The Garrett County Health Department’s Population Health, Innovation, & Informatics Unit announces it has been awarded $348,915.14 in grant funding to implement an innovative approach called BASE, Bridging Appalachian Systems for Equity, to provide community-directed approaches to prevent, manage, and treat diet-related illnesses. Efforts to advance Food is Medicine interventions focused on building partnerships and bridging gaps between food and health care will be explored in Western Maryland’s Appalachian panhandle. This is part of a $7.1 million community investment by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), one of the country’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations, to combat diabetes.
BASE is a coordinated system of care intended to unite the food system to reduce food insecurity, improve nutrition security, and bolster enrollment in and utilization of public programs. BASE will examine factors relating to outcomes like access to food and socioeconomic status to gain insight into where and how to focus our efforts to improve results. This multisectoral approach includes elements to support the whole person, such as workforce development, childcare, and other areas identified through root-cause analysis and socio-ecological models.
“The Population Health, Innovation, and Informatics Unit at the Garrett County Health Department is honored to once again enter into a vital partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as they invest in Garrett County,” said Shelley Argabrite, MA, Director of the Population Health, Innovation, and Informatics Unit. “This funding award will help us address co-occurring risk factors of diet-related diseases and nutritional insecurity to improve health outcomes while strengthening a community of collaboration.”
The grant is part of CareFirst’s Place-Based Grants Initiative, aimed at empowering local nonprofits and public health agencies across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia to address diabetes and food-related chronic conditions. The grantees will focus on reducing health disparities by tackling food insecurity, a key factor in both prevention and management.
The Garrett County Health Department’s Population Health, Innovation, & Informatics Unit is one of 30 organizations in the region to receive the grant. CareFirst projects the grants will impact 1.5 million residents across the region.
The funded programs focus on three key areas:
- Expanding local food systems to increase access to fresh, locally grown produce;
- Implementing food-is-medicine programs, including medically tailored meal distribution to support chronic disease management; and
- Providing food literacy, nutrition education, and healthy meal preparation training.
“The grantees CareFirst is investing in are already doing incredible work in their communities, and this funding helps them expand their reach and deepen their impact,” said Kimberly Harris, Director of Community Health and Social Impact at CareFirst. “Our commitment to place-based solutions is about working alongside these organizations to advance our shared mission of improving health through access to nutritious food and education. Meaningful change happens when communities come together.”
Food insecurity is a significant public health issue that affects overall wellness. One in nine Marylanders, including one in seven children, faces food insecurity.
