REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 24, 2024
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding Template for Hospital-Grade Breast Pump Loans
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve non-financial master Memorandum of Understanding template for the Department of Public Health to provide hospital-grade breast pumps to San Bernardino County hospitals for use by Women, Infants and Children Program participants, effective upon execution through September 23, 2029.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health or Assistant Director of the Department of Public Health to execute the Memorandum of Understanding template with individual agencies on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as this master Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) template is non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program provides supplemental benefits for a variety of healthy foods, nutrition education, support for breastfeeding, and referrals to other services in the community.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and supports continued breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced for two years or beyond. Research shows that breastmilk protects against infection and certain diseases, including fewer allergies, ear infections, less diarrhea and constipation, and less colic.
DPH aims to improve access to hospital-grade breast pumps for use by a birthing parent who is separated from their newborn baby when the baby requires care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With an ample supply of hospital-grade breast pumps, hospitals can provide WIC mothers with immediate access to breast pumps following the birth of their child, increasing the availability of breastmilk for the infant, and improving infant health outcomes.
Through MOUs with hospitals located throughout the county, DPH will focus on increasing health equity by making breastfeeding support and breast pumps more readily available to WIC participants while in the hospital and upon discharge from the hospital. WIC participants will return the breast pump to their local WIC office when it is no longer needed; DPH will be responsible for sterilizing the breast pumps for future use.
DPH recommends approval of the master MOU template to improve access to hospital-grade breast pumps for use by birthing WIC participating parents who are separated from their newborn babies for medical reasons, thereby improving health outcomes for the infants.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 8, 2024; Risk Management (Greg Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst II, 386-9008) on July 31, 2024; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on September 5, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on September 5, 2024.