An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program at Four Chicago WIC Sites.

The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides coupons to individuals/families enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to purchase fresh produce from approved farmers markets. While some studies suggest FMNP may improve nutrition for WIC clients, there is limited research on program implementation in practice. A mixed-methods equitable evaluation framework was utilized to: (1) better understand the FMNP in practice at four WIC clinics on Chicago's west and southwest sides that serve predominately Black and Latinx families; (2) detail facilitators and barriers to participation in the FMNP; and (3) describe the potential impact on nutrition. In this manuscript, we present qualitative findings from Aim 1. We identified six steps for how the FMNP has been implemented in our study setting and opportunities to improve the implementation of the program. Findings suggest that well-defined and consistent guidelines on: (1) how to seek state approval for farmers markets; and (2) coupon distribution and redemption, are necessary to optimize utilization. Future research should explore the impact of newly offered electronic coupons on redemption rates and fresh fruit and vegetable purchasing behaviors.

Learning from Graduate and Undergraduate Public Health Virtual Internship Experiences with State Title V Agencies During COVID-19, Summer 2020.

BACKGROUND: Since summer 2014, the National MCH Workforce Development Center has placed students from MCH public health graduate (Centers of Excellence and Catalyst) and undergraduate (MCH Pipeline) programs, all funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, in summer internships with state and territorial Title V agencies. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Title V MCH Internship Program was offered virtually. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This manuscript includes quantitative and qualitative data from 2017 to 2020 generated by both Title V MCH Internship student interns (n = 76) and their preceptors (n = 40) with a focus on a comparison between the 2020 virtual year and the 2017-2019 years. RESULTS: Evaluation data from the 2017 to 2020 Title V MCH Internship Program from both students and preceptors revealed the implementation of a robust and successful internship program in which students increased their confidence in a variety of team, mentorship, and leadership skills while gaining direct exposure to the daily work of state Title V agencies. However, students and preceptors identified more challenges during 2020 compared to previous years. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 Pandemic was both a disruption and a catalyst for change in education. While there were clearly some challenges with the pivot to a virtual Title V MCH Internship Program in summer 2020, students were able to participate in meaningful internship experiences. This success can be attributed to the ability of the internship sponsor to engage in best practices, including extensive planning and provision of ongoing support to the students. Going forward, it is recognized that virtual internships may facilitate access to agencies in distant locales, eliminating issues related to housing and transportation. When both virtual and in-person relationships are available, those responsible for internship programs, including the Title V MCH Internship, will need to weigh these type of benefits against the potential missed opportunities students may have when not able to participate in on-site experiences.

Adapting to a Shifting Health Care Landscape: Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Lead Agencies' Perspectives.

Understanding how safety net programs adapt to systemic health care changes is pivotal for creating feasible recommendations for policy implementation. This study characterizes perspectives of Lead Agency (LA) coordinators of the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) in response to sociopolitical changes at state and national levels. Our cross-sectional study included 29 semistructured telephone interviews between December 2015 and January 2016. Respondents indicated some changes in the priority population served, changes in referrals and clinical services, and, a continued commitment to IBCCP. Our findings suggest that IBCCP and other safety net programs will need to be flexible to meet the ongoing needs of historically vulnerable populations in a complex, shifting environment. Implications for public health practice and policy include the need to ensure that program personnel are aware of evidence-based strategies to reach different priority populations and are kept abreast of organizational and system changes that may affect referral patterns as well as the need to educate health care providers working with safety net programs about changes in the delivery and coordination of services.