Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Lizelle Lirio de Luna, Director, Family Health Services
Subject: Amendment to the Agreement with the California Department of Public Health for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to the agreement with the California Department of Public Health to increase funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for the term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022, increasing the amount by $33,680 to an amount not to exceed $8,807,729.
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BACKGROUND:
The Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides federal funds to promote healthy eating, breastfeeding support, and access to nutritious foods through direct food benefits to low-income pregnant women, mothers and children up to the age of five in San Mateo County. WIC’s goal is to reduce the incidence of low birth weights and improve the nutritional status of at at-risk low-income mothers and their children.
In San Mateo County, WIC serves 22,000 low-income women and their children by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support, food benefits and active referrals to county health and community services. WIC is often the first point of contact for many families seeking health and social service referrals. WIC formally partners with home visiting programs in Family Health Services (FHS) to identify individuals who would benefit from additional services.
FHS has been receiving funding for the WIC program since 1976.
On October 8, 2019, your Board approved an agreement with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in support of WIC for the term of October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022, in an amount not to exceed $8,926,641.
On September 22, 2020 an amendment was approved by FHS to increase the grant award by the amount of $18,745 to supplement WIC services to an amount not to exceed $8,945,386.
On June 29, 2021, your Board approved an amendment to decrease the grant award by the amount of $171,337, a combination of reducing $301,640 in funding for the Regional Breastfeeding Liaison Program and adding $130,303 for the H.R. 6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act, for a total amount not to exceed $8,774,049.
DISCUSSION:
This amendment is adding $33,680 from CDPH to better support WIC needs and allow WIC to promote healthy eating, breastfeeding support, and access to nutritious foods. Within the amendment, funds were also shifted from prior years to the third year of the contract (Year 3), to accommodate anticipated expenses.
The amendment and resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
This amendment has been created with the FHS director as the signatory. In order to minimize funding delays, FHS seeks your Board’s authorization for the FHS director or their designee to sign the agreement, in lieu of your Board.
The Board is being asked to authorize the FHS director or their designee to execute subsequent amendments which do not exceed an aggregate of $25,000.
It is anticipated that an average of 8,000 individuals will receive WIC benefits monthly, and 50% of babies in WIC will be breastfed at any time, by six months of age.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2020-21 Actual |
FY 2021-22 Estimated |
|
Average number of individuals who receive WIC benefits monthly |
7,761 individuals |
8,000 individuals |
|
Percentage of babies breastfed at any time, by six months of age |
49% 731/1,492 babies |
50% 750/1,500 babies |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the amended agreement is October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022. The total federal funds included in the amended agreement is not to exceed $8,807,729 for the three-year-term. Funds in the amount of $2,843,353 are included in the FHS FY 2021-22 Recommended Budget. The Net County Cost associated with this agreement is $1,568,161 per year. Similar arrangements will be made for future years.