These FAQs are developed from questions asked by people who registered or attended workshops and technical assistance sessions organized by the Swetland Center in partnership with Produce Perks Midwest and Better Health Partnership. This FAQ will be updated as new questions emerge, and as more information is available about produce prescription programming. If you have suggestions for improving these FAQs, please email us at reach@case.edu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds 50 organizations in 32 states and the District of Columbia to carry out the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program (CDC-RFA-DP-23-0014). The five-year program runs from 2023-2028.
REACH aims to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease. Funded recipients work among racial and ethnic groups with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease.
The program's goal is to make healthy eating and active living more accessible and affordable to priority populations. REACH programs work specifically among people who are Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Alaska Natives.
Learn more about the CDC’s REACH grant here.
In December 2023, the CDC awarded a REACH grant to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, focusing on four strategies:
- Nutrition Strategy
- Coordinate the uptake & expansion of fruit and vegetable produce prescription programs. (Swetland Center & partners)
- Promote food service & nutrition guidelines (FSG) & healthy associated food procurement in faith-based organizations & county government. (CCBH, FBOs, & County)
- Physical Activity Strategy
- Establish new or improved pedestrian, bicycle, or transit transportation systems that are combined with new or improved land use or environmental design (Bike Cleveland, CIM, CUDC, & Slow Roll)
- Early Care and Education
- Implement local level policies and activities that improve nutrition, physical activity, & breastfeeding. (CCBH, SP)
- Implement local level policies and activities that advance Farm to Early Care and Education. (CCBH, Muse, OSU, ODUE, Seeds of Life, SP)
- Vaccine Equity
- Implement practices to increase awareness, confidence, demand, and access for flu, COVID-19, & other adult vaccines. (CCBH, P4VE, AVOC, & external consultant TBD)
We understand that to transform diet-related health inequities, we must address the root causes of food insecurity, including barriers like high food costs and food apartheid in the targeted neighborhoods. The Swetland Center and its partners will implement strategies that increase the reach of Cleveland’s fruit and vegetable voucher program (i.e. Produce Perks) that matches SNAP benefits for fruit and vegetable purchasing. Additionally, we are leveraging our extensive healthcare infrastructure to increase implementation of produce prescription programs that link clinical care with access to foods needed for health promotion. These approaches will be unified within the Nutrition Equity Committee of HIP-Cuyahoga/REACH (co-convened by CCBH and Swetland Center), which will serve as the nutrition strategy lead group and convener to guide development, implementation, and dissemination of our nutrition and ECE strategies outlined within our REACH proposal.
Learn more about the CDC’s Strategies for Fruit and Vegetable Voucher Incentives and Produce Prescriptions here.
Voucher incentive programs for fruits and vegetables provide coupons or cash incentives that consumers can use at the point of purchase. The programs support individuals at risk for food and nutrition insecurity.
Produce prescriptions for fruits and vegetables are a way to support the nutritional needs of patients with food insecurity in a health care setting. Health care professionals write produce prescriptions for patients. Patients can use the prescriptions either in the health care setting or in their community.
- Are you interested in joining the Produce Prescription Working Group of the Nutrition Equity Committee? Contact reach@case.edu for more information.
- Are you interested in mentoring a team of 2 REACH Fellows? Email us at reach@case.edu.
- Are you a local farmer, food product maker, nutrition educator, healthcare professional, or produce prescription program patient? Fill out this survey if you would like to share your experiences with produce prescription or food-as-medicine programming and ideas to integrate Black & Latino/a/e food sources into programming.
-
Click here to subscribe to the Swetland Scoop newsletter for updates.