About
Prescription Produce Programs have been introduced as a practice to help at-risk populations consume more fresh produce. Parkview has made a commitment to addressing social determinants of health and, specifically, breaking down barriers to access to healthy food. The Veggie Rx program fortifies Parkview’s relationship with our providers, as the Veggie Rx program will allow them to dispense a tangible, healthy food incentive to their health-marginalized patients. The Veggie Rx program will serve individuals with prediabetes, diabetes, individuals with cardiac diseases and underserved women with an at-risk pregnancy in Allen County, with the aim of increasing their fresh produce intake, improving their health, reducing healthcare cost claims with Medicaid and reducing household food insecurity.
Goals
- Improve the amount of fresh produce that is available to adults identified as being food insecure and adults who are on Medicaid or uninsured with prediabetes, diabetes, have cardiac diseases or individuals with an at-risk pregnancy, in Allen County.
- Expand the Veggie Rx program from 30 individuals in a 2019 pilot to serving 850 individuals in Allen County over the next three-year period.
- Reduce urgent healthcare utilization and associated healthcare costs.
- Reduce the prevalence of food insecurity and chronic health diseases in low-income individuals in Allen County.
The Veggie Rx program will be available to residents of Allen County, Indiana, to serve adults who have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes, cardiac diseases and at-risk pregnant women. Participants will be required to attend two education classes plus two phone or virtual consults over their six-month active program enrollment to receive their vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables. Clients will receive $50/month in produce vouchers for six months of their respective program phase.
For more information, email VeggieRx@parkview.com.
Partners
Partners for prescribing/redemption sites
- Parkview Physicians Group
- Parkview Heart Institute
- Parkview Women's and Children's Hospital
- Parkview Endocrine/Diabetes Strategy
- HEAL Farm Markets/St. Joseph Community Health Foundation
- Johnnie Mae Farm
- Fort Wayne Farmers Market
- Save-A-Lot
- Alliance Health Centers
- HealthVisions Midwest
- Northeast Indiana Local Food Network
- Transcultural Nursing Society
- Center for Non-Violence
Funding
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) NIFA Award 2021-70030-35744
Publications
Press
- Federal grant will help fight food insecurity, chronic health issues in Fort Wayne – WFFT (Apr 26, 2022)
- Parkview’s Veggie Rx to HEAL program expands – 96.3 XKE (Apr 28, 2022)
- Healthy food for everyone: Fort Wayne organizations fight food insecurity with nutrition and equity - Input Fort Wayne (May 4, 2022)