Open Source Wellness

Open Source Wellness (OSW) is a “behavioral pharmacy” where basic, trans-diagnostic health behaviors are taught and practiced. Representing the next generation of clinical-community integration and behavioral medicine, OSW is a delivery system for the health practices that underlie physical and psychological health and wellbeing. The core programming consists of movement for all fitness levels, basic mindfulness and stress reduction, nutritious family-style meals (plant-based), and facilitated social support and connection, and is largely facilitated by peer leaders in a hybrid drop-in and intensive cohort-group model. Open Source Wellness is refining models that are based in clinical settings, low-income housing communities, and open-access community settings, and aims to support sustained health behavior change, foster meaningful social connection and belonging, and offset substantial downstream medical costs via community-based generation of the factors upstream from health. IMAGINE THIS: A doctor informs a patient that she has a chronic disease: pre-diabetes, obesity, cardiac disease, or depression. Instead of saying: “Eat better, move more, here’s a handout, good luck!” - the physician says: “I’ve written you a different kind of prescription – I think of it as a Behavioral Pharmacy. It’s not a class –or a lecture – it’s a community dedicated to wellbeing where members actually cook healthy food, do fun physical movement, and learn stress-reduction together. Once you’ve completed your 3-month prescription, they will help you connect with others in your neighborhood who get together to practice– in fact, there are peer-led gatherings in schools, community centers, and even right here in our clinic – and your whole family is always welcome to join you.” Our mission is to transform health outcomes and health equity by creating integrated clinical-community channels for individuals and families to find workable, affordable, and sustainable health behavior solutions.