Media Contact:
Jordan Baker jbaker@frac.org202-640-1118
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2024 — A significant number of anti-hunger organizations across the U.S. that were surveyed about partnering with health care providers to connect patients to federal nutrition programs emphasized the need for additional investments to reach more patients with health-promoting programs. This is according to a new report, Food as Medicine Survey Findings: How Anti-Hunger Organizations Partner With Health Care Providers to Address Food Insecurity, released today by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).
Connecting eligible patients to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and other federal nutrition programs reduces health care expenses, improves nutrition, and enhances positive health outcomes, says FRAC.
“Ensuring eligible patients participate in federal nutrition programs should be a top priority for health care systems to address food insecurity and improve health outcomes,” said Alex Ashbrook, WIC and Root Causes Director at FRAC. “We also must recognize the critical need for additional support, particularly in funding, capacity, training, technical assistance, and peer learning, to truly make a difference. To achieve sustainable, wide-spread improvements, there need to be systems changes to more seamlessly connect households to SNAP and WIC.”
A total of 56 respondents from state or local anti-hunger organizations — including advocacy groups, food banks, providers of medically or nutritionally tailored meals, and anti-poverty organizations — shared insights into their partnerships with health care providers. Respondents detailed the federal nutrition programs that are focused on in their partnerships with health care providers, facets of these partnerships, the challenges faced in these partnerships, and supports needed:
- Nearly all respondents (80 percent) partner with a federally qualified health care center or community health center, while 73 percent partner with a private practice or health system.
- 64 percent have funding from foundations or private donors, and 39 percent have funding from their health care provider partners.
- 82 percent work on SNAP, 68 percent on emergency food, and 57 percent on WIC.
- The top challenges reported by anti-hunger organizations were limited staff capacity at their organizations (55 percent) and health care provider practices (50 percent), along with lack of funding (50 percent).
- 80 percent of respondents identified funding for additional staff time for their organization to do this work as a support needed.
- Respondents also highlighted the need for funding for their health care provider partners (55 percent), health care coverage for food insecurity interventions (45 percent), support on closed loop referrals (36 percent), training for health care providers (32 percent), and resources on how organizations can do this work (29 percent).
Managing health, eating well, or handling chronic disease, is daunting for households grappling with poverty-related hunger. Inadequate access to nutritious food increases the risk of chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and mental health disorders. Federal nutrition programs improve health outcomes and reduce hunger by providing consistent access to nutritious food.
Federal nutrition programs are proven to improve nutrition, health, and well-being. SNAP enhances health outcomes, reduces health care costs, and has a high return on investment. WIC saves health care expenses by preventing nutrition-related health issues in mothers and children, reducing health disparities, and promoting health equity among underserved populations.
“Despite the clear benefits, complex application processes, stigma, and misinformation often prevent eligible households from accessing these vital programs,” said Ashbrook. “Partnerships between anti-hunger organizations and health care providers are key to overcoming these barriers. By working together, we can simplify the application process, provide targeted support, and ensure more families receive the nutritional and health benefits they urgently need.”
To effectively address food insecurity and improve health outcomes, FRAC recommends states build financial support to boost capacity for anti-hunger organizations and their health care provider partners; lawmakers enhance access to SNAP and WIC to combat food insecurity; health care providers refer to FRAC’s Food as Medicine Survey Findings for examples of successful partnership models implemented around the country and check out FRAC and the AARP Foundation’s free, online course designed for health care providers and community-based partners working with older adults; pediatricians leverage the AAP Toolkit to integrate nutritional guidance into their practice and improve child health outcomes; and anti-hunger advocates continue to expand partnerships with health care providers and work with state agencies to promote federal nutrition programs and systems improvements.
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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
