{"id":18070,"date":"2022-10-04T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodmedcenter.org\/?p=18070"},"modified":"2022-10-13T11:54:47","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T15:54:47","slug":"food-as-medicine-spotlight-fresh-and-healthy-produce-prescription","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodmedcenter.org\/es_do\/food-as-medicine-spotlight-fresh-and-healthy-produce-prescription\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh and Healthy: Produce Prescription Program Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

What they do:<\/strong> Fresco y Saludable\/Fresh and Healthy<\/a> is a produce prescription program in Los Angeles County, California that is currently being offered to existing patients at Asian Pacific Healthcare Venture, Inc. (APHCV)<\/a>, Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC),<\/a> and Venice Family Clinic (VFC).<\/a> To participate in the program, patients must be enrolled in Medicaid (Medi-Cal<\/a> in California), screen positive for food insecurity, and be diagnosed with either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Participants receive an electronic debit card loaded with $40 per month for six months. The debit card can only be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating large-scale grocery stores (Food 4 Less<\/a>, Ralphs<\/a>, Walmart<\/a>) that are located within a few miles of each clinic site. Participants are also given referrals to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)<\/a>, nutrition education classes, local food pantries, and local free produce distribution events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon enrolling in the program, participants\u2019 current fruit and vegetable intake, household food security status, blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1c are measured. These measures are then taken again at the end of the six-month program to assess the impact of the produce prescriptions on participants\u2019 health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How they do it:<\/strong> The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health<\/a> (Public Health) has received funding from the USDA\u2019s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)<\/a> and GusNIP COVID Relief and Response (GusCRR)<\/a>. Public Health is collaborating with EatSF – Vouchers 4 Veggies<\/a>, along with APHCV, NEVHC, and VFC, to implement the program across nine clinics that serve primarily low-income patients in Los Angeles County. The healthcare partners recruit, screen, and enroll participants into Fresco y Saludable\/Fresh and Healthy and measure participants\u2019 health metrics. Vouchers 4 Veggies facilitates the incentives, provides technical assistance to the grocery stores on managing reimbursements, and teaches grocery store owners and staff how to accept the incentive payments at the point of purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mission:<\/strong> To improve the dietary intake of low-income, food-insecure households at risk for developing a diet-related chronic disease and associated complications.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Funding:<\/strong> The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)<\/a> and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program COVID Relief and Response (GusCRR)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Profit\/nonprofit: <\/strong>Nonprofit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual Budget:<\/strong> $1,062,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting fact about how it is working to positively affect health: <\/strong>Fresco y Saludable\/Fresh and Healthy is the first program of its kind in the Public Health department. In the first year of the program, from September 2021 to August 2022, 763 participants were enrolled and more than $90,000 in debit card incentives were redeemed at participating grocery stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FACT SHEET:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Locations:<\/strong>
Asian Pacific Healthcare Venture, Inc. (APHCV) sites:<\/strong> 
Belmont Health Center
180 Union Pl.
Los Angeles, CA 90026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Feliz Health Center 
1530 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) sites: <\/strong>
Pacoima Health Center 
12756 Van Nuys Blvd.
Pacoima, CA 91331<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Fernando Health Center 
1600 San Fernando Rd.
San Fernando, CA 91340<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sun Valley Health Center 
7223 Fair Ave.
Sun Valley, CA 91325<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transitions to Wellness \u2013 Van Nuys 
6551 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venice Family Clinic (VFC) sites:<\/strong> 
Simms\/Mann Health and Wellness Center
2509 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irma Colen Health Center 
4700 Inglewood Blvd. Site 102
Culver City, CA 90230<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rose Health Center 
604 Rose Ave.
Venice, CA 90291 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Core Programs:<\/strong> Produce prescription project<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number of staff: <\/strong>3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number of volunteers: <\/strong>0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Areas served:<\/strong> Los Angeles County, CA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year Started: <\/strong>2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program Manager: <\/strong>Fatinah Darwish-Elsherbiny<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Information:<\/strong>
Fatinah Darwish-Elsherbiny, MPH, RDN, Program Manager
Email: fdarwish@ph.lacounty.gov<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Communications & Public Affairs
Email: media@ph.lacounty.gov<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn More:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n