To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Michelle Estell, RS, MSA, Health Officer
title
RE: Approval of a grant award from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in the amount of $197,767.00, to provide for Genesee County's Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program; the required county match; the budget for this grant is attached
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Acceptance of funding for Special WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling in order to maintain an effective breastfeeding program. Funding Source: MDHHS Amount: Accept $197,767.00 Funding Account: 2210-608.01.Time Period: October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026, Purpose: MDHHS funding will enable Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) to maintain an effective Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program (BFPC).
BACKGROUND:
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program serves pregnant women, infants and children up to five years old. Program participants receive nutritional education, access to healthy food, breastfeeding support and referrals to community resources. Breastfeeding support is integral to the program. MDHHS funding will enable GCHD to maintain an effective Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program.
DISCUSSION:
Funding through MDHHS is used to maintain and expand activities necessary to sustain a peer counseling program. Activities provided with this funding are based on the Food and Nutrition Services/WIC Breastfeeding Model for Peer Counseling. The primary purpose of the BFPC funding is to provide overall breastfeeding support services, including direct peer counseling. Combining peer counseling with ongoing breastfeeding promotion efforts, WIC has the potential to significantly impact breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among program participants.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
This will allow continued funding of 2.7 FTE in the Breastfeeding Program.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Funding will add $197.767.00 to the budget. No County Appropriation is needed.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
There is no anticipated impact on facilities related to this request.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
No, existing technology will be used.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Breastfeeding support and promotion in the WIC program directly contribute to making our community healthy, livable, and safe. Pregnant women and children under age 5 enrolled in WIC are provided with healthy food, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and referrals to other community resources. These services help to avert a range of health problems, thereby reducing future costly medical interventions and treatments.
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Health Officer to authorize accepting grant funds from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (“MDHHS”), in the amount of $197,767.00 with no county appropriation required, and entering into an agreement between Genesee County and MDHHS to maintain an effective Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clients in Genesee County for the period commencing October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and grant award letter being on file with the official records of the May 21, 2025 meeting of the Human Services Committee of this Board), the Health Officer is authorized to sign the award letter, and the Chairperson of the Board is authorized to sign any necessary agreement on behalf of Genesee County.