Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health

From Plates to Prescriptions: Food as Health Care in Texas
2026-03-31 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
Food banks operate at the intersection of health care delivery and public policy.

This webinar explored how food banks are partnering with health care organizations to improve health outcomes through food-based interventions and how this work is shaped by policy.

What’s on the Menu:

The Power of Partnerships: Participants learn about the innovative collaborations between food banks and health care providers to advance health.Federal Context: The discussion highlighted how federal nutrition and health programs shape what food banks are able to achieve.State Action: Speakers examined how conversations in the 89th Texas Legislative Session are shaping the deployment of food as medicine in Texas.The Path Forward: The session considered practical next steps and what is possible for strengthening the food – health care connection in the Lone Star State.

Attendees heard from leaders from the Central Texas Food Bank and the Houston Food Bank as they shared real-world insights and policy perspectives.

To view slides from the presentation, click here.

Introduction to Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network (SIREN), a Key National Resource on NMDOH Programs
2024-05-28 11:00 - 12:00
This enlightening session with Dr. Caroline Fichtenberg, Co-Director of SIREN, revealed the treasure trove of insights and evidence on integrating NMDOH into healthcare. This webinar covered: (1) Insider tips on accessing and leveraging SIREN’s invaluable resources, (2) Revelations about the most effective evidence-based NMDOH programs, (3) Sneak peeks into cutting-edge NMDOH research in progress.

Click to view presentation slides, here.

Defining Outcomes From the Start
2024-05-21 11:00 - 12:00
The first step in developing an NMDOH program is creating clear outcome goals and metrics to capture progress toward those goals. Many organizations use logic models as a framework or tool for this purpose. Deborah Ganelin, Vice President of Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation, recently led a discussion to introduce logic models, provide an example, and share her evolution in using the tool.

Click to view the presentation slides, here.

Resource Referral Platforms: Findhelp
2024-02-01 11:00 - 12:00
Platform: FindhelpHealth Care Organization: Texas Children’s Health PlanCommunity Based Organization: Kids Meal, Inc.

Community Resource Referral Platforms are being used by many health care organizations to identify and connect patients with resources to support non-medical needs such as food, housing, transportation and other health-impacting services. This webinar covered information about the platform and the experiences of health care organizations using the platform and their community partners.

Click to view the presentation slides, here.

*Disclaimer: Texas NMDOH Consortium does not endorse any specific community resource referral platform, but rather provides knowledge of pathways to connect patients with NMDOH resources.

Resource Referral Platforms: Unite Us
2024-01-29 11:00 - 12:00
Platform: Unite UsHealth Care Organization: UMC Health System, LubbockCommunity Based Organization: South Plains Food Bank

Community Resource Referral Platforms are being used by many health care organizations to identify and connect patients with resources to support non-medical needs such as food, housing, transportation and other health-impacting services. This webinar covered information about the platform and the experiences of health care organizations using the platform.

Click to view the presentation slides, here.

* Disclaimer: Texas NMDOH Consortium does not endorse any specific community resource referral platform, but rather provides knowledge of pathways to connect patients with NMDOH resources.

Getting Started with Evaluation: Practical Examples From the Early Stages of Measurement Journey
2023-09-12 13:00 - 15:00
Knowing where to begin with evaluation can often feel daunting. Participants heard from 2 different organizations on how they decided what to measure, where they found the data, and how the findings informed program design. Upon completion review of this session, participants should feel more confident in their approaches towards evaluation.

View the slides from this presentation, here.

Patient Centered Approaches for Collecting NMDOH Data
2023-09-11 13:00 - 15:00
Despite the importance of non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH) in health outcomes, little is known about the best practices for screening and referral during clinical encounters. Engaging clinic teams, fostering a supportive culture to collect and address NMDOH, and designing patient-centered workflows are vital to the success of NMDOH programs.

View the slides from this presentation, here.

Food Is Medicine Programs in Health Systems: Where Should We Begin?
2023-08-02 00:00 - 13:00
Health systems across Texas shared how they built the strategy, partnerships and implementation plans for Food Is Medicine programs. Examples included food prescription programs, medically tailored meals, and medically tailored groceries.

The webinar was moderated by Dr. Shreela Sharma, Chair of the Food Affinity Group. The session featured presentations from William Lyons, Sr. Manager of Programs at Legacy Community Health; Dr. Sandra McKay and Dr. Prajakta Yeragi, UT Population Health Initiative; Usha Kollipara, Care Transformation & Innovation at Southwestern Health Resources.

View the presenters slides from this event, here.

Prescription to Nutrition: Integrating Food Farmacies into Clinical Practice
2023-08-02 00:00 - 13:00
Dr. Hope Galvan of Harris Health System shared the story of the system’s program from conception to planning, and implementation to evaluation. The Harris Health System Food Farmacy has served over 6,000 patients and their families. For patients enrolled in the Food Rx program, nutrition security has led to hemoglobin A1c reduction and an increase in fresh fruits and vegetable consumption. This webinar covers the step-by-step process undertaken at Harris Health, including the challenges encountered along the way.

View the presenters slides from this event, here.

NMDOH Program Development in Community-Based Provider Settings
2023-06-13 13:00 - 15:00
Successful NMDOH interventions require that providers strategically develop their internal NMDOH processes and policies. Providers must identify the overall benefit to their patient population, obtain buy-in, develop effective screening and referral workflows, and engage their community.

In this webinar, rural and urban FQHCs and LMHAS in Texas discussed aspects of their NMDOH programs, their development steps, unique challenges, and successful solutions.

If you are interested in NMDOH platform and referral resources, our experts suggest the following:

NMDoH-Platform-and-Referral-ResourcesDownload

Applying Systems Thinking to NMDOH Impact Measurement
2023-06-08 13:00 - 15:00
While there is an increased focus on the importance of non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH), quantifying impact remains elusive. Addressing challenges with measurement are foundational for expansion of NMDOH-based initiatives. This webinar explored current gaps with impact measurement and provided a systems thinking approach for what is needed for future success.

Presenters walked through a series of case studies on NMDOH program evaluation, considering the various options on what to measure, how to operationalize an evaluation, and what it means for an evaluation to be “good enough.”

View the presenters slides from this event, here.

Food Is Medicine: Program Designs and Strategies in Texas
2023-06-07 11:00 - 13:00
Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs, such as food prescriptions and medically tailored meals, are rapidly gaining popularity within health care systems because of the strong link between nutrition and improved health outcomes.

During this webinar, presenters provided an overview of the variety of food-related programs with a deeper dive into some of the innovative FIM models being implemented across the state. The models represent different geographies, populations, and patient conditions, modes of implementation, and outcomes.

View the presenters slides from this event, here.
