Nourishment as Care: The Role of Food in Whole-Person Health

For Medi-Cal members managing chronic conditions, nutrition isn’t a separate concern; it’s part of their care. Through CalAIM’s Community Supports program, medically tailored meals are a covered benefit many eligible members don’t know they qualify for.

The gap isn’t eligibility. It’s awareness and the community-based workers who can close it.

In this session, we’ll explore why nourishment is central to whole-person health, what food-as-medicine looks like as a Medi-Cal benefit, and how CHWs, CBOs, and doulas can make referrals today. You’ll hear from medically tailored meal (MTM) providers who will share how their programs work, who they serve, and what they need from the community workforce that connects clients to them.

• Why nutrition is a clinical issue for Medi-Cal members managing chronic conditions
• What ” food as medicine ” means, and how it translates to a covered Medi-Cal benefit under CalAIM
• Who qualifies for medically tailored meals, and what the referral process looks like
• How MTM providers serve clients, and what makes a strong referral
• How to use Pear Suite to make and track MTM referrals for your clients

• Community Health Workers (CHWs)
• Doulas, midwives, and maternal health workers
• CBOs and community-based health organizations serving Medi-Cal populations
• ECM and Community Supports providers expanding their referral network
• Clinical providers interested in community-based referral pathways for nutrition support