Our vision is that by 2028, anyone in Cuyahoga County will be able to access a produce prescription from their healthcare provider. Our goal is to increase the number of clinical sites prescribing produce, and the number of people receiving produce prescriptions in communities at the highest risk or burden of chronic diseases. We also want to ensure local produce prescription programs are tailored for those at the highest risk or burden of chronic diseases.
This work is supported by the REACH grant (#6 NU58DP007747-01-01) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. This project is funded from December 30, 2023 to September 29, 2028. Learn more about the REACH Project here.
WHY: Empowering Health Through Food
The Produce Prescription (PRx) initiative exists to rewrite the healthcare story across Cuyahoga County. The goal is to enable Cuyahoga County residents to easily receive produce prescriptions, no matter where healthcare is provided. The groundwork is being laid to make this goal a reality.
At its heart, PRx is driven by the belief that food is more than sustenance—it’s powerful, preventative medicine. By prescribing fruits and vegetables to individuals with chronic conditions and limited access to nutritious food, this initiative has the potential to transform healthcare into a system that addresses root causes, not just symptoms.
PRx stands to improve health outcomes, uplift local economies, and restore patient dignity and agency.
HOW: A Locally Rooted, Holistic Model
PRx will be unique because of its community-engaged design:
- Community-Driven Infrastructure: PRx programs have the opportunity to support the ecosystem by connecting clinics, local farmers, and nonprofits to co-create solutions tailored to community needs.
- Cultural Relevance: PRx programs can be customized with culturally familiar foods, recipes, and education, co-developed with local food leaders and trusted health partners.
- Flexible Program Models: From onsite “Food Farmacies” to home delivery and market-based vouchers, PRx programs can meet people where they are, literally and figuratively.
- System Alignment: PRx programs can create scalable systems change if the program is built with Medicaid reimbursement, Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality goals in mind.
- Shared Value: PRx benefits will be mutual. Patients gain access and agency, providers improve outcomes, payers reduce costs, and growers gain stable income.
WHAT: Produce Prescription Program
PRx enables healthcare 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.
A PRx program can include:
- Prescriptions for fruits and vegetables tailored to medical needs
- Culturally relevant nutrition education to support behavior change
- Partnerships with local growers to source high-quality, local food
- Patient-centered program models to increase uptake in alignment with needs or desires
PRx is already showing results: improved A1C levels, better food security, reduced reliance on medication, and improved quality of life for participants while reducing long-term healthcare costs.
Click here to read Leora's story.
Click here to read Emily's story.
Click here to learn about the Produce Path Coupon Program, a pilot produce prescription program we co-led in 2025.