FIRST Link
FIRST Link connects patients experiencing food insecurity to food, social, and health services.
FIRST Link
FIRST Link connects patients experiencing food insecurity to food, social, and health services.
What Is FIRST Link?
FIRST Link (Food Insecurity Resources Screenings Training) was established in 2017 as a collaboration between Food for Change and the Community Assistance Program to increase resources for patients experiencing food insecurity who are referred to the Houston Food Bank. FIRST Link does this by connecting patients to address food insecurity in a healthcare setting, connecting patients to state benefit application assistance and other community services.
Why in a healthcare setting?
Many health issues stem from non-medical factors, often referred to as social determinants of health. Without access to healthy, nutritious food, maintaining good health becomes difficult.
Houston Food Bank takes a holistic approach to improving health outcomes by addressing food insecurity and related needs. By reducing diet-related health issues, these efforts can help lower healthcare costs, allowing individuals and families to focus on other essential expenses.
No one should have to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine.
Healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing the impact of food insecurity on their patients’ health. We help close the loop by connecting individuals in need to nutritious food resources in their communities, supporting better health and stronger, more stable households.
*Hunger in America 2014, Houston Food Bank Survey
** Christian A. Gregory, Alisha Coleman-Jensen. Food Insecurity, Chronic Disease, and Health Among Working-Age Adults, ERR-235. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, July 2017.
***Thomas Beaton. “How Payers Can Address Food Insecurity among Plan Beneficiaries.” HealthPayer Intelligence
How Does It Work?
The Houston Food Bank collaborates with healthcare partners to ensure that their staff are equipped to screen for food insecurity and are aware of food resources provided by HFB. We take the following steps:
- Houston Food Bank trains clinic staff about food insecurity. Together, they work to develop a process to start screening neighbors for food insecurity.
- Clinic staff screens patients for food insecurity. Patient who are food insecure gets referred to an on-site HFB employee who:
- Provides application and technical assistance for state-funded social and health services.
- Refers patient to nearby food pantries
- Follow up with patients to see if they have received food resource assistance.
Community Health partnerships include chronic disease management classes, exercise classes, nutrition classes, that have targeted and tracked health outcomes.
FIRST Link partners can include hospital systems and both adult and pediatric health care center settings. Houston Food Bank seeks to support healthcare partners in providing tangible resources for their food insecure patients.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
