Committee unanimously backs 'Food Is Medicine' resolution to pilot nutrition-based interventions
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Summary
Lawmakers in the House Health Services Committee unanimously passed House Joint Resolution 25 to promote 'Food Is Medicine' pilots in coordination with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association, directing agencies to advance and evaluate produce-prescription and medically tailored-meal pilots.
The Kentucky House Health Services Committee unanimously approved House Joint Resolution 25, a nonbinding resolution to align state agencies and partners on pilots that integrate nutrition into health care.
Representative Deanna Gordon said the resolution "recognizes and scales" a partnership between the Kentucky Hospital Association and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to connect health care interventions to Kentucky-grown products. "This resolution aligns state agencies around a clear direction, integrating nutrition into care and public health and intentionally connecting that work to Kentucky grown products," Gordon said.
Witness testimony from Dana Feldman of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture noted support from Commissioner Schell and the department for the initiative. Committee members emphasized chronic-disease connections, noting obesity and diabetes rates and urging practical pilots such as produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals to improve outcomes and reduce avoidable costs.
Members recorded their votes on the resolution with multiple members offering brief explanations of support; the chair announced that House Joint Resolution 25 passed with unanimous support. Because the measure is a resolution directing agencies to coordinate pilots and evaluation, it does not itself appropriate funds. The committee did not record a fiscal-impact objection during the hearing.
The committee scheduled its next meeting for Feb. 12 in Room 149 at noon and adjourned.
