Policy & Practice August 2017

M illions of Americans suffer from one or more chronic diseases. Individuals with lower income, lower levels of education, or who are racial or ethnic minorities bear the brunt of chronic disease, posing a great chal- lenge to their workforce engagement and economic well-being. Despite being a very common and difficult barrier to sustainable employment and self-sufficiency, the human services system generally does not sufficiently address clients’ chronic health conditions. But evidence shows that partnerships between public health programs and human services programs can lead to better health and employment outcomes.