Food insecurity affects millions of Americans and poses significant challenges for managing chronic disease, particularly diabetes and hypertension. The integration of food security assessments into routine clinical care is a critical step toward addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and improving outcomes and care.

This policy brief provides California Community Health Centers (CHCs) with the tools to meet this opportunity and challenge.

It presents comprehensive guidance to implement standardized documentation and coding practices for food security screening, assessment, and intervention to improve social determinants in the context of diabetes and hypertension management. These practices support optimized reimbursement and financial sustainability for food insecurity screening and interventions (social care).

Created by HealthBegins, Children’s HealthWatch, and The Gravity Project