From the Table to the Treatment Plan: How Austin is Reimagining Health Through Cross-Sector Food is Medicine Initiatives

Cardea Connects

By: Bri Seoane, MPA, President & CEO

In Travis County, leaders from public health, food banks, healthcare, higher education, and government gathered for a conversation that was long overdue—but right on time.

At Cardea, we share our partners’ belief that health begins long before someone enters an exam room. It starts in homes, grocery aisles, schools, corner stores, farms, and food pantries. That’s why our recent Food is Medicine convening in Austin was more than an event—it was a strategic inflection point for how communities can reimagine systems of care to reflect the full picture of people’s lives and health.

Why Food as Medicine, and Why Now?

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular illness remain the leading drivers of death and disability in the U.S.—and they’re deeply intertwined with what’s on our plates. These conditions are especially concentrated among low-income populations who face compounding barriers to accessing nutritious food.

Food as Medicine is a powerful and proven approach that treats food not as a luxury, but as a core part of the treatment plan. It’s about integrating medically tailored meals, produce prescription programs, and community-based food access into clinical care to:

• Improve chronic disease outcomes
• Reduce reliance on emergency care
• Prevent costly complications
• Save money for families, providers, and public health systems

This is more than a public health trend—it’s a cost-effective, evidence-based strategy that changes lives and relieves pressure on overwhelmed healthcare systems.

What We Learned in Austin

The conversation surfaced both urgency and possibility. Leaders shared what’s working, what’s missing, and what’s next. Here are a few of the most compelling takeaways:

• The Power of Cross-Sector Collaboration

Health doesn’t live in a vacuum, and neither can solutions. Austin is exploring how hospitals, food banks, nonprofits, academic institutions, and public agencies can align around a shared agenda. Participants underscored the importance of backbone organizations like Cardea to convene, coordinate, and catalyze collective action so they can continue to focus on their direct beneficiaries.

• The Need for Infrastructure, Not Just Innovation

While pilot programs abound, many participants stressed the need for durable infrastructure—common language, shared metrics, training, and funding pathways—to scale what works. Food prescriptions and medically tailored meals can’t go mainstream if the backend systems to support them aren’t built.

• Keep Low-Income Communities at the Center

A recurring theme: access to nutritious food is still dictated by zip code, race, and income. Effective Food is Medicine models must intentionally prioritize low-income communities—not as a feel-good add-on, but as a measurable outcome. That means investing in community-rooted organizations, designing programs that reflect lived realities, and aligning systems around those most impacted.

• Stories Matter as Much as Data

Amid the numbers and strategies, stories reminded us what’s at stake. A mom who no longer skips meals to feed her kids. A diabetic patient who reversed symptoms thanks to a produce Rx. A clinic director who finally found a partner to meet patients where they are. These human moments are what make the movement real—and worth fighting for.

What’s Next for Austin

Austin is poised to be a national model for Food as Medicine done right. Central Health’s Health Policy Council has formally prioritized this work as its next campaign, opening the door for integrated policy, sustained investment, and systems-level alignment.

At Cardea, we’re already building on this momentum. With partners, we’re extending a Food as Medicine Learning Collaborative to:

• Strengthen provider capacity through training and shared standards
• Facilitate data-sharing agreements across agencies
• Integrate food access into electronic health records and referral systems
• Document and disseminate outcomes to drive policy change and unlock sustainable funding

What This Means for Other Communities

While the zip code may change, the blueprint is adaptable. Whether you’re in Fresno or Fort Worth, Tulsa or Tacoma, the principles hold:

• Prioritize the needs of low-income communities
• Convene cross-sector leaders
• Build capacity and shared language
• Align health and food systems
• Sustain through policy, infrastructure, and funding

At Cardea, we help communities move from inspiration to implementation.

Our Strategic Approach

Cardea brings over 50 years of experience advancing public health and health equity. Our model works because it’s rooted in practice, data, and community context. Our core strategies include:

• Capacity Development – We equip systems, coalitions, and organizations with the skills, structures, and knowledge they need to lead and sustain Food as Medicine work.
• Program Design and Implementation – We help partners move from theory to action by co-creating initiatives that are community-informed and results-driven.
• Training and Professional Development – We offer customized trainings to expand workforce capacity and ensure culturally responsive, trauma-informed care.
• Research and Evaluation – We help partners measure and amplify what works—whether that’s reduced ER visits, improved A1C levels, or dollars saved through prevention.

Let’s Build This Together

If your organization or community is exploring Food as Medicine, we want to hear from you. Whether you’re starting from scratch or scaling a promising model, Cardea can help you:

• Design and implement cross-sector collaboratives
• Develop capacity-building solutions tailored to your context
• Align programs with funding and policy opportunities for long-term sustainability
• Facilitate strategic convenings to surface priorities and build buy-in

The future of healthcare is rooted in food—and we’re ready to help you grow it.

We are excited to launch Cardea Connects, a relationship-driven event series that brings together community leaders, organizations, funders, and changemakers to explore shared values, pressing needs, and opportunities for meaningful partnership. Each event offers space for authentic connection, interactive dialogue, and a deeper understanding of Cardea’s mission and impact. Join us to discover how we can work together to create lasting change.

Let’s connect: connect@cardeaservices.org