Joco Today

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall announced a significant funding initiative aimed at improving childhood nutrition in Sheridan County, Kansas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated $477,648 to the Sheridan County Health Complex (SCHC) to support the Kansas Produce Prescription Program for Frontier Kids. This program will provide fresh produce to low-income students who have been identified as having mental or physical health needs.

Senator Marshall emphasized the importance of nutrition in maintaining both mental and physical health, stating, “As a physician, I firmly believe there is a connection between nutrition and our mental and physical well-being.” He expressed his support for the efforts being made by Kansas healthcare providers to implement this concept and praised SCHC's initiative to assist at-risk youth by integrating nutrition services into their healthcare plans.

The program involves collaboration with at-risk students and their families across school districts in Logan, Graham, Decatur, and Sheridan counties. These families will receive weekly packages of fresh produce, prioritizing local sources when available. Additionally, participants will benefit from nutritional education and health coaching. After one year in the program, students and their families will undergo wellness checks to assess the impact of the produce prescriptions and determine if further assistance is required.

Senator Marshall has played an active role in promoting the 'Food is Medicine' initiative through various legislative efforts. One such effort is the Community Health Center Nutrition Act, which proposes that community health centers like SCHC offer nutrition and dietary services to low-income patients. The USDA funding received by SCHC comes from the department’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).