National Nutrition Month is a great time to celebrate the successes achieved by the San Juan Basin Health WIC program and highlight additional regional funding received to address client’s nutritional needs.
Since 2002, SJBH has housed the WIC program serving clients in Durango, Ignacio and Pagosa Springs. Funded through federal grants and administered by Colorado agencies, regional WIC educators provide vouchers for nutritious foods, health care referrals and nutrition and breast-feeding education for low-income mothers. Mothers are eligible to participate in the WIC program if they are pregnant, breast-feeding and/or if they have a child younger than 5. Fathers and other caregivers are also encouraged to participate in the program as well.
SJBH was one of 15 health agencies nationwide recently awarded the Community Partnerships for Healthy Mothers and Children Grant from the National WIC Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new funding will allow SJBH to collaborate with strategic partners to identify community needs regarding healthy food access for low-income and WIC-eligible families and develop an evidence-based plan of action with input from selected clients.
WIC focuses on healthy nutrition during pregnancy, as well as the importance of breast-feeding for new mothers. Young children with nutritional deficits are at risk for lifelong nutrition-related health problems, including being overweight, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Colorado overweight and obesity rates for WIC children ages 2 through 4 years have decreased each year since 2013. Reduction of childhood obesity helps prevent chronic diseases and sets the foundation for a lean and healthy life.
Studies show that contact with WIC educators is effective in reducing premature births, low birth-weight babies, fetal and infant deaths, incidence of low-iron anemia and improving diet quality. About 950 mothers and children in this region are currently participating in WIC, and the new funding will allow SJBH to serve additional families. WIC appointments cover topics such as benefits of breast-feeding, limiting screen time, healthy weight gain for pregnancy and other messages from the early childhood obesity prevention campaign created by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Recently, a Spanish-speaking client and her newborn came to a WIC appointment feeling unsure about breast-feeding, confused about how to get on Medicaid and unable to communicate with her doctor’s office to set up her postpartum checkup. Her bilingual WIC educator was able to address each of her concerns, and she left her appointment with vouchers to buy healthy food. Additionally, she was more confident in breast-feeding her infant, was connected with help to enroll in Medicaid and an appointment with her doctor was made by her WIC educator.
With the recent funding award, SJBH is excited to expand the impact of the WIC program by reaching more clients and improving healthy food access and nutrition education.
For more information and to determine WIC eligibility, go to www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wic-eligibility, or call San Juan Basin Health at 335-2018.
Lauren Pope is the assessment, planning and communications specialist at San Juan Basin Health.
