A pediatrician based in Austin, Texas, is helping patients and families file their taxes to promote better health, the Texas Standard reports.
Michael Hole, MD, added tax returns to his office's services when he began seeking nonmedical ways to help patients address social determinants of health, like environment, housing and poverty. He knew the federal earned income tax credit was widely considered one of the most effective programs for families living in poverty and has been linked to reduced infant mortality. However, Dr. Hole found telling people about the tax credit wasn't always enough to get them to file for it, so he co-founded StreetCred to help families prepare taxes at pediatricians' offices.
StreetCred is now available in four states, according to the report. Last year, StreetCred's Texas program helped families claim about $130,000 in tax credits.
Read more here.
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