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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.