The proposed legislation establishes the Food is Medicine NJ Pilot Program within the Department of Human Services (DHS) to address the significant public health challenges posed by diet-related diseases and food insecurity in New Jersey. The program aims to integrate nutrition services into the healthcare system by providing medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and nutrition education to Medicaid recipients diagnosed with chronic illnesses. The initiative is designed to serve up to 3,000 high-risk Medicaid recipients with complex chronic conditions and an additional 7,000 at-risk individuals. The bill appropriates $5,000,000 for the program's implementation and mandates the DHS to contract with a third-party evaluator to assess the program's effectiveness in reducing healthcare costs and improving health outcomes.

The legislation highlights the urgent need for such a program, citing that diet-related diseases are leading causes of death and healthcare spending in the state, with significant costs associated with food insecurity. The program will require participants to be enrolled in NJ FamilyCare and referred by a healthcare provider, with specific chronic conditions qualifying for participation. The DHS is tasked with reporting interim findings to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of enactment, with a final report due by the end of the three-year pilot period. The program will expire upon submission of the final evaluation report unless extended by the Legislature.