REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 14, 2023
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Grant Agreement with the California Department of Public Health for the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to County Contract No. 22-795 (Grant Agreement No. 22-10281) with the California Department of Public Health for the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program, increasing the grant agreement by $13,464, from $41,727,837 to $41,741,301, with no change to the contract period of October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025.
(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). The increased grant award in the amount of $41,741,301 from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program does not require a local match. The additional $13,464 was awarded to cover expenses associated with local agency participation on four State WIC Committees. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2022-23 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The WIC Nutrition Program provides multiple services including breastfeeding information and support, nutrition education, referrals to healthcare and other community resources, and provision of the WIC Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to purchase identified foods selected for their nutrient content. DPH uses WIC funding to provide nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support, and supplemental food to an allocated monthly caseload of 59,130 individuals, at an estimated annual cost of $235 per participant. Eligibility for participation in the WIC Nutrition Program is determined by the household’s annual income, being below 185 percent of the United States Poverty Income Guidelines, and the assessment of nutrition risk. Participants receive a WIC EBT card to purchase nutritious foods at nearly 200 WIC-authorized stores throughout San Bernardino County.
DPH’s WIC Nutrition Program activities help low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children throughout San Bernardino County eat well and stay healthy. Participants receive monthly WIC benefits via an EBT card to purchase authorized food items such as milk, cheese, eggs, cereal, peanut butter, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole grains selected to supplement their diets with beneficial nutrients. WIC Nutrition Program funding is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services to CDPH who in turn allocates funds to local agencies to administer to local communities. DPH has received WIC funding since 1977.
On April 12, 2022 (Item No. 30), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the submission of the grant application to CDPH for the WIC Nutrition Program, in the amount of $41,727,837, for the period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2025.
On September 13, 2022 (Item No. 45), the Board accepted the grant and approved Contract No. 22-795 (Grant Agreement No. 22-10281) with CDPH for the WIC Nutrition Program, in the amount of $41,727,837, for the period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2025.
On January 24, 2023, DPH received the recommended amendment to the grant award agreement (Grant Agreement No. 22-10281) from CDPH for the WIC Nutrition Program, increasing the award by $13,464, from $41,727,837 to $41,741,301, with no change to the contract period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2025. This is the second amended award letter received from CDPH. DPH did not participate during the state’s first amendment open period.
The additional $13,464 was awarded to cover expenses associated with local agency participation on four State WIC Committees (Education Committee, Breastfeeding Committee, Outreach Committee, and Data Users Committee). Selected individuals applied to serve on State WIC Committees and were selected to serve as local agency representatives. For 2024 and 2025, $1,683 was awarded per year for each of the four committee representatives.
This item is being presented to the Board at this time, as this is the first date available following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board at this time will have no impact on DPH’s services or activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 27, 2023; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on February 27, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on February 27, 2023.