If you stay up-to-date with CEAP’s social media and newsletters, you’ve likely seen us talk about taking a whole-person approach to care and support. Today’s 50 Faces of CEAP feature will share more about what that means and the partnerships CEAP fosters to achieve it!
Craig Malm, Director of Community Benefits and Engagement at Allina Health System, works out of Mercy Hospital but his work is really focused on what happens outside the walls of the hospital. Allina partners with CEAP to ensure that our neighbors have access to resources to create their own health in their homes and communities. He says, “People's health is directly related to their environment and many factors outside of healthcare. Resources that CEAP provides such as food, transportation, and referrals are key to one's health.” These factors are referred to as “social determinants of health”.
Five years ago, Allina began developing a social determinants of health screening to help healthcare providers determine when a patient could benefit from other resources, and whether making those referrals can improve patients’ health and wellbeing. Craig connected with CEAP to learn more about how community resources like CEAP can support our neighbors’ health. “Healthcare providers understand that health doesn’t just happen in a doctor’s office or a hospital,” Craig said.
When patients come to Allina for healthcare, providers ask about their needs relating to social determinants of health like food, utilities, and personal relationships. For example, when a provider identifies that a patient is experiencing food insecurity, Allina refers the patient to a nearby food shelf like CEAP. Allina also communicates with CEAP so that we can connect with that neighbor and make sure they have access to the care and support they need!
Allina Health is a generous sponsor of CEAP’s Farm Fresh Fest. “It’s an open venue that people feel very comfortable coming to,” Craig says. “CEAP’s food assistance is modeled after a farmer’s market shopping experience. What’s more, CEAP doesn’t just provide one service; you sit down with neighbors who have a need and try to learn about them personally and care for our community as a whole.”
Thank you to Craig and Allina for your sponsorship of Farm Fresh and ongoing partnership!
