Advancing strategies to support older adults with behavioral health conditions in the senior nutrition program setting - virginia's older adults face urgent challenges at the intersection of nutrition…

Advancing strategies to support older adults with behavioral health conditions in the senior nutrition program setting - virginia's older adults face urgent challenges at the intersection of nutrition and behavioral health. Depression, anxiety, and social isolation limit wellbeing and access to nutritious meals-especially for tribal elders and older adults experiencing homelessness. The virginia center on aging at virginia commonwealth university proposes the virginia diner (delivering integrated nutrition, engagement, & resilience) initiative to transform how the senior nutrition program supports these populations. Virginia diner will: ● conduct a mixed-methods statewide needs assessment to identify barriers and facilitators. ● launch three pilot sites-the span center with caritas, pamunkey indian tribe, and upper mattaponi indian tribe-to test culturally responsive, person-centered, trauma-informed strategies. ● extend sub-awards to all 25 area agencies on aging and 7 federally recognized tribes to implement innovative practices across virginia's urban, suburban, and rural regions. ● train SNP staff statewide and provided targeted pcti coaching. ● evaluate outcomes rigorously and disseminate lessons nationally. ● develop at least 10 section 508-compliant resources, including implementation guides, menu plans, evaluation tools, and culturally-specific case studies, plus a capstone project. Target population: older adults (60+) with behavioral health symptoms such as depression and anxiety - with prioritization of those experiencing homelessness and tribal elders. Outcomes: a statewide increase in SNP participation among the target population - 25% in year 1, 50% in year 2, and 100% in year 3 - alongside improved behavioral health symptoms, improved provider capacity, reduced barriers to access, and new knowledge generated for replication nationally. Partners: caritas, homeward, jewish federations of north america, lunah consulting, the pamunkey indian tribe, the span center, and the upper mattaponi indian tribe, leveraging expertise in behavioral health, nutrition, cultural responsiveness, homelessness services, and statewide network engagement.