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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-09-2003-8nORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 9, 2003 Action Agenda Item No. g- rl SUBJECT: Breastfeeding Education and Support Program /Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program -Two Month Extension DEPARTMENT: N, C. Cooperative Extension PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Fletcher Barber, ,Jr., 245-2050 Carolyn Rudd 218-9267 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider appropriating funds to extend the In-Home Breastfeeding Support Program /Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program for two months from December 31, 2003 through February 29, 2004. BACKGROUND: Cooperative Extension learned on Monday, December 1, 2003 that the funding for the In-Home Breastfeeding Support Program /Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program would be terminated effective December 31, 2003, According to the regional office of Food Stamp Nutrition (FSN) in Atlanta, GA, program funders had determined that "this program is not within the scope of projects they would fund" for 2003 - 2004. This would result in the termination of four Nutrition Program Assistants, two who are bilingual, within the NC Cooperative Extension, Orange County Center, on December 31, 2003, Additionally, present and projected participants (mothers with newborns) would no longer receive what has proved to be a valuable service and family benefit, The In-Home Breasffeeding Support Program pairs women who want to breastfeed their newborns with well-trained, nutrition educators who have breastfed their own children, The program places Breastfeeding Program Assistants in Cooperative Extension Centers (there are two in the Orange County Center) under the supervision of amulti-county Extension Agent who has experience managing community nutrition education programs, A second nutrition education paraprofessional, who is also trained in Breastfeeding education as well as the Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), serves as the Back-up Breastfeeding Education PA (there are two in the Orange County Center), The Back-up's job is to handle case overload and to ensure continuity of service to participants, When not serving in the Breastfeeding capacity, the back-up recruits, enrolls and provides basic nutrition education information from the EFNEP curriculum. N.C, (Orange County Center) Cooperative Extension collaborates with UNC Hospitals, Orange County Health Department, Piedmont Health Services (WIC) and Orange County Department of Social Services. UNC Hospitals provide lactation expertise and facilitate referrals for medical complications. During the 12-month period of October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003, 294 mothers participated in the In-Home Breastfeeding Support Program in Orange County, The number of mothers who initiated breastfeeding before October 1, 2002 was 93. An additional 201 women delivered their babies and initiated breasffeeding during this time. A total of 131 mothers stopped breastteeding between October 1, 2002 and September 30, 2003, The breastteeding duration rates of these 131 women are reflected below: 2 weeks 89% 4 weeks 78% 6 weeks 65% 6 months 54% 1 year 34% According to 1998 statistics, the year for which the most recent national statistics are available, only 29% of mothers are breastfeeding at 6 months post-partum, The program's breastfeeding duration data substantiate that support for breastteeding results in mothers having greater success with breasffeeding and ultimately longer breastfeeding duration rates. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) works with families with young children and pregnant teens to insure that healthy meals are being prepared. EFNEP employees work with these families for a minimum of six (6) teaching visits in their homes or in a small group setting. The EFNEP outcomes are as follows: 70 Customers: 39 Graduated 6 Withdrew 25 Continuing Based on the above numbers, outcomes/impacts are 80% positive dietary change, 93% food resource management practices, 95% nutrition practice and 87,5% food safety practices, The EFNEP Program also worked with thirteen (13) pregnant teens through Orange County Schools involving hands-on learning experiences in nutrition and food safety to insure healthy pregnancy outcomes. Glasses include Basic Nutrition Education, Food Selection & Buying, Food Preparation, Food Safety and Prenatal Care. N,C, (Orange County Center) Cooperative Extension is requesting that the Board of County Commissioners consider providing funding in the approximate amount of $27,000 that would grant a time extension of two months for the In-Home Breastteeding Support Program / Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program and the four impacted program employees. This time extension will enable County staff to more fully evaluate program options and better identify funding alternatives for the Board to consider in the first quarter of 2004, County staff is continuing to work aggressively with the State to secure any future funding commitment and address other operational concerns. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost to continue the In-Home Breastfeeding Support Program / Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program for two months would be approximately $27,000. Funding can be made available through the Human Services Safety Net Reserve that was established by the Board of County Commissioners to be able to maintain important social services that improve the lives and conditions of families and children in Orange County. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the allocation of $27,000 from the Human Services Safety Net Reserve to provide a time extension of two months for the In-Home Breastfeeding Support Program /Expanded Foad & Nutrition Education Program.