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From awareness to action
As social health knowledge grows, we are advancing our work — training providers, building care pathways, creating statewide resources, and ensuring support and connection reach those who need them most.
Together, we’re building a healthier, more connected Connecticut.
Our Progress So Far
- Began raising awareness among healthcare providers of loneliness as a critical health concern and of the importance of social connection for mental and physical health.
- Identified potential opportunities to build pathways for screening and referral protocols.
- Built early partnerships across healthcare and community sectors to coordinate efforts on social health.
- Engaged health insurers and public health leaders in collaborative discussions about social health.
- Interviewed leaders in other states to learn about promising approaches that could be adapted in Connecticut.
- Began partnering with health professional programs to create opportunities for students to engage with patients and community members, fostering social connection and preparing the next generation of clinicians.
- Authored a paper in the Gerontological Society of America’s Public Policy & Aging Report (D. Bibbins, CEO, For All Ages), advocating for community-level collection of loneliness data to guide interventions and policy.
- Laid the groundwork for integrating social health into routine clinical practice.
Our Evolving Goals (2025 and Beyond)
As understanding of social health has grown, our vision for Connecticut has evolved.
Today, we aim to:
- Encourage and equip healthcare providers to recognize social health, address loneliness, and promote meaningful social connections in patient care.
- Cultivate opportunities for health professional students to gain real-world experience in addressing loneliness and promoting social connection.
- Explore community-level hubs of interventions and resources that could be established locally for residents.
- Ensure support and resources reach everyone, including those who may face additional barriers.
- Share best practices and recommendations to support providers statewide.
- Monitor progress and share lessons learned to strengthen approaches statewide.
By building on our foundation while pursuing these goals, we aim to make Connecticut a leader in addressing social health for people of all ages.