Rooted Santa Barbara County Launches Online Resource Libraries to Foster Community Health and Wellness

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Santa Barbara, CA – December 13, 2023 – Rooted Santa Barbara County is thrilled to announce the launch of two groundbreaking online resource libraries aimed at promoting community well-being and enhancing healthcare provider education. The “Eat Your Way to Better Health” Online Learning Library is designed for community members, while our Healthcare Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine Resource Library caters specifically to healthcare providers.

The launch of Rooted’s online resource libraries represents a transformative opportunity for our community. Plant-based eating patterns have been scientifically linked to numerous health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Moreover, embracing plant-based nutrition aligns with environmental sustainability, reflecting a holistic approach to personal and planetary health. Rooted’s online learning library for community members is designed to empower individuals to make informed choices about their diets and build confidence in accessing, preparing, and enjoying plant-based foods in their meals, promoting overall well-being and resilience.

Rooted recognizes a critical gap in nutrition training within medical education. While the importance of nutrition in preventive and therapeutic healthcare is undeniable, many medical professionals receive limited education in this crucial area during their training. The Healthcare Resource Library is specifically curated to address this gap, offering healthcare providers with training opportunities and evidence-based resources, research, and tools to integrate lifestyle-based approaches, with a focus on plant-based nutrition, into patient care. By providing accessible and comprehensive information, Rooted aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge needed to in turn equip patients in making sustainable and health-promoting habit changes.

“The lack of nutrition education in medical schools has been a longstanding challenge, and we’re developing comprehensive resource and training opportunities to bridge this gap. Empowering healthcare providers with the tools to integrate plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine into patient care is not only about improving individual health outcomes but also about advancing a broader culture of prevention and well-being in our community,” said Beth Skidmore, MSACN, Chair/Executive Lead at Rooted Santa Barbara County.

Rooted’s commitment to fostering a culture of health where the healthiest choices become the easiest, most common and accessible choices, extends beyond individual empowerment to systemic change, advocating for a healthcare landscape where nutrition is recognized as a vital component of comprehensive patient care. Through the Online Learning and Healthcare Resource Libraries, Rooted is leading the charge in providing resources that equip healthcare professionals to contribute to the overall health and vitality of the community they serve.

Eat Your Way to Better Health Online Learning Library – Highlights

https://rootedsantabarbara.org/online-learning/

In this comprehensive bilingual library, community members can start a journey towards better health, gaining insights into the benefits of plant-based nutrition and tools to get started. The online learning platform features a range of engaging videos, including:

• Staple Getting Started Videos: Basic guides to kickstart the plant-based journey for beginners.
• Eat to Thrive/Comer Para Prosperar: Two 10-day bilingual jumpstart series developed in collaboration with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, offering quick daily activities, practical tips and simple, culturally-diverse recipes.
• Rooted in the Kitchen Series: Community classes on plant-based nutrition and accessible kitchen tips and recipes.
• Collaborative Classes: Recorded sessions in partnership with the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara, offering specialized content on a range of plant-based nutrition and cooking topics.

Rooted’s online learning platform equips community members to learn at their own pace, from the comfort of their homes and is now also accessible to patients through QR code exam room posters throughout the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics. These QR codes provide direct access to both Spanish and English learning libraries, ensuring vital nutritional information is readily available.

“We believe that access to knowledge is a cornerstone of health, and through our online learning library, we aim to make valuable resources accessible to everyone, and especially community members who have the greatest barriers to good health,” said Jenifer Swartzentruber, MS, RDN, CDCES, a Registered Dietitian, Board Member and Special Partnerships and Education Lead at Rooted Santa Barbara County.

Healthcare Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine Resource Library – Highlights

Recognizing the critical role healthcare providers play in promoting a healthier community, Rooted has developed the Healthcare Nutrition & Lifestyle Medicine Resource Library. This library is curated to equip healthcare professionals with cutting-edge information, research, and resources in the fields of Lifestyle Medicine and Plant-Based Nutrition. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of healthcare providers to integrate food as medicine and lifestyle-based approaches into patient care.  

Key features of the Healthcare Resource Library include:

• Evidence-Based Patient and Provider Materials: Access to a wide range of patient and provider tools to integrate plant-forward nutrition into patient care. Many materials are
  available in both English and Spanish and include Rooted staple resources as well as a wide range of tools from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM).
• Continuing Education Opportunities: Resources for healthcare providers to gain introductions to Plant-Based Nutrition, Lifestyle Medicine and Food as Medicine, featuring a FREE ACLM 5.5 Continuing Education (CE)/Continuing Medical Education (CME) online learning program available to every Santa Barbara County healthcare provider.

ACLM is the medical professional association dedicated to the advancement and clinical practice of Lifestyle Medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. ACLM promotes the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic approaches to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic diseases.

The development of these resource libraries has been made possible by the generous support of the Mosher Foundation. Their commitment to community well-being has played a pivotal role in bringing these valuable resources to the residents of Santa Barbara County. Imperative Media, led by Brian Bartlett, specializes in developing innovative and user-friendly digital solutions. Brian’s expertise has been crucial in creating the online resource libraries for Rooted.

Rooted is just getting started and has exciting plans to expand these libraries with more bilingual nutrition and food skills resources, training, education programs, and features! Sign up for Rooted’s email list to get the latest updates and opportunities: RootedSBC.org/newsletters.

Call for Support and Matching Challenge Grant

Rooted invites community members to support its mission by investing in our community learning and healthcare training programs. Rooted is excited to announce a $10,000 matching challenge grant from the James S. Bower Foundation. Gifts made by December 31, 2023 will qualify for these matched funds and help Rooted meet the match. Funds raised in support of the match will enable Rooted to equip our county healthcare and direct service workforce with the evidence-based knowledge and tools needed to improve health outcomes and prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease through health-promoting eating and lifestyle patterns. This grant will catalyze our efforts to train more educators, healthcare providers and champions for plant-based nutrition and expand our impact on community health.

To contribute to Rooted’s initiatives, help us earn the $10,000 matching challenge grant and support our end of year fundraising efforts, please visit RootedSBC.org/donate or contact hello@rootedsantabarbara.org.

About Rooted Santa Barbara County
Rooted Santa Barbara County is a community-based organization mobilizing Santa Barbara County to grow health equity and resilience through whole food plant-based nutrition education and support. Rooted is a fiscally sponsored organization of the Santa Barbara Foundation and serves as a collaborative hub between our community and healthcare and food sectors. By investing in our local families and those who shape our health and food environments, Rooted is working to address barriers and improve health outcomes, lower risk of chronic disease, reduce healthcare and medical costs, boost health provider and workforce well-being, and advance health equity and resilience. Visit RootedSantaBarbara.org for more information.

For media inquiries, please contact: Beth Skidmore, MSACN, Chair/Executive Lead, beth@rootedsantabarbara.org