Dc Greens Inc

FOR SOME TIME, DC GREENS HEARD FROM DOCTORS AROUND THE DISTRICT THAT THEY FELT UNABLE TO TRULY MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR LOW-INCOME PATIENTS WHO WERE ALSO FACING ISSUES PERTAINING TO DIET RELATED CHRONIC ILLNESSES. IN 2012, DC GREENS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IDENTIFIED A WAY TO EQUIP DOCTORS WITH RESOURCES FOR THESE PATIENTS - THE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION (RX) PROGRAM. THE PRODUCE RX PROGRAM EQUIPS DOCTORS TO WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR FRESH PRODUCE TO LOW-INCOME PATIENTS EXPERIENCING ONE OF THREE CHRONIC CONDITIONS: DIABETES, PREDIABETES OR HYPERTENSION. FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, PATIENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDEEM THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS AT VARIOUS FARMERS MARKETS ACROSS THE CITY. THE PROGRAM HAS PROVEN TO INCREASE WELL-PATIENT VISITS BY 54% WHILE DECREASING THE BODY-MASS INDEX (MBI) OF 50% OF THE 120 ANNUAL PARTICIPANTS.IN MARCH 2019, WE LAUNCHED A NEW MODEL OF THE PRODUCE RX PROGRAM IN WHICH 500MEMBERS FROM DC'S LARGEST MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION, AMERIHEALTH CARITAS DC, AT3 PARTNER CLINICS CANVISIT THE GIANT FOOD GROCERY STORE PHARMACY IN WARD 8, REDEEM PRESCRIPTIONS FOR A $20 WEEKLY ALLOTMENT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE GROCERY STORE PRODUCE AISLE, AND MEET WITH A GIANT NUTRITIONISTTO DISCUSS THEIR SPECIFIC DIETARY NEEDS. WITH THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY BROUGHT BY PARTNERING WITH A FULL SERVICE RETAIL GROCER, THIS PROGRAM WILL GROW FROM SERVING 130 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY TO 500 AND BECOME ONE OF THE FEW LARGE-SCALE VENTURES BRIDGINGHEALTH NEEDS WITH A GROCERY STORE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ANTICIPATE THAT PARTICIPATION IN PRODUCE RX WILL BE SHOWN TO IMPROVE HEALTH-RELATED OUTCOMES RELATING TO BODY-MASS INDEX, BLOOD PRESSURE, AND HBA1C (BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS) AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH PREDIABETES OR DIABETES, WHILE IT WILL DECREASE TOTAL HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURES AND UTILIZATION COSTS AMONG PARTICIPATING MEDICAID PATIENTS. THESE CROSS-CUTTING FINDINGS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO COMPELLINGLY LINK THE ROLE OF FOOD IN SHAPING THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OFHEALTH (SDOH) WITH THE BUSINESS CASE NEEDED TO EMBED A 'FOOD AS MEDICINE' APPROACH ACROSS OURHEALTHCARE SYSTEM. OUR PROGRAM REDEFINES FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF CLINICAL CARE, AND OFFERS A PROMISING SOLUTION FOR SUSTAINABLY IMPROVING PATIENT HEALTH AT A TIME WHEN MEDICAID PROVIDERS, CLINICS, AND HOSPITAL SYSTEMS ARE SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO LOWER RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE AND MANAGE THEIR COSTS.WHAT MAKES THIS VENTURE UNIQUE, IS THE WELL-ROUNDEDNESS OF OUR TEAM, PARTICULARLY THE UNPRECEDENTED PRESENCE OF THE DISTRICT'S LARGEST MEDICAID PROVIDER, AMERIHEALTH CARITAS DC - PROVIDING US WITH CLAIMS DATA THAT WILL PROVIDE NEVER BEFORE KNOWN INSIGHTS INTO THE ROI OF AN INVESTMENT SUCH AS THIS ONE (E.G. DO WE SEE A DECREASE IN AMBULATORY AND/OR EMERGENCY ROOM UTILIZATION?). IN ADDITION, WE HAVE, SOCIALLY DETERMINED, A HEALTHCARE ANALYTICS COMPANY THAT DEVELOPED THE INDUSTRY'S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT SDOHANALYTIC PLATFORM, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ANALYTICS ON THE PROVIDED CLAIMS DATA.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** 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.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO INCREASE SNAP AND WIC REDEMPTION AND OVERALL SALES AT FOUR FARMERS MARKETS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH EXISTING EBT

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DC GREENS MANAGES AND OPERATES THE WELL AT OXON RUN, A ONE-ACRE EDUCATIONAL FARM AND INTERGENERATIONAL OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACE THAT ELEVATES HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND CREATES A COMMUNITY ANCHOR THAT LIFTS UP THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE PLACE. THE WELL IS LOCATED IN ZIP CODE 20032, WHICH COVERS A LARGE PORTION OF WARD 8 IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE PLANNING PROJECT TO BE FUNDED BY THIS GRANT COMPRISES A SLATE OF NEW ACTIVITIES AND PILOT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WELL'S PROGRAMS, OFFER EDUCATION TO OUR NEIGHBORS AROUND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND FARMING BEST PRACTICES, AND OPEN NEW DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS FOR GETTING MORE FRESH PRODUCE FROM THE WELL INTO THE HANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS.