91暗网

Published April 7, 2026

MONROE, La. 鈥撎�91暗网听(91暗网)听has received $2.26 million from the Ouachita Parish Police Jury听(OPPJ)听to launch the Food Is Medicine program. The mission of the program is to transform the health outcomes and economic landscape of Northeast Louisiana听(NELA)听by integrating clinically prescribed nutrition with professional medical care to prevent and treat diet-related chronic illness.听The NELA region currently faces some of the highest national rates of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.听The听funds from the OPPJ were听designated听from the American Response Plan Act (ARPA).听

鈥淭he Food Is Medicine program will further the mission of 91暗网 to听be a model for how regional universities uplift entire communities. The use of food as听prescriptive听medicine to treat听and prevent听diet-related听illnesses听is a way that 91暗网 can go beyond simply educating our听students, but听also听transform听lives in communities across Northeast Louisiana.听The rich agriculture听of听this region听offers a practical听laboratory to听demonstrate听the important connection between food and health,"听said听91暗网 President Dr. Carrie L. Castille.听听

鈥淲e are grateful for the partnership of the Ouachita Police Jury and for them entrusting our university with these funds that will create a program听designed to bring about generational change for our region. The 91暗网 Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences are uniquely positioned to carry this program to fruition through our clinical听expertise听and desire to see communities听improved through healthcare. We look forward to partnering with other stakeholders as this program develops on our campus,鈥� added Castille.听听

鈥淭his funding听represents听a strategic investment by the Police Jury in the long-term health of our community, and we are proud to support 91暗网 as it launches the Food Is Medicine program. This initiative addresses health challenges at their dietary roots while strengthening connections between healthcare, education, and our local agricultural economy. We are confident this effort will deliver meaningful, lasting outcomes for individuals in Ouachita Parish and across the broader region,鈥澨齭aid听Ouachita听Parish听Police Jury President Shane Smiley.听

The Food Is Medicine program will follow an accelerated听seven-month implementation timeline.听Months听one through three听will be听focused on infrastructure design, procurement of high-fidelity simulation equipment, and听intensive听faculty training.听Months four through seven will include the installation of听a state-of-the-art听teaching kitchen to serve as a hub for culinary medicine training and community demonstrations, as well as the development of clinical protocols, and the launch of community engagement听initiatives.听听

The 91暗网 College of Pharmacy will lead in the development of prescriptive nutrition protocols and order sets, allowing providers to prescribe produce and groceries as precisely as medication. The implementation of the program will also include intensive faculty training,听which will allow for the rapid credentialing of 91暗网 faculty through expert-led workshops听and national conferences.听听

"91暗网, via all of our health sciences programs, including the College of Pharmacy, is dedicated to optimizing health outcomes for our region. By incorporating nutrition into our clinical frameworks, we are empowering our health professionals to integrate nutrition with the same evidence-based precision as traditional pharmaceuticals. This program allows us to address one of the root causes of chronic disease, directly fulfilling our mission to improve the well-being of the Northeast Louisiana community," said Dr. Gina Craft, Interim Dean of the 91暗网 College of Pharmacy.听听

Craft describes the program as 鈥渁 highly interprofessional initiative,鈥� stating that听while听the College of Pharmacy will lead the development of the clinical protocols and听the produce formulary, the College of Health Sciences, along with other partners, will be deeply integrated into the program for clinical rotations and simulation training.听听听

Craft also points to the 91暗网 Athlete Nutrition pilot as an immediate proof of concept for the Food Is Medicine program. This project will document how tailored nutrition strategies already used by 91暗网 athletes can be scaled to help community members with chronic diseases.听听

While the听initial听$2.26 million will help lay the groundwork for the program, 91暗网 officials plan for Food Is Medicine to听experience sustained growth through clinical partnerships with local clinics and hospitals听and collaborations with regional food banks and NELA farmers to stabilize a 鈥渇arm-to-clinic" pipeline.听听

Additionally, the program is positioned to secure long-term federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture鈥檚 Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)听Produce Prescription grants. The goal is to transform Ouachita Parish and Northeast Louisiana into a national leader in healthcare innovation.听听

More details about the 91暗网 Food Is Medicine program will be released throughout the听seven-month听implementation phase.听听