Description

Session Description

Food insecurity and poor nutrition are modifiable social determinants of health that impact a wide range of health equity and quality of life outcomes across the lifespan. Community Servings’ Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) Nutrition Program is an innovative food-based intervention addressing the critical link between food insecurity, chronic illness, and health to drive health equity in underserved populations. However, if our clients’ health conditions improve, and they no longer need our MTM intervention, we have not had a less intensive program to assist with the transition off MTMs. Also, as healthcare payers have begun to reimburse for MTMs, time limits, such as six-months, are often placed on the provision of MTMs. Once the time limit has been reached, a patient may not be able to continue to receive MTMs, but would likely still benefit from enrollment in a less intensive nutrition program. To address this gap, Community Servings launched a 12-week Step-Down Program pilot to transition clients who become well enough to leave our MTM intervention to a less intensive intervention. The Step-Down program, whose design was informed by a Community Advisory Board comprised of current and previous Community Servings’ clients, equips clients with skills necessary to prepare healthy, medically appropriate diets on their own. This breakout session will present Community Servings’ year-long process to research, design, pilot, and launch our Step-Down Program, highlighting the critical role our Community Advisory Board played in designing key elements of the Step-Down Program.

Presentation Format

The presentation format will be a power-point, followed by audience questions and discussion. The goal of the breakout session is to inform the audience on the development – including successes and challenges – of our Step-Down Pilot program. Approximately 80% of the session will be presentation with the remaining 20% to allow discussion and Q/A with audience members.

Session Takeaways

• Understand how to develop, pilot, launch and evaluate a new nutrition program that addresses the critical link between food insecurity, chronic illness, and health to drive health equity
  
  
• Understand how to recruit and engage a Community Advisory Board in the co-design and development of a food and nutrition intervention.
  
  
• Understand the challenges of developing a new food intervention program, and how to find the necessary supports and partnerships to make a to make a program successful