Healthy Choices Project

The PRx Infrastructure Enhancement (PIE) project sought to create efficiencies for SNAP consumers receiving PRx from their health care providers through technology-based solutions.  PRx enables health care providers to prescribe free or low-cost fruits and vegetables to patients managing chronic conditions like pre-diabetes, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Patients “fill” these prescriptions at participating food pharmacies, farmers markets, grocery stores, or through home delivery.

The PIE project enhanced the functionality of the Produce Path app to support expansion of PRx across Ohio. This work leveraged lessons learned from implementing a PRx program across 13 primary care practice sites and seven farmers markets in Northern Ohio, developing and disseminating technology for nutrition incentive programming, and principles of community co-design to promote relevance and uptake of technology-based solutions.

For information about the PIE Project, please contact producepath@case.edu.

Objectives

• Objective 1: Gain feedback from key partners working within the maternal and child health space in Ohio on functionality needs for adapting the Produce Path app to support PRx use by SNAP consumers.
• Objective 2: Enhance the functionality of the Produce Path app to support use of PRx by SNAP consumers based on partner recommendations gained in Objective 1.​
• Objective 3: Gain feedback from SNAP consumers and produce prescription partners in Ohio on satisfaction with the enhanced Produce Path app.
• Objective 4: Host a convening with Ohio-based growers, clinical providers, and SNAP consumers to identify pathways for integrating locally sourced fruits and vegetables within PRx programming.

Project Outcomes

1. 30 participants across 3 stakeholder groups (parents with children under 10
   receiving SNAP/WIC/Medicaid, healthcare providers, and PRx implementers/vendors) from 12 counties were engaged in 6 codesign sessions
2. Wireframes for 4 applications and web-based interfaces have been designed to
   support Produce Prescription implementation:
   1. Program staff web-based interface for managing program enrollment,
      prescription disbursement, tracking redemption and reimbursements
   2. Vendor app for processing transactions at retail sites, submitting invoices
      to program staff and tracking reimbursements
   3. Vendor web-based interface for managing vendors, downloading
      transactions and invoice reports
   4. Program participant app features for program enrollment, processing
      transaction at retail sites, signing up for nutrition education classes and
      other program events, reminder notifications and tracking purchases and
      PRx allocations.
   5. PRx app features will be available in the Produce Path app by the end of 2026.
3. Completed one-on-one interviews with 14 participants across 3 stakeholder groups representing 7 counties.
4. Co-sponsored with CDC funded REACH grant and Cuyahoga County Board of
   Health, we host a convening with local growers, clinical providers, and SNAP
   consumers to identify pathways for integrating locally sourced fruits and vegetables within produce prescription programming in Ohio September 24, 2026. The
   convening was attended by 42 attendees and 5 panelists (Ismail Samad - Loiter,
   Jamel Rahkeera - Village Family Farms, Merle Gordon - Anthem, Morgan
   Taggart - The FARE Project, and Dr. Oluwatosin Goje - Cleveland Clinic).
5. Engagement across 12 counties in Ohio:
   1. Butler
   2. Clark
   3. Cuyahoga
   4. Franklin
   5. Gallia
   6. Hamilton
   7. Licking
   8. Lorain
   9. Lucas
   10. Stark
   11. Summit
   12. Trumbull

Thank you to all who applied for a Healthy Choices PSE Mini Grant! Due to a high volume of applications the funding cycles have concluded.

The Healthy Choices Mini Grants project provided one-time investments to expand healthy eating and active living strategies serving SNAP and SNAP eligible populations in Ohio. This rapid response funding provided one-time support for implementing healthy eating or active living ​strategies in the following settings that serve populations receiving SNAP or eligible to receive SNAP:

• Food pantries
• Farmers markets
• Early childcare centers
• K-12 schools
• Community gardens

The goal of these mini grants was to enhance local capacity to implement strategies​ designed to increase access to healthy foods, promote healthy food choices, and/or promote active living among SNAP consumers.

The Healthy Choices Mini Grant Request for Applications (RFA) provides details about the rapid-response funding opportunity. Find answers to common questions in the FAQs.

See the list of organizations that received a Healthy Choices Mini Grant here.

For information about the Healthy Choices Mini Grants please contact psereadi@case.edu.

• Central Ohio
• Northeast Ohio
• Northwest Ohio
• Southeast Ohio
• Southwest Ohio