CashRx
CashRx is Bread for the City's first in-house guaranteed income program, providing DC medical/health clinic patients living with chronic health conditions (e.g., hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, depression, anxiety) with monthly cash transfers as a "prescription for cash" to address negative social determinants of health. Participants themselves determine their monthly cash amount, typically $1,100-$1,400, with staff support via a needs worksheet. It launched in fall 2023 with an initial cohort of 5 patients and planned to add 5-10 more in 2024. The program is funded by private philanthropic sources, including the Greater Washington Community Foundation's Health Equity Fund and grants from the Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation and Hartfield Foundation.
Cash as medicine, Social prescribing, Medical guaranteed income, Participant-determined amount, Chronic health conditions, Washington DC
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Bread for the City
- City
- Washington
- State / Province
- District of Columbia
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 202 265 2400
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 24
- Funding type
- Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 24,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 2,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct Deposit, Debit Card
- Benefit details
Participants themselves choose their monthly cash amount using a staff-assisted worksheet reflecting their individual health and financial goals; reported first-phase amounts averaged $1,100-$1,400/month, with Bread for the City setting a tentative informal ceiling around $2,000/month. Payments run for 12 months. Recipients have reportedly spent funds predominantly on food and housing, and also report reduced stress around bills and increased ability to buy culturally important or health-supportive items (e.g., specialty diets, eyewear).
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Participants must be existing Bread for the City medical/health clinic patients living with a chronic health condition (e.g., hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, depression, anxiety) and facing negative social determinants of health, and be DC residents. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients are intentionally excluded because guaranteed income would jeopardize their SSI eligibility under federal income/asset limits. No other numeric income or asset thresholds were publicly disclosed.
Health
- Health conditions
- Chronic health conditions and negative social determinants of health, including hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, depression, and anxiety
Financial
- Currently receiving government benefits
- Disqualifying
Geography
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Washington DC
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
Managed in-house by Bread for the City's Economic Security team (a formal outside research institution partnership was described by the org as 'possibly forthcoming' but not yet confirmed). Participants are required to complete quarterly check-ins; early self-reported findings indicate reduced stress about utilities/rent/food and improved food and housing security. No published external evaluation report was located as of this research date.
Application Process
- How to apply
Not an open general application; participants are drawn from Bread for the City's existing medical/health clinic patient population. Prospective participants are identified and screened through internal referral, questionnaires, and check-ins with Bread for the City's Economic Security and health teams before each phase's cohort is finalized.
- Selection process
Bread for the City's health and Economic Security teams select patients from their clinic population who have chronic health conditions and SDOH-related needs; staff then work one-on-one with each selected participant on a worksheet to determine their individualized monthly cash amount before disbursement begins.
