A number of organizations offer free tools and information to help you talk about nutrition and healthy eating with the people you serve.
Beyond individual education, integrated primary and behavioral health care clinics can focus on healthy eating by offering groups, classes and partnership opportunities.For example,
Jefferson Center for Mental Health, a former SAMHSA Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) grantee in the Denver, Colorado area, partnered with
Cooking Matters to offer classes that taught clients how to stretch their dollar for healthy foods at the grocery store and offered tips for cooking healthy meals for their families. The Jefferson Center also contracts part-time with a registered dietician who works one-on-one with clients to set person-centered goals that tie healthy eating habits to their individual chronic conditions.
Berks Counseling Center in Reading, PA holds a weekly healthy parenting group based on the We Can! program from the Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health, to educate clients and parents on nutrition and physical activity. The Berks Center also uses evidence-based programs such as Nutrition and Exercise for Wellness and Recovery (NEW-R) to infuse information about healthy eating into their tobacco cessation, fitness and stress management groups.
Some integrated primary and behavioral health care clinics also partner with the local YMCA to help people with prediabetes eat healthier or increase their physical activity.
Weight Management Strategies for Adults and Youth with Behavioral Health Conditions is a review from the University of Colorado that outlines additional strategies organizations can take to address healthy eating with both adults and youth with behavioral health conditions.
The American Association of Diabetes Educators describes how diabetes self-management education is reimbursable in most states’ Medicaid programs. For Medicaid beneficiaries, FQHCs can bill Medicare for outpatient diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy for beneficiaries with diabetes or renal disease furnished by qualified practitioners.
