Food & Nutrition in Healthcare coalition forming
August 24, 2023
With partners and advocates across the state, we’re building a diverse, cross-sector coalition to organize around “food and nutrition in healthcare” policy and program implementation opportunities in Colorado. Efforts will also align closely with priorities identified during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
This work will prioritize food and diet in an individual’s health plan, with the goal of preventing or treating costly chronic health conditions. Such nutrition interventions also can improve household food security and address health disparities. We intend to ensure the coalition’s work is informed and transformed by Medicaid members and those working as advocates for their communities.
The Food & Nutrition in Healthcare coalition is officially a part of Workgroup 4: Increasing Enrollment in SNAP and WIC – and some collaborative efforts are already underway. They submitted recommendations to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCFP), outlining opportunities to increase access to food and nutrition in Phase III of the Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC). They also applied for a technical assistance grant with the Center for Health Law Policy and Innovation at Harvard Law School.
Join one of HCPF’s virtual listening sessions to learn about and discuss the design for Phase III of ACC. There’s a specific session for advocates and representatives from community-based organizations on Wednesday, September 6 from 12 - 1:30 p.m., with ASL and Spanish interpretation available. Register to attend.
We’ll also host a virtual convening on Friday, September 15 from 2 - 3 p.m. via Zoom for those interested in participating in the Food & Nutrition in Healthcare coalition. The group will begin strategizing around future advocacy and policy opportunities, plus discuss the frequency of meetings and communications.
All are welcome to join the coalition! As part of our community to equity, we offer interpretation in Spanish and English, along with closed captioning, during all Blueprint-hosted meetings and activities. Compensation is also available to anyone who voluntarily participates outside of their regular job.
If you or your organization are interested in getting involved, please contact Greta Allen, the Blueprint’s Policy Manager.