Title
AGREEMENT WITH THE KANSAS CHILDREN'S SERVICE LEAGUE (KCSL) TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM SERVICES UNDER THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT (KDHE) HEALTHY BABIES PROGRAM AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Presented by: Claudia Blackburn, Health Department Director.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the agreement and authorize the Chairman to sign; and establish budget authority as provided in the financial considerations section of this request.
Body
Background:
KCSL is a statewide not-for-profit agency providing a continuum of programs and services, advocating for children, and collaborating with other public and private agencies for increased effectiveness, efficiency and quality. KCSL serves over 40,000 children a year statewide.
KCSL has been providing Healthy Families home visitation services across Kansas since 1996, and is currently offering the program in 16 Kansas counties. Healthy Families Sedgwick County was awarded funding in January 2010 and they began serving families in March of 2010.
Healthy Babies and Healthy Families America (HFA) programs work hand-in-hand to wrap services around at-risk families, addressing physical, mental, social and emotional needs of the families we serve. Since 2000, the average annual number of births in Sedgwick County has been 7,814 and research shows (Wiese & Daro, 1995) that as many as 25% (or 1,954) of those families would have multiple risk factors and could benefit from Healthy Babies and/or HFA services.
Enrollment for both programs occurs during the prenatal period. The Healthy Babies program provides services until the baby is two years old; HFA provides services until the child is three years old, or up to five years of age when necessary. While the focus of the Healthy Babies group education program is on improving birth outcomes among at-risk moms, the focus of the KCSL program is to prevent child abuse, promote positive parenting, enhance school readiness and improve child health among at-risk families. Weekly home visitation, case management, 24/7 crisis support and child health and development screenings are priority services provided to each enrolled family.
The HFA home visitor helps with goal-setting and educates on a variety of topics, such as infant and child physical and mental health and development, parent and child bonding and interaction, money management, problem solving, the completion of school, job hunting, housing assistance and connection to community resources. Studies show families who participate in such programs are less likely to require the intervention of social services later in a child’s life.
Expected measurable outcomes:
• By 12/31/2014, decrease the Low Birth Weight (LBW) rate of program participants to 5.0%. (CY2009 = 15.78%)
• By 12/31/2013, decrease the Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) rate of program participants to 1.0%. (CY2009 = 3.5%)
• By 12/31/2013, decrease the Prematurity rate of program participants to 4.0%. (CY2009 = 8.77%)
Analysis:
Healthy Babies partnered with the former Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA) for nearly a decade (2002-2011) to promote best practices in providing prevention/early intervention services to high risk prenatal and delivered moms in Sedgwick County. On July 1, 2011, KHPA was transferred to the KDHE through an executive reorganization. In support of the Healthy Babies program, KDHE is renewing their agreement with us for the 2012/2013 contract year, for a total of $1,000,000.
The Healthy Babies portion of the total grant award is $854,000, with a required match in funding of $854,000 to be provided through existing Health Department budget as reflected in the previous agenda item. The remaining $146,000 will be awarded via a subcontract with the Kansas Children's Service League (KCSL) as reflected in this agenda request. The non-federally funded required match for the KCSL portion will be provided by a donation/award from United Way of the Plains in the amount of $146,000.
Alternatives:
The funding for this contract comes from a contract the Health Department has with the KDHE for the draw-down of Medicaid funds. Only a state, city, county, special purpose district or other governmental unit has taxing authority or has direct access to tax revenues and may certify matching funds. Therefore, the only way KCSL can access this funding stream is via an agreement with a government agency. If the Health Department does not contract with KCSL, the alternative is for KCSL to contract with another government agency who meets the above criteria or to not contract with anyone for this funding stream.
Financial Considerations:
The total amount of the KCSL agreement is $292,000; ($146,000 - private foundation funding* match paid to Sedgwick County and $146,000 - federal funding).
Funds will be managed through 38109-274/381095-13 (KCSL) and 38059-274/380595-13 (KDHE). This agreement will be effective for the period of July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.
*The $146,000 comes through the United Way to Sedgwick County as a match and Sedgwick County reimburses KCSL; the remaining $146,000 comes as a Federal revenue to Sedgwick County which is used to reimburse KCSL for the total expenses on a quarterly basis, not to total more than $292,000. KCSL will be responsible for submitting KDHE-required quarterly and annual data and narrative reports as well as certified match reports to the Health Department who will then compile their data with the Health Department’s data and submit it to KDHE. The Health Department will send quarterly payments to KCSL based on timely receipt of reports, match availability and receipt of funding from KDHE.
Legal Considerations: The authority to enter into the Agreement with KCSL is granted by K.S.A. 19 -101. Approval is by simple majority vote.
Policy Considerations: No.
Outside Attendees: No.
Multimedia Presentation: No.