Equitable Access to Lifestyle Medicine: FQHCs, YMCAs, Trauma-Informed Health Coaching, and “Community As Medicine”

Lifestyle medicine interventions have shown remarkable efficacy in chronic disease prevention and management. Yet, their accessibility has largely been skewed towards more privileged demographics, highlighting a significant health equity challenge. To mitigate this, a transformation in healthcare ecosystems is necessary to ensure equitable access to high-quality lifestyle medicine. This involves fostering collaborations among clinics, community organizations, and the communities most in need. This session will spotlight innovative and scalable partnerships among three pivotal entities, each contributing uniquely to extend evidence-based lifestyle interventions to underserved communities through systemic innovation: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve as a cornerstone in providing comprehensive primary care to underserved populations, regardless of their financial status. With over 1,400 centers across the U.S., FQHCs are essential in bridging health disparities, despite facing substantial resource constraints. Their eagerness to collaborate with community organizations reflects a commitment to enhance their service offerings and impact.

Attendees of this session will gain valuable insights into the principles of bridge-building leadership and practical strategies for designing impactful partnerships between clinical and community-based models. The session will also provide an equity-focused perspective on the implementation of lifestyle medicine in both FQHCs and YMCAs, showcasing inspirational stories of collaboration and transformation. The pressing need to shift from exclusive interventions to inclusive, community-empowered health and well-being through systemic change is evident. Cross-sector partnerships, rooted in equity, are pivotal to achieving this vision, making lifestyle medicine accessible and effective for all.