COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Services Agency

DATE:

August 16, 2004

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 31, 2004

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director of Health Services

Brian Zamora, Director of Public Health and Environmental Protection

SUBJECT:

First 5 San Mateo County Grant

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an agreement with First 5 San Mateo County.

Background

The WIC Program is a federally funded program targeted to low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to five years of age. Achievement of high breastfeeding rates in San Mateo County is one of the program goals and is important because it translates into a range of positive health outcomes for mothers and children. Of particular interest now is the fact that breastfed babies are less likely to have problems of overweight and obesity.

In 2001, First 5 San Mateo County awarded WIC a three-year grant for a Breastfeeding Care Center. Prior to the start of that grant, the November 2000 WIC Info report indicated that 73% of the San Mateo WIC babies aged 4 weeks or younger were breastfed and 41% of babies aged 6 months were still breastfeeding. Both of these measures fell just short of the Healthy 2010 goals of 75% breastfeeding initiation rate and 50% breastfeeding until 6 months of age. However, less than 12% of infants aged 12 months or younger were exclusively breastfed.

After two years of intervention, the July 2003 Breastfeeding Care Center evaluation showed significant improvement in the rate of breastfeeding among WIC program participants. Of the women who entered the WIC program prenatally and attended the prenatal breastfeeding class, 81.1% breastfed infants aged 4 weeks or younger. Further, 51.1% of these women continued to breastfeed at six months and 18.1% of infants aged 12 months or younger were exclusively breastfed.

Because of the success of the first grant, First 5 San Mateo has awarded WIC a three-year continuation grant.

Discussion

The new funds will provide for continuation of the enhanced breastfeeding services offered to WIC participants through the Breastfeeding Care Center (BCC). The overall goal for this project is to increase the number of WIC participants initiating breastfeeding, exclusively breastfeeding, and continuing to breastfeed for longer duration.

The grant supports prenatal breastfeeding education, a toll-free helpline, telephone support, individual counseling to participants, breastfeeding outreach activities, breastfeeding education to healthcare providers, and a breast pump loan program. These activities assist the WIC population to overcome the common obstacles to breastfeeding, such as returning to work soon after the birth of the infant.

Performance Measures

Actual

2001-2003

All Clients²

Actual

2001-2003 BCC Clients³

Objective

2004-2005

BCC Expanded

Increase the percent of WIC clients who initiate breastfeeding

73.0%

81.1%

78%

Increase the percent of exclusively breastfed babies¹

N/A

18.1%

20%

Increase the percent of WIC mothers who are still breastfeeding their babies at six months

43.7%

51.5%

50%

¹ Of all infants under 12 months of age (WIC Info)

² Of all data available (Based on State WIC data)

³ Of clients attending a prenatal breastfeeding class (Based on evaluation of client data records)

Vision Alignment

The agreement with First 5 San Mateo County keeps the commitment to the health of San Mateo County children through goal number 6: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods. The agreement contributes to this commitment and goal by allowing Pre-3 to continue to provide support to parents in high risk families.

Fiscal Impact

The term of the contract will be July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2007. The total funding from the grant is $738,120 over a three-year period, $236,276 for FY 2004-05; $246,360 for FY 2005-06; and $255,484 for FY 2006-07. This grant covers the costs of staff time, operating costs, and some indirect costs. Funding has been included in the adopted FY 2004-05 budget and will be included in future requests. There is no net county cost associated with this grant agreement.