Public Health Department
Prescription for Health
The Prescription for Health Program connects patients at medical clinics to their local farmers' market. Participants receive nutrition education and support, and they also receive coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers' markets!
The overall purpose of the Prescription for Health (PFH) program is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among patients with low income, and build capacity of clinics to expand the traditional medical model to include the food system.
The Prescription for Health program began in 2008 as a pilot project. Thanks to a 2-year grant from the Kresge Foundation, the PFH program is expanded and enhanced for 2011 and 2012.
In 2011, the program included 5 health clinics and 2 local farmers' markets. See the 2011 Program Results.
How does the program work?
- Clinicians identify potential participants when patients come in for a regular visit.
A clinician reviews the patient's chart for chronic disease risk and food access difficulty, and asks the patient if he/she would like to participate. - The clinician gives the patient their first “dose” of nutrition education, and writes a prescription for healthy behavior.
Clinicians have a brief conversation regarding nutrition, and fill out a "prescription" card that lists the patient's health issues and nutrition-related goals. - Clinic staff provide the patient with a coupon book containing $40 in coupons.
The coupon book contains four $10 coupons to be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating farmers’ market. - Patients take their coupons to the Prescription for Health booth at the farmers’ market.
A registered dietitian provides individual nutrition education and support, and gives the patient $10 in tokens that can be used the same as cash at the market to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
What kind of training do clinic staff receive?
To increase clinic staff understanding of how to connect low income patients with other sources of healthy foods in our community, WCPH staff provided staff training for medical and non-medical staff at each clinic. The training included an overview of the food system; the connection between poverty, healthy eating, and health disparities; the importance of connecting low income patients to healthy food resources within the food system; and how to be a healthy role model for patients.
How are we measuring if the program works?
Washtenaw County Public Health staff are conducting pre- and post-program surveys of patients and clinic staff. We will also be tracking patients’ use of coupons on a weekly basis throughout the season. Evaluation results for 2011 are available here.
Program History:
This program began in 2008 as a small pilot project, and has grown from there!
Media Coverage:
For More Information:
Jenna Bacolor
PFH Coordinator
bacolorj@ewashtenaw.org
(734) 544-2969
