Community as Medicine Program
BRIDGING CLINICAL CARE AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING
Community Well-Being at the YMCA happens when everyone has access to basic needs and supportive resources for a healthy, connected and fulfilling life. By intentionally connecting YMCA branches with Community Support Services, Community as Medicine (CAM) bridges primary care and community health to deliver trauma-informed, equity-centered health coaching.
Developed in partnership with Open Source Wellness, this evidence-based model shifts healthcare delivery beyond prescriptions and into relationships, movement, nutrition, and stress reduction.
CORE PROGRAM PILLARS
Prevention & Whole-Person Health
Addressing chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, depression) through lifestyle interventions.
Integrated Care
Direct connection to primary care referrals and vital community resources.
Accessible & Responsive
Reducing barriers to care through structured, supportive group sessions.
Connection & Belonging
Creating inclusive spaces where participants feel seen, supported and empowered.
IMPACT & CLINICAL EVIDENCE
The Community as Medicine program not only improves individual health outcomes but also provides key benefits for clinics:
- Improves patient outcomes to meet quality and incentive-based metrics for chronic disease management.
- Enables revenue generation through increased billing volume using a Group Medical Visit model.
- Enhances provider experience, reducing burnout and restoring joy in healthcare.
- Addresses access barriers for high-utilizing patients.
Through integrated clinical referrals and group medical visits, CAM delivers measurable improvements in health outcomes while optimizing the provider experience.
Clinical evidence shows that social connection, physical activity, nutrition and stress reduction directly improve health outcomes, reducing risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and depression.
Real Results
| Outcome | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Reduction in Blood Pressure | 19 points |
| Increase in Weekly Exercise | 51% |
| Increase in Daily Fruits/Veggies | 26% |
| Decrease in Social Isolation | 43% |
| Reduction in Depression Symptoms | 20% |
| Decrease in Emergency Visits | 77% |
PROGRAM LAUNCH & NORTH COUNTY EXPANSION
Launched officially at the Joe and Mary Mottino Family YMCA, CAM is rapidly growing across San Diego County through key healthcare partnerships.
- Over 250 Referrals Received
- Active partnership with TrueCare clinicians driving referrals into local YMCA programming.
- Upcoming Expansion
- Planning expansion to Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA and San Marcos in collaboration with TrueCare.
Hear from the Clincal Experts
“Community as Medicine provides a one-stop shop to amplify the effect of primary care to improve health outcomes, address social determinants of health like social isolation, and improve patient and provider experience”
"Community as Medicine is built on a simple but transformative premise: health does not begin and end in the exam room. This initiative reflects deep collaboration, shared vision, and a belief that whole-person health is a right, not a privilege. It is a model for how healthcare systems can partner locally to create sustainable transformation."
GET INVOLVED & PARTNER WITH US
Whether you are a healthcare provider looking to refer patients or a payor interested in group medical visit models, let’s partner for excellent community care.
Clinical Partnerships: Contact Jen Sedeno at jsedeno@ymcasd.org
Model Research & White Paper: Learn more about the clinical framework at OpenSourceWellness.org
