Texas Health Neighborhood Care & Wellness Willow Park is working with the Tarrant Area Food Bank to provide emergency resources to patients who struggle with food insecurity.
The food bank recently expanded into Parker County, adding a warehouse in Weatherford, and approached Texas Health for help.
“They wanted to increase access points for clients with a hospital-based food pantry,” said Blake Windham, administrator of Texas Health Willow Park. “They’re focused on addressing the social determinants of health, such as income level and food insecurity. People often have health issues because they don’t have access to nutritious food, and I knew we could help bridge that gap.”
Nurses already screen Emergency Department patients for a variety of social issues, such as domestic violence and sexual abuse, so adding a brief screening for food insecurity was simple. The two questions are sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and designed to maintain people’s dignity while determining whether they need help.
Patients identified as food insecure are offered a grocery tote filled with two to three days’ worth of food and a card with the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s contact information. The totes are Texas Health-branded, and the contents can be customized in case of allergies or other medical conditions, such as diabetes.
“We order food through the TAFB portal,” Windham said. “Normally they charge a nominal fee, but they’re providing the food to us at no cost.”
Providing this service is another way to improve the well-being of North Texans.
“Our care doesn’t end when a patient leaves a facility,” said Winjie Miao, chief operating officer of Texas Health Resources. “It’s been shown that adults who experience food insecurity are at higher risk for chronic diseases, and children with limited access to nutritious food are at increased risk for developmental issues. This is one more way we’re fulfilling our Mission of improving the health of the people in the communities we serve.”
