Senator Marshall Announces Funding for Childhood Nutrition Program Serving Sheridan County

Salina, KS – Today U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. announced $477,648 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding for the Sheridan County Health Complex (SCHC) to support its Kansas Produce Prescription Program for Frontier Kids program, which will provide fresh produce to low-income students with identified mental or physical health needs.

“As a physician, I firmly believe there is a connection between nutrition and our mental and physical well-being,” Senator Marshall said. “Food is medicine and I am heartened that Kansas health care providers are bringing this concept to life. I applaud the team at Sheridan County Health Complex for their effort to help at-risk youth and further integrate nutrition services into their overall healthcare plans.”

SCHC staff will work with at-risk students and their families enrolled in school districts in Logan, Graham, Decatur, and Sheridan counties. The families will receive weekly packages of fresh produce. Local produce will be used when available and families will receive nutritional education and health coaching. After one year in the program students and their families will receive a wellness check to determine the impacts of the produce prescriptions and any continued assistance needed.

Senator Marshall has been a leader in the ‘Food is Medicine’ initiative and has introduced multiple pieces of legislation, including the Community Health Center Nutrition Act, which would require community health centers, like SCHC, to offer nutrition and dietary services to low-income patients.  The USDA funding received by SCHC is available through the department’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)