stockwell | Health Data for Action (AcademyHealth) ⚫Jessica Santos | Policies for Action, ⚫Caroline Fichtenberg | Systems for Action 🎤Moderated by Ali Bloomgarden, MA of Partners In Health 📅 Wednesday, Aug. 27th | 12-1:15pm ET 🔗https://lnkd.in/g2k6hP4w! #HealthEquity #SNAP #Medicaid #Immigration #PublicHealth #SocialImpact #ResearchMatters