Recipient Organization
DC GREENS
2000 P ST NW STE 240
WASHINGTON,DC 200366924
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
DC Greens' Produce Rx initiative is designed to address the prevalence of food insecurity, poverty, and diet-related chronic disease among Medicaid patients in the District of Columbia's lower-income communities. DC Greens partners with major food retailers, managed care organizations, and federally qualified health centers to serve a current, annual Produce Rx cohort of 806participants. Each enrolled household must be covered by D.C. Medicaid and have a family member with diagnosed prediabetes, diabetes and/or hypertension. Households receive 12 months worth of cash benefits - up to $120 a month for a family of five, that can be redeemed only for fresh fruits and vegetables. The benefits are uploaded automatically to an electronic debit card, making it convenient to shop at hundreds of area grocery stores and allowing DC Greens and its partners to capture real-time program data. Produce Rx participants receive additional nutriton education and resources through DC Greens and program partners.The program design, goals and intended outcomes of Produce Rx are closely aligned with the purpose and priorities of the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program and the USDA's strategic goal to "make safe, nutritious food available to all Americans." With support from GusNIP, DC Greens will be able to enroll 1,200 new Medicaid recipients as Produce Rx participants over two years, pursue opportunities for deeper integration of Produce Rx into DC Medicaid and the broader health care system; and invest in the program's scalability and long-term sustainability, such as through implementation of an off-boarding process for all Produce Rx participants who complete the 12-month program.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
0%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
Enroll 1,200 DC Medicaid families through the Produce Rx program and distribute $1,440,000 worth of Produce Rx benefits during the two year grant period.Explore opportunities for deeper integration of the Produce Rx program in DC Medicaid and the broader health care system by refiningenrollment process based on gathered feedback from health care partners.Expand the use of the Fresh Connect card to include DC farmers markets and other retailers that support local farms.Design a robust evaluation of our Produce Rx program modelSolidify the financial sustainability of the Produce Rx program by establishing per-patient payment structures with Managed Care Organizations and participating in 1115 waiver proposal renewal conversations lead by DC Health Care Finance.Solidify the sustainability of the Produce Rx program by designing an "offboarding" process that supports participants exiting the program to maintain the health behavior changes they obtained through the 12-month program.
Project Methods
DC Greens will continue to operate the Produce Rx program with a high degree of technical competency and responsiveness, while introducing new elements for extended reach, deeper integrations and greater sustainability.Program Enrollment: To begin the process, a DC Medicaid recipient with one or more of the qualifying health conditions (prediabetes, diabetes and hypertension) enrolls in the Produce Rx program through their health care provider in a participating clinic.Produce Rx Incentive Distribution: Upon enrollment, each Produce Rx household receives a Fresh Connect electronic debit card that on the first of every month is automatically loaded with funds that can be used to pruchase only fresh fruits and vegetables. A single-member household receives $80/month; the benefit level increases based on household size, up to $120/month for a family of five.Data Collection:Baseline data is collected at the time of enrollment, at 6-months and 12-months. At the time of enrollment participants are required to complete a baseline survey and providers record A1c levels, blood pressure, and BMI. Participants are required to schedule a six-month follow-up appointment with a member of their health care team, if they want to continue using Produce Rx for the entire program year.At the conclusion of their 12 months, participants are asked to complete an endline survey and A1c, blood pressure and BMI is recorded at the end of the program.Additional resources: Though their 12 months of enrollment, participants are invited to attend regular nutrition events and classes at DC Greens' Ward 8 farm and wellness space. They can also participate in nutrition classes facilitated in partnership with Giant Food's Healthy Living Team at the Ward 8 store location or enroll in the resources offered through their clinic of MCO. At completion of the program, participants will receive a "graduation package" to support them in their continued health and wellness journey.Participant outreach and engagement: At the time of enrollment, DC Greens sends all newly enrolled participants a welcome packet in their preferred language explaining all of the program details and policies. Our partner, Fresh Connect, also makes a welcome call to all new participants to answer questions and ensure that their card activation was successful. Additionally,DC Greens team provides continuous targeted outreach to participants who are underutilizing the program in order to center participant needs and provide continuous program improvements. This includes reminders to participants to schedule a visit with their health care team, to spend their Produce Rx dollars, and when their one-year disenrollment date is approaching.