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Grant Application - FY2027 Alliance for Children-Smart Start Peer Breastfeeding Support Continued Grant Funding
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephanie Starr, Human Services Agency - Community Support and Outreach, Director, 704-296-4302
ACTION REQUESTED:
Authorize the County Manager to submit the associated grant application and make necessary assurances and certifications associated with the grant application as substantially consistent with this agenda item, which includes the authorization to execute documents related to award of the grant and budget funds as appropriate.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
None.
BACKGROUND:
The Human Services Agency Community Support and Outreach Department seeks approval to apply for FY2027 Smart Start grant funding to support the Peer Breastfeeding Support program. Part of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, the Breastfeeding Support Program was established in 2000 and is available for at-risk pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants. The Program provides prenatal and postpartum support and education to WIC Program participants and Union County residents, which includes prenatal breastfeeding classes, one-on-one consults from a breastfeeding peer counselor, an after-hours telephone hotline, and issuance of various breastfeeding supplies.
Breastfeeding is the recommended source of nutrition and preventative health care for the first six months of life and is recommended to be continued for at least one year. Many health and scientific organizations support the benefits of breastfeeding, which is associated with a decreased risk of acute otitis media, nonspecific gastroenteritis, asthma, lower respiratory infection, atopic dermatitis, obesity, childhood leukemia, type I and type II diabetes, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) for infants and children. It is also prescribed for infants for a variety of reasons such as mal-absorption, congenital anomalies, feeding intolerance, gut priming and immunologic deficiencies. Lack of breastfeeding may be detrimental to maternal health, increasing the risk of developing certain chronic conditions and cancers, and may also lead to quicker additional pregnancies as women may not experience the fertility reduction associated with lactation amenorrhea that occurs when fully breastfeeding. Breastfeeding success is associated with accurate, up-to-date education and support.
Prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding promotion, education, and support are helpful in building confidence in new mothers, preparing them for what to expect when their infant arrives, and increasing duration and initiation rates. Breastfeeding Peer Counselors significantly improve initiation rates and have been shown to have a positive effect on duration of breastfeeding by providing support from someone who has also breastfed.
In FY2026, the Peer Breastfeeding Support Program received $62,807. All funding was expended in FY2025, primarily for personnel-related expenses, and we expect the same in FY2026 and FY2027.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
In FY2026, the Peer Breastfeeding Support Program received $62,807 in grant funding and the FY2027 amount is anticipated to remain approximately the same. The FY2027 cost to Union County is an in-kind contribution of 19%, which is typically provided by the Human Services Agency through County personnel (WIC personnel and contracted services provided by WIC’s regional breastfeeding coordinator) and $6,400 for use of office space. We will know the exact funding amount for which we are eligible when the RFP is released in January 2026.