Heritage Ranch Inc.

HAWAII'S Serious Food Security Challenge Is Recognized in Local Communities and Among State and Federal Agencies. in Spite of a Year Round Growing Season, 90% of the Food Consumed Is Imported From Over 2,500 Miles Away, Has High Added Transportation Costs, Suffers Loss of Freshness and Nutritional Value, and Is Vulnerable to Shipping and Natural Disaster Disruptions. the State Has Estimated There Is at Most Five Days of Food in Storage or on the Shelf and Food Deserts Have Been Identified in Remote Rural Areas. These Factors Have Led to a Rising Anxiety About Food Insecurity and Sustainable Solutions Are Needed. Not Only Is the Per Capita Local Farm Production Low, Household Demand for Local Foods Has Also Dropped Due to Adoption of Preferences for Disease-exacerbating, Highly Processed, Canned and Packaged Food Diets Among the Low Income Population. It Is No Surprise the Low Income Population Faces Rising Rates of Serious Health Challenges as a Result. Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Asthma and Hypertension Are Among the Leading Health Crises in the State and the Most At-risk Populations Are the Most Vulnerable. Our Rural Clinic Partners Estimate That Over 60% of Their 41,000 Patients Suffer From These Chronic Diseases.heritage Ranch (HR) Will Manage the Same Canoe Veggie RX PPR Project Under Gusnip Support, 2020-2023. HR Previously Conducted a Hybrid Fini Snap/veggie RX Program 2018-2020. Based on Outcomes From That Trial of Veggie RX, HR Has Structured a New Gusnip PPR Veggie RX Nutrition Incentive Program in Conjunction With 12 Medical Clinics in Six North and West Hawaii Island Districts. the New Veggie RX Program Will Be Providing $260,000 in Gusnip Produce Incentives for 500 At-risk Participants and Will Host Educational Programs That Encourage Disease Prevention and Improve Chronic Illness Management.this Same Canoe Nifa Food Prescription Incentive Project Focuses Its Emphasis on Two Key FINDINGS:1) Patient Incentive Engagement Is Increased Through Health Care Team Support and by Providing No-cost Integrated Online or in Person Nutrition Education With Consistent Content Across All CLINICS.2) Engaging Clinic Providers and Their Team in a Unified, Program-led Nutrition Education and Incentive Strategy Is Essential to Effect Measurable Health and Behavioral Impacts Correlated to an Increase in Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables.concentrating All Resources on the Veggie RX Model, With Up to $600 in Incentives Per Veggie RX Patient (up From $320 in the Previous Fini Trial), the Project Will See Increased Participant Involvement Providing a Valuable Opportunity for Analysis of Patient Outcomes and Impacts. Using Innovative Delivery Methods and Customized Data Gathering Tools Enables the Project to Track Three Key Distinct Data Sets Over a Longer Period: Changes in a) Behavior, B) Bio-metric, and C) Purchasing Patterns. Same CANOE'S PPR Project Will Demonstrate Strategies and Data Gathering for Potential Replication Pertinent to Future Gusnip, Medicaid, and Health Insurance-funded Incentive Programs. the New Gusnip PPR Project Will:participants Work in Conjunction With 12 Medical Clinics in Six Rural North and West Hawaii Island Districts to Identify 500 Patients With Types of Chronic Illness That Can Potentially Be Improved Through Dietary Changes When Supported by the Delivery of a 'FOOD as MEDICINE' Engagement and Incentive Program.pandemic Incorporate Lessons Learned From Operating a Nutrition Incentive Program in the COVID-19 Environment, Including Offering Produce Pick-up Options Through a Network of Csa Delivery Sites, in Addition to Farmers Market and Retail Grocery Options as Those Become Available.participant Engagment Test New Intervention Methods That Include Participant Online Learning Activities, Small Group Learning Cadres, and Longitudinal Patient Surveys Measuring Change in Behaviors Through Self-informing Qualitative Reporting and Quantitative Results (ie Lab Test Outcomes). Actively Measure Changes in Biometrics, Purchasing, and Food Consumption.health Clinic Test New Methods for More Effective Health Care Provider Engagement in 'FOOD as MEDICINE' That Include Nutrition Education Integration Strategies and Clinic Office Training for Medical Assistants to Improve Support, and Leverage Nutrition-based Expertise From Doctors and Dieticians Who Will Provide Peer-to-peer Teaching Modules.in the Unanticipated COVID-19 Clinic Environment, the Normalizing of Telehealth Provides a Valuable New Opportunity to Integrate Ongoing Nutrition and Food Purchasing Education Into Wellness Services Through Online or Phone Appointments With Patients. During the Recently Completed Fini Project, Same Canoe Developed a Beta Test of an Online Learning Program Called 'FARM Fresh Is BEST' and This Tool Will Be Further Developed to Serve Both Participant and Health Care Provider Education Needs. on the Provider Side, Online Learning Can Deliver Content and Engagement Strategies Across the Care Provider Team to Enhance Their Ability to Work Directly and Effectively With Health Challenged Patients. on the Participant Side, a Supportive Online Learning Community Can Both Educate and Support Healthy Dietary Choices and Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.the Three Top Strengths Same Canoe Brings to the Veggie RX Gusnip PPR Project Are:an Existing Network of Health Clinic and Community Partners Serving High-need, Low Income Participants Is Ready to Move Into a New Stage Two Implementation Phase.same Canoe Has a Track Record of Safely Serving Participants in COVID-19 Settings. 1,800 Fini Snap/veggie RX Participants Have Been Served Since 2015.LESSONS Learned From Two Previous Fini Projects Allows Gusnip Funding to Build on a Body of Prescription Incentive Work With National Replication Potential.the PROJECT'S Intended Outcomes Include Improved Nutrition and Health, Greater Awareness and Support of Local Growers and Local Food Retailers, Increased Revenues for Small Farms, and Long Term Adoption of Fresh Local Food Consumption as a Proactive Food Security and Healthy Lifestyle Choice That Lowers Medical Costs.the 2020-2023 Veggie RX PPR Initiative Will Be Providing $260,000 in Produce Incentives for 500 Participants and Will Host Educational Programs That Encourage Disease Prevention and Improve Chronic Illness Management. $104,500 Will Be Invested in Nutrition Engagement, Data Gathering, and Education Programming. $90,000 Will Be Invested in Project Management, With $45,450 Indirect Over 3 Years. Total $499,950.