[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38108-38109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16289]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Request for Public Comments for Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Local Agency Recognition
of Exemplary Breastfeeding Support Practices
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces a request for public comments on the
approach for selecting and awarding local agencies for excellence in
WIC breastfeeding services and support. Section 231 of the Healthy,
Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296, requires that the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) establish a program to recognize
WIC local agencies and clinics that demonstrate exemplary breastfeeding
promotion and support activities. USDA believes that public input on
the development of the recognition program would be beneficial.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow
online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
Mail: Address comments to: Debra R. Whitford, Director,
Supplemental Food Programs Division, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA,
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 520, Alexandria, VA 22302.
Respondents are strongly encouraged to submit comments through
http://www.regulations.gov, as it will simplify the review of their
input and help to ensure that it receives full consideration. All
comments submitted in response to this notice will be included in the
record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that
the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or
entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure.
All comments will be made available publicly on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Clark, Chief, Nutrition
Services Branch, Supplemental Food Programs Division, Food and
Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 520, Alexandria,
VA 22302. (703) 305-2746.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Historically, the WIC Program has promoted breastfeeding as the
optimal method of infant feeding, unless medically contraindicated.
Breastfeeding promotion and support is a critical component of the
services the WIC Program provides to pregnant and postpartum
participants. As evidence has grown surrounding the importance of
breastfeeding to the health of mothers and babies, WIC has further
expanded initiatives to reinforce these activities as a priority for
the WIC Program. WIC's recent efforts surrounding breastfeeding
promotion and support include changing the WIC food packages to provide
enhanced packages for fully breastfeeding mothers, expanding the WIC
Peer Counselor Program, and establishing WIC Breastfeeding Performance
Bonus awards to State agencies. This local agency recognition program
will complement these and other Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
initiatives currently underway that seek to promote and increase
breastfeeding among WIC participants. It will also complement other
Federal initiatives, such as the Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS)-led initiative, The Surgeon General's Call to Action to
Support Breastfeeding, as well as the recent requirement in the Patient
Protection and Healthcare Reform Act (Pub. L. 111-148), that became
effective in 2010, that most employers provide a reasonable break time
for breastfeeding mothers. All of these initiatives work towards the
common goal to meet national objectives specified in the recently
released DHHS Healthy People 2020, which includes an expansion of
[[Page 38109]]
the previously established 2010 breastfeeding objectives.
While all WIC local agencies are required to implement policies and
procedures to provide breastfeeding support and assistance throughout
the prenatal and postpartum period, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
of 2010 (HHFKA) requires USDA to implement a program to recognize
exemplary breastfeeding support practices at WIC local agencies and
clinics. This program is expected to provide models and motivate other
local agencies and clinics to strengthen their breastfeeding promotion
and support activities. The HHFKA also authorizes the appropriation of
funds for this local agency recognition program.
USDA plans to begin recognizing exemplary agencies and clinics
during fiscal year 2012. Awards may be monetary or non-monetary, based
on the availability of funds. USDA will develop and implement this
recognition program through careful consideration of information from
existing recognition and incentive programs, key stakeholder input, and
public comments to develop recognition award criteria and application
procedures.
II. Key Issues on Which Public Comment is Requested
In recognizing exemplary local agencies and clinics, the HHFKA
requires that the Secretary consider:
(1) Performance measurements of breastfeeding;
(2) The effectiveness of a peer counselor program;
(3) The extent to which the agency or clinic has partnered with
other entities to build a supportive breastfeeding environment for
women participating in WIC; and
(4) Other criteria the Secretary considers appropriate after
consultation with State and local program agencies.
This notice serves as one means of consulting with State and local
agencies and the general public. FNS would like comments on the
criteria for the recognition, specifically:
(1) What additional elements should FNS consider as a component of
the selection criteria for this local agency recognition program?
(2) What sources of data or information are available to support
this recognition process?
Dated: June 23, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-16289 Filed 6-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P