In conjunction with other legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is transforming medical care in the United States. The ACA is seeking to improve patient and population health outcomes while lowering costs. One mechanism is to incentivize the use of interprofessional health teams in primary and specialty care settings. These changes require reconfiguring and strengthening the capabilities of the healthcare workforce. This includes building the capacity of the workforce to focus on both the physical and social determinants of health.

This policy brief aims to better define the functions of social workers in integrated care delivery models.