HJAR Nov/Dec 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS  I  NOV / DEC 2022 43 mission standards. Many of the organiza- tions already screening for vulnerabilities are working to link people to resources. Arkansas has the momentum not only to meet but to exceed the Joint Commission standards and improve the health of its residents. What healthcare organizations can do to be part of the solution Many organizations have led important work to provide emergency food and re- sources to families. Rather than reinvent the wheel, healthcare organizations can plug in as partners at every level of a so- cio-economical approach to solving food insecurity by screening and referring indi- viduals to emergency food resources and supplemental nutrition programs or by funding or partnering in the implemen- tation of interventions that bring about change in a community or a system. When organizations consider ways to engage in interventions, it can be help- ful to think about interventions that help address food availability, accessibility, af- fordability, and acceptability. Partnering with a local food pantry, training volun- teers to help people sign up for supple- mental nutrition programs, delivering nu- trition curriculum, or impacting your own workforce by ensuring a living wage and connections to resources, are options for making an impact on our state. One place for a healthcare organization to start is by screening patients for food insecurity. Screening allows an organiza- tion to identify individuals and families with a need. After screening, the organi- zation can work with people who would like to be connected to additional resourc- Marisha DiCarlo PhD, MPH Vice President Division of Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Health Arkansas Children’s es, whether that is through a provision of emergency food, a referral to an organi- zation that can assist with resources, en- rollment in nutrition assistance programs, or a connection to financial and job-skills training. OneresourceinArkansasisfindhelp.org, an online database of free and reduced- cost resources organized by type of orga- nization and by ZIP code. The Arkansas Children’s version of this online tool is Ar- kansas Children’s Resource Connect, and it can be accessed at resources.archildrens. org. Entering any Little Rock ZIP code into Arkansas Children’s Resource Connect provides contact information and details on everything from food pantries to hous- ing resources to medical services. Healthcare organizations can be crit- ical partners in helping to improve food security rates for Arkansas. By commit- ting to understanding the complexities of food insecurity and developing short- and long-range plans to decrease the num- ber of Arkansans facing food insecurity, we can play a role in solving this critical driver of health affecting so many children and families in our state. n Marisha DiCarlo,PhD,MPH,serves as the vice presi- dent of the Division of Community Engagement,Ad- vocacy,and Health forArkansas Children’s.Her work focuses on advancing the health system’s statewide partnership work, including efforts to connect pa- tients, families, and communities to food security and food system resources. Through collaboration with organizations,businesses,healthcare providers, and communities, she can deliver on the mission of Arkansas Children’s— tomake children better today and healthier tomorrow. Marisha is a graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Marisha believes strongly in the power of volunteerism, col- laboration, and community. Why food insecurity matters A strong correlation exists between having access to nutritious, affordable food and overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared information and research supporting the importance of social de- terminants of health and their effects on the overall health of an individual. Esti- mates indicate approximately 20% of a person’s health comes from healthcare, while the other 80% is impacted by a blend of health behaviors, environment, and social determinants — or social driv- ers — of health (SDOH). SDOH includes factors like education, economic stability, and food security. Healthy People 2030, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has among its goals reducing household and children’s food insecurity and, in doing so, reducing hunger. Food in- security has been linked to negative health outcomes in children and adults and may cause children to have more difficulty in school. In addition, Feeding America has documented the link between food in- security and higher healthcare costs for families. Healthy People 2030 focuses on giving more people benefits through nu- trition assistance programs, increasing benefit amounts, and reducing unemploy- ment. The impact of food insecurity on health is one of the reasons hospitals and health- care providers in the state are developing programs and partnerships to address the issue. On a broad scale, screening patients for vulnerabilities such as food insecurity will soon become a part of the Joint Com-