The Trinity Health Medical Group Primary Care office in Sparta is offering patients and their families a unique prescription for health. This innovative program addresses chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, by removing food insecurity.

Through the Prescription for Health program, providers, like John (Jack) Schneider, MD, give qualifying patients a prescription that includes setting personal health goals, increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and learning about health, food and nutrition.

Participating patients get enough weekly fresh produce for their whole family (20 to 30 lbs. biweekly), as well as kitchen items (like food storage containers and vegetable peelers) to help them prepare their food. They are also given and trained to use a blood pressure monitor, a pulse-oxygen monitor and a scale to help them track their progress toward their health goals.

“The Prescription for Health program is a unique idea for looking at medicine,” said Dr. Schneider. “It steps out of the boundaries of traditional medical care and creates a program that motivates patients to take responsibility for their own health but helps them do so by eliminating the barrier of access to healthy fruits and vegetables. We are providing them with the necessary equipment to be successful, but we are not stopping there. We spend time teaching them how to use the items and offer cooking tips. It is a full approach to looking at their medical condition.”

“The question we asked before we started the program was, ‘If we eliminate food insecurity, will health outcomes improve?’,” said Nyssa Johnson, practice leader. “And the answer, from what we have been able to gather, is yes. Whether it is diabetes, hypertension or obesity, we are seeing the positive impact that food security brings.”

“Now, patients have more confidence with their health goals and outcomes and feel they are attainable,” added Dr. Schneider. Most participants are immigrant Hispanic families with at least two children and one or more family member with a chronic health condition. Cynthia Jaimes, community health worker, helps identify patients and their families who meet the program criteria. The team also helps patients identify health goals, connects them to additional resources and tracks their progress through regular check-ins.

Johnson explained, “Access to food is a key driver for all health and well-being outcomes and goals. When our patients know they will be getting the food boxes, and they can depend on that, it allows them to concentrate their resources on other items, such as proteins, dairy and healthy carbs.  It also helps eliminate the stress of wondering ‘How am I going to feed my family?’.

“The most important thing is that food is medicine. What you put in your body is what fuels not only your physical but your mental health as well. Providing our patients with the Prescription for Health program has helped them lower their stress levels and Body Mass Index (BMI), increase their energy, and learn to use the vegetables and health tools to attain their goals.” – Nyssa Johnson, Practice Leader

Launched in September 2022, the Sparta office coordinates the program and secures the produce for the program from North Kent Connect (an organization that meets basic needs and supports economic independence). There are currently twenty-two families enrolled, and funding is made possible thanks to support from the Sisters of Mercy, the Mercy Fund for Ministry Grant Program with additional support from Saint Mary’s Foundation.

Prescription for Health Program Receives $25,000 Amway Grant

A grant to support the Prescription for Health program was recently awarded to Saint Mary’s Foundation from Amway to support families at our community-based offices of Clinica Santa Maria and Sparta Health Center. This gift will expand the Prescription for Health program to the Clinica Santa Maria office.