FIMMA Advocacy Agenda
Poor diet, exacerbated by food insecurity, is the leading cause of death and disease & a key driver of escalating health care costs
FIMMA’s mission is to build a health care system that reliably identifies people who have health-related nutrition needs, connects them to appropriate FIM interventions, and supports those interventions via sustainable funding.
The FIMMA Advocacy Agenda establishes the framework that the coalition will use to determine its advocacy priorities and the actions that it will take to advance.
Massachusetts Food is Medicine State Plan
In a small but growing number of cases, Food is Medicine interventions are becoming integrated into holistic, patient-centered models of care for individuals with complex chronic illnesses. While Massachusetts has an impressive number of pioneering programs and providers that are working together in innovative ways to ensure that people living with serious illness have the specific nutrition they need to heal and thrive, these interventions are not evenly available across the state.
Development of the State Plan
1. Assess the need for Food is Medicine Interventions
Examine the town-level burden of food insecurity, vehicle access, and diet-related chronic diseases across MA to help stakeholders identify high-priority areas for Food is Medicine efforts.
2. Examine the access to Food is Medicine Interventions
Gather information regarding the reach and availability of these interventions, screening and referral practices, and financial engagement of insurers.
3. Develop a strategy to increase access and capacity of Food is Medicine interventions to meet need
Identify sustainable funding models for Food is Medicine and opportunities for replication or expansion.
Development of the State Plan
In order to ensure that each step of the Food is Medicine State Plan process was grounded in the needs, capacity, and expertise of stakeholders, our data gathering, analysis, and strategic plan development were guided by a multi-sector Planning Council. The Planning Council consists of over forty representatives from health care systems, health insurers, community-based organizations, academic programs, and advocacy organizations from across the state.
- Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAS
- American Heart Association
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA Foundation
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
- Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan
- Boston Medical Center
- Boston Public Health Commission
- Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
- Cape Cod Healthcare
- Children’s HealthWatch
- Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI)
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Community Health Center of Franklin County
- Community Servings
- DentaQuest Foundation
- Elder Services of Merrimack Valley
- Emerald Physician Services
- Feeding America
- The Food Bank of Western MA
- Greater Boston Food Bank
- Harvard School of Public Health
- Health Care Without Harm
- Just Roots
- Krupp Family Foundation
- Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative
- Massachusetts Food Systems Collaborative
- Massachusetts League of Community Health
- Massachusetts Medical Society
- Mayor’s Office of Food Access, Boston
- Meals on Wheels America
- Minuteman Senior Services
- New England States Consortium Systems Organization (NESCSO)
- The Open Door
- Project Bread
- Sustainable Cape
- Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
- University of Massachusetts Medical School
- University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center
- Victory Programs
- Wholesome Wave
In addition to conferring regularly with the Planning Council, the Food is Medicine State Plan initiative sought input and feedback on the recommendations in this report from relevant state agencies whenever possible.
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