Education and Navigation Programs to Promote Food and Nutrition Security Among People With Serious Mental Illness

Top Things to Know

For people with SMI, programs must include tailored education and navigation support to ensure these individuals can access and use food as a therapeutic tool.

Leveraging individuals with lived experience can enhance the effectiveness of FIM programs by building trust, reducing stigma, and improving engagement.

FIM initiatives should be embedded within broader recovery-oriented care models that include transportation assistance, in-person guidance, and culturally relevant education to address the full spectrum of barriers faced by people with SMI.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

This article explores how food and nutrition insecurity disproportionately affects individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), contributing to significantly higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of government and community-based food programs (such as SNAP, WIC, and food-as-medicine prescriptions) people with SMI often face cognitive, social, and systemic barriers that prevent them from accessing these resources. The study highlights the effectiveness of education and navigation strategies in helping individuals with SMI understand, access, and utilize food and nutrition services. These strategies include tailored education, real-time support from navigators, and peer-led interventions that build trust and cultural relevance. The integration of peer navigators, though not yet widely studied in food contexts, has shown promise in improving engagement in health services. The findings suggest that combining education with hands-on navigation can significantly enhance food security and overall health outcomes for people with SMI.