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Scott County WIC staff report steady utilization, peer breastfeeding support linked to higher initiation
Summary
WIC staff told the county board that they re‑applied for the federal five‑year cycle, reported $1.5 million in local WIC purchases in federal 2025, and presented data showing peer support increases breastfeeding initiation and one‑year duration among participants.
Jody, speaking for the county’s WIC operations, described the program’s hybrid service model since 2022, clinic locations across Scott and Carver counties and outreach at rural libraries and schools, and the county’s ongoing reapplication for the five‑year WIC grant.
Program goals include increasing utilization of issued benefits (Jody said about 60% of issued WIC benefits are used). Jody described practical steps staff are trying to increase utilization, such as distributing recipe cards that use WIC foods and pre‑visit reports to review benefit use with clients.
On economic impact, Jody said federal‑year 2025 WIC food purchases amounted to about $1.5 million in Scott County. She emphasized that approximately one‑third of those purchases are fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables under the current package.
Jody highlighted health outcomes and program supports: prenatal WIC access was associated with lower low‑birthweight rates in the county’s internal slides, and anemia screening and hemoglobin monitoring are routine. She described a peer breastfeeding support program that, by Jody’s figures, was associated with a 96% initiation rate among supported families and a 45% one‑year breastfeeding duration with peer support versus 23.7% without.
WIC staff also reported stronger referral connections to family home visiting since WIC moved into county administration, and they are pursuing higher utilization and continued clinic access across multiple community sites. The board received the report; no vote occurred.
