STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Human and Social Needs
AGENDA DATE: February 26, 2020
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Community Care
EXECUTIVE: Nadia Chandler-Hardy
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SUBJECT
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Authorize the execution of a contract with Child Poverty Action Lab for the period January 22, 2020 February 2, 2020 through January 31, 2021 April 24, 2021 to (1) provide research and technical support to the City of Dallas for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program administered by the City to support efforts to improve client outcomes and increase participation in the WIC Program; (2) fund $13,293.00 in cost to the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the City to provide AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America who will perform volunteer services to the City in support of the WIC Program; and (3) execute all terms, conditions, and documents required by the contract - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
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BACKGROUND
The Office of Community Care (OCC) administers the Supplemental Nutrition Program for WIC, which provides nutritious food, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and social services. In Texas, populations that are eligible for WIC include pregnant or breastfeeding women, infants, families with children younger than five years old, all foster care children under the age of five years old, and single fathers of eligible infants and children, all of which must meet the income guidelines of 185% below the federal poverty level.
Participation rates in the WIC Program have been declining for the past decade until 2019. OCC’s WIC Program has formed a partnership with Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), a nonprofit established as a result of former Mayor Rawlings’ Task Force on Poverty, to identify the causes of decreasing participation levels in the WIC Program. In doing so, OCC and CPAL identified that only 37% of the target population live within two miles of a clinic, and many lack vehicles and alternative forms of transit. Together, WIC and CPAL conducted research with WIC staff, families, and leadership to better understand how potential clients access information about WIC, what factors lead to them participating in the program, what factors may serve as deterrents to participation, and what barriers to participation may exist. OCC and CPAL then developed a WIC Playbook with specific ideas to address the identified issues.
CPAL will provide research and technical support to OCC and the WIC Program to support efforts to improve client outcomes and increase participation in the WIC Program. Additionally, CPAL will pay the cost-share requirement in the amount of $13,293.00 for WIC’s AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America directly to Corporation for National and Community Services (CNCS) in accordance with the contract executed between City of Dallas and CNCS.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
City Council will be briefed by memorandum regarding this matter on February 14, 2020.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.
Funding: CPAL Cost Share $13,293.00 (paid directly to CNCS)