Hazard, KY – Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) announces the launch of RootedRx, its first produce prescription program designed to improve access to nutritious foods while helping patients prevent, manage, and treat chronic disease across Eastern Kentucky.

RootedRx is a self-funded Food is Medicine initiative that connects eligible ARH patients with fresh fruits and vegetables through partnerships with local farmers markets in Perry and Letcher counties. Patients were referred by their ARH healthcare providers, and must have a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, or obesity to qualify. Enrollment for the inaugural cohort is now closed.

The program builds upon ARH’s Lifestyle Medicine service line, the first of its kind in Kentucky. While ARH has long worked to address the social drivers of health, RootedRx marks the health system’s first formal produce prescription program and the first integration of a Food is Medicine approach into the Lifestyle Medicine service line.

By incorporating produce prescriptions into clinical care, ARH is building the system needed to connect patients with both Lifestyle Medicine services and access to healthy foods. This effort also lays the groundwork for future Food is Medicine initiatives while supporting ARH’s commitment to innovative approaches that improve health outcomes in Appalachia.

The program is tailored to meet the needs of each community. In Letcher County, patients receive $30 per week in produce benefits that can be redeemed at participating farmers markets. In Perry County, participants receive produce benefits and participate in ARH’s Lifestyle Medicine Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs), a group-based care model that provides additional support for preventing, managing, and treating chronic disease.

Through the Lifestyle Medicine SMAs, patients learn more about the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoidance of risky substances. These group sessions feature a collaborative team of healthcare professionals and guest speakers, including registered dietitians and other health experts. Patients also engage in hands-on learning opportunities such as healthy cooking demonstrations, chair yoga, and practical strategies they can implement in their daily lives to improve their health and well-being.

RootedRx officially launched at participating farmers markets in Perry and Letcher counties during the first week of June. On June 8, ARH hosted a community pop-up farmers market at the Hazard ARH Clinic, bringing local farmers, fresh produce, and health education directly to the community. Open to both RootedRx patients and the general public, the event featured healthy cooking demonstrations, free food samples, and opportunities to learn more about incorporating nutritious foods into everyday meals. Additional community pop-up farmers markets will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Hazard ARH Clinic parking lot on July 13, August 10, and August 31.

“Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve health,” said Nika Larian, PhD, Vice President of Wellness at ARH. “RootedRx helps bridge the gap between healthcare and healthy food access by connecting patients with fresh, locally grown produce and the education, support, and resources they need to build healthier lives.”

As ARH continues to expand innovative Food is Medicine initiatives across the region, RootedRx represents a promising model for improving health outcomes while strengthening connections between healthcare, agriculture, and the communities ARH serves.