A Collaborative Approach Between Health Care Providers and Community Partners
Food insecurity affects thousands of Minnesotans, often contributing to chronic health conditions and overall poor health outcomes. Recognizing the critical connection between access to nutritious food and health, health care systems across Minnesota are taking innovative steps to address food insecurity. Through food pharmacies, food insecurity screenings and innovative community partnerships, health care providers are ensuring patients get the nourishment they need to thrive.
The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) adopted a resolution (policy guidance) in 2024 related to addressing food insecurity in Minnesota. An excerpt follows:
2024-04. Reducing Food Waste and Raising Awareness of Food Insecurity – BE IT RESOLVED that the MAFP will work to support or collaborate with established food insecurity organizations to address the ongoing disparities seen in Minnesota; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the MAFP raise awareness and education around the challenges that those experiencing poverty face with food insecurity and possible solutions or policy changes with policy makers and the public (Read the full resolution).
Family physicians play a pivotal role in combating food insecurity, serving as trusted advocates for their patients and connecting them to essential food resources.
How Family Physicians Can Help Address Food Insecurity
Family physicians are often the first point of contact for patients, uniquely positioning them to identify food insecurity and connect individuals to vital resources. Here are some ways family physicians can collaborate with health care systems and community organizations to tackle food insecurity within Minnesota:
Expand Food Insecurity Screenings: Train staff to use tools like Hunger Vital Signs™ and integrate food insecurity screenings into routine care.
Streamline Referrals: Utilize technology like the Hunger Vital Signs™ tool and the Minnesota Food Helpline to connect patients directly to mobile food units, emergency food programs or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment services.
Promote SNAP and Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program Enrollment: Have information available to patients within the clinic for food assistance programs: WIC and Health Care Providers resource and SNAP.
Encourage Healthy Eating Through Vouchers: Many clinics and systems have voucher programs in place to help supplement food for patients. Family physicians can refer patients to systems that are already in place such as Allina Health’s Care Meals Program or M Health Fairview’s Fair Table.
Leverage Community Gardening Programs: Engage with gardening initiatives like Urban Roots that give patients the opportunity to grow their own food.
Key Health Care Initiatives Addressing Food Insecurity in Minnesota
Food Pharmacies and Pantries:
- Allina Health’s Care Meals Program provides immediate access to shelf-stable and fresh foods for patients identified as food insecure.
- M Health Fairview’s Fair Table program ensures convenient access to food during medical appointments.
Food Insecurity Screenings: Hennepin Health Care has integrated the Hunger Vital Signs™ tool into routine screenings to identify and support at-risk patients.
Community Partnerships:
- Mayo Clinic collaborates with local food banks to offer mobile food distributions.
- Essentia Health partners with Second Harvest Northland to provide emergency food access.
- Park Nicollet Health Services combines nutrition education with SNAP referrals.
- North Memorial Health develops customized meal plans for food-insecure patients via its Food as Medicine Program.
- HealthPartners Clinic White Bear Lake has a community garden that supplies food to local food shelves.
Mobile Food Units and Food Delivery:
- Twin Cities Mobile Market and Meals on Wheels brings healthy food to neighborhoods around the metro.
- Fare for All is a pop-up grocery store that is open to everyone. They offer 40% off on fresh produce and frozen meat.
Vouchers and Prescription Programs:
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- Market Bucks offers fruit and vegetable vouchers redeemable at farmers’ markets in coordination with SNAP-EBT benefits.
- M Health Fairview’s Fresh Produce Prescription allows patients to receive redeemable produce prescriptions from their physicians.
- Healthy Meal Programs for Discharged Patients through Sanford Health and Mom’s Meals ensures patients have healthy food options after a hospital stay.
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As trusted voices in their communities, family physicians can raise awareness around food insecurity and its serious implications on community members’ health. Collaborating with health care systems, community organizations and policymakers, family physicians can advocate for sustainable solutions to ensure all Minnesotans have access to nutritious food.
The MAFP and its member-led Health Equity Committee are committed to providing ongoing information about food insecurity within Minnesota. We invite MAFP members to join the Health Equity Committee if you are looking to become more involved with the MAFP.
Do you have resources to share with other members? Please send an email to coordinator@mafp.org.
This blog post was curated with the assistance of AI tools, including ChatGPT, for content organization and research.
