Community As Medicine
Learning Collaborative

CAMLC is a cohort-based initiative hosted by Open Source Wellness (OSW) in which YMCAs and their clinical and community partners come together to design, and successfully launch their own Community As Medicine^Ⓡ (CAM) programs in their local communities while receiving ongoing support from OSW’s implementation experts and their YMCA peers.

Key features include:
- Navigating shared challenges by learning from other YMCAs in the cohort
- Regular virtual learning sessions to support implementation strategies
- Evaluation and data sharing to foster collaborative problem-solving
- A focus on innovating community-driven solutions and best practices
- Co-design of operational workflows and standard operating procedures
- Developing new financially sustainable pathways for community wellbeing programming

CAM is Open Source Wellness's (OSW’s) signature 12-week evidence-based health intervention program that can be delivered in-person or virtually. It is experiential and has a whole person focus for health behavior change in four key aspects of wellbeing MOVE  (physical activity), NOURISH (healthy eating), CONNECT (social connection), and BE (stress reduction). The curriculum emphasizes a trauma-informed approach to health behavior change through relationship building, coaching, and a shared practice for health and well-being in an inclusive community setting. It results in positive  clinical outcomes and health behavior change for participants including:
‍
Clinical outcomes: 
- 43% reduction in depression
- 19 point reduction in blood pressure
- 77% reduction in ER visits

Health behavior-related outcomes: 
- 51% increase in weekly minutes of exercise
- 26% increase in daily fruit and vegetable consumption
- 20% reduction in social isolation

Click here for more information on our outcomes.

OSW charges a nominal fee of $5,000, that is due after acceptance into the YMCA CAM Learning Collaborative (CAMLC; May, 2026). Note: OSW's support services for CAMLC participants represent a ~$50,000 value. It is OSW's intent to not turn away any organization due to an inability to pay the $5,000 fee. Please reach out if funding is a challenge.

Time Span - Participation in CAMLC spans 2 years including 10-12 months to prepare for the launch of the YMCA’s CAM program, plus continued support through its 1 year CAM pilot. The average time required for each organization's CAM Design Team is 1-3 hours per week per team member over the 2 year period.

Note: Each participating YMCA will pilot a rolling CAM program during the second year of their CAMLC participation.

Format: The CAMLC program is entirely virtual (synchronous and asynchronous) with the exception of one in-person onsite stakeholder event. Each participating YMCA holds a stakeholder event in the first year of CAMLC participation to kick-off the program and engage internal YMCA staff and volunteers as well as staff of clinical and community partner organizations.

We provide assistance to YMCAs in their efforts to secure funding to implement their CAM pilot programs. This includes coaching and collaboration in prospect research and proposal development. Because CAM Learning Collaborative (CAMLC) members don’t implement their CAM pilots until the 2nd year of their participation in CAMLC, there is typically sufficient time for them to secure the funding needed.

Open Source Wellness (OSW) will accept applications starting on March 3, 2026; completed applications are due by April 14, 2026. OSW will screen applicants and will conduct a readiness discussion with applicants that meet the screening requirements to assess readiness to participate in CAMLC. These discussions will occur between April 20, 2026 - May 1, 2026. Applicants that are accepted into CAMLC will be notified by May 1, 2026.

Each participating YMCA will identify at least one Design Lead (typically a senior leader or program manager) who will participate in all CAMLC activities, meetings, and CAMLC cohort calls. Many organizations choose to have a Design Team that consists of 1-4 staff members.  In addition, a minimum of 3 staff members must complete the CAM Facilitator Training that prepares them to deliver the CAM program; they will also attend some of the CAMLC Design Team meetings. 

Due to CAM’s significant track record in improving health-related behaviors and health status and outcomes, and participants’ and health providers’ high levels of satisfaction, there are several viable options for YMCAs to generate revenue from their CAM programs.

These include: 
- Integration with Membership Experience
- Health Insurance Payor Partnerships
- Clinical Referral Partnership (e.g., through Evidence-Based Health Intervention “Prescriptions” given to participants by their providers at partner clinics)
- Community Philanthropic Funder or Sponsor
- Social Prescriptions generated by partner Community Based Organizations (CBOs)
- Integration of CAM with Shared Medical Appointments / Group Medical Visits

OSW provides an array of support services over the course of the 2-year CAMLC program, including:
- Trauma-Informed CAM Facilitator Training
- CAM Data Capture and Analysis and Program Evaluation Support 
- CAM Implementation and Integration Training
- Consultation in Strategies for Developing Clinical Partnerships
- Outreach and Referral Training 
- Shared Medical Appointment / Group Medical Visit Training to support financial sustainability
- Development support to secure funding for CAM pilot programs

See other FAQs for details on these support services.

CAM is transdiagnostic, which means it is not limited to persons with a specific diagnosis. All adults (18+) able to participate appropriately in group are eligible. Program participants include individuals who have various chronic mental and/or physical health conditions - often linked to underlying social determinants of health (SDoH) and/or social isolation.

Cost and length of CAM-FT: YMCAs joining CAMLC in 2026 will engage in CAM Facilitator Training in 2027. The 2027 CAM-FT will cost $4,000 per person and spans ~50 hours. However, for CAMLC participating YMCAs the cost for CAM-FT is only $10,000 to train all coaches needed to launch their 2027 CAM pilot program.

Note: Prior to implementation of the organizations CAM pilot, we require that a minimum of three (3), and recommend four (4), individuals from each CAMLC partner organization complete CAM-FT. Participating CAMLC organizations can have four or more people trained for $10,000. In contrast, non-CAMLC organizations would pay $16,000 for four people to participate in CAM-FT.

Format: CAM-FT is delivered virtually, both synchronously and asynchronously.

Training is open to a broad range of individuals including, but not limited to, health coaches, community health workers, fitness instructors, personal trainers, social workers, and community volunteers. There are no prerequisite certifications for this training, however it would be a great next step for social workers, community health workers, or people who have health coach training. 

Characteristics of someone who might be well suited to be a CAM coach would be someone with energy and enthusiasm in front of a group, who has strong listening skills and is passionate about accessibility and uplifting culturally diverse health practices, and who connects easily with a broad variety of people through compassion and empathy. Ability to have access to Wi-Fi and a computer (phone is not sufficient) is required. OSW will assess eligibility through an application process.

If you have come at a time when we don’t have our application open yet, please email us at CAMLC@OpenSourceWellness.org. We would be happy to add you to our mailing list to receive notification when we have our new application available.

Please contact us at CAMLC@OpenSourceWellness.org and we would be happy to answer any additional questions.