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"Using Loving Support
to Implement Best Practices in Peer Counseling™”
builds on the momentum of the successful Loving
Support Makes Breastfeeding Work™
campaign. This project enhances the continuity and consistency
of WIC’s current breastfeeding promotion and support efforts
by combining research and best practices with existing Loving
Support™ community-oriented methods and
materials.
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Overview |
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Key Elements of the Project |
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Loving Support™
Model for a Successful Peer Counseling Program |
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Training |
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Promotional
Brochures - NEW |
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Funding |
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Frequently
Asked Questions |
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WIC
Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Study [PDF] |
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Peer Counseling
Success Stories: Implementing and Expanding Breastfeeding Peer
Counseling Programs [PDF - 49 pages] - NWA Nutrition and
Breastfeeding 2006 Conference. |
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Overview |
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Combining peer counseling with the on-going
breastfeeding promotion efforts in WIC agencies around the country
has the potential to impact breastfeeding rates among WIC participants,
and, most significantly, increase the harder to achieve breastfeeding
duration rates.
FNS’ long-range vision is to institutionalize peer counseling
as a core service in WIC. In 2004, FNS launched "Using
Loving Support to Implement Best Practices in Peer
Counseling™ " a training and technical assistance
project designed to equip WIC Programs with a framework to aid
them in designing, building, maintaining, and sustaining peer
counseling programs. |
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Key Elements
of the Project |
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Formative research to understand barriers and motivators to
implementing and sustaining peer counseling
programs and to identify training needs.
Final Research Brief [PDF -
162 pages]. |
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Identification of best practices and development of
Loving
Support™ Model for successful peer
counseling programs. |
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Development of two training curricula for WIC staff: "Using
Loving Support to Manage Peer
Counseling Programs™ " (designed for State
WIC Directors and State Breastfeeding
Coordinators and Nutrition Coordinators)
and "Loving Support through Peer Counseling™
" (designed for State and
local staff who train peer counselors.) |
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Loving
Support™ Model for a Successful Peer Counseling
Program |
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In 2003, in-depth interviews with WIC
Directors, Nutrition Coordinators, Breastfeeding Coordinators,
and peer counselors in urban and rural WIC settings across the
country were conducted. Non-WIC organizations with peer counseling
programs were also interviewed. The information gathered from
these interviews provided information about the successes of
existing programs, as well as helped FNS gain insight and perspectives
on the needs of State agencies in implementing peer counseling
programs. The information was used to identify best practices,
training needs, and to develop a model for helping WIC States
build and sustain successful peer counseling programs. Loving
Support™ Model. |
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Training |
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In FY 2004, FNS regional offices hosted
the training “Using
Loving Support to Manage Peer Counseling Programs™
" for State-level WIC Program management staff. The
training provided guidance for developing or enhancing a peer
counseling program based on model components of successful programs
identified through the research (Loving Support™
model). |
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In FY 2005, FNS regional offices hosted
the training “Loving
Support Through Peer Counseling™ "
for State teams of WIC staff who are involved in training peer
counselors. The training provides an evidence-based foundation
for the key instructional elements needed to train WIC peer
counselors, the basic skills needed by successful WIC peer counselors,
and strategies for providing appropriate breastfeeding education
and support to WIC mothers. The training materials
are also available in Spanish. |
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Funding |
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The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization
Act of 2004 earmarks up to $20 million per year for special
nutrition education such as breastfeeding peer counseling and
related activities. In fiscal year (FY) 2004, $14.9 million
was appropriated for this additional WIC breastfeeding support
and $14.8 million was appropriated in FY 2005 and FY 2006. State
agencies are using these funds to implement or expand peer counseling
programs in accordance with the Loving Support ™
Model. |
