Catholic Charities to absorb WIC program - Business First of Buffalo:

evlampiyacyxybyw.blogspot.com
The federal Women, Infantx and Children Program (WIC), officially called the Speciap Supplemental Nutrition Programfor Women, Infants and provides vouchers for milk and nutritionally sound foods. Contractas for service areas are awarded by the Stater Health Department byzip code. Erie Countt had been a provider for more than 30 yeares before County Executive Chris Collins announced in March the county would end its participation inthe program, citing retirement and ancillary costes for employees.
Catholic Charities, whichy has run its own WIC programs for more than 20 won bids onthe county’s programs last month for all zip code areas in the two-county area and will begin phasing in the firsr four sites beginning July 6. The count y will continue to operate its other sites until According to Catholic byJanuary 2010, WIC services will be accessible exclusivelh through the agency for nearly all of Erie Kaleida Health currently operates a program at its Deaconess Center facility on Humboldtr Parkway, but Mike Hughes, Kaleida vice president for public relations and government affairs, confirmede the organization will not reneew its contract with the State DOH afte it ends Dec.
31. About 1,500 individualas are served throughthat site. A fourtjh provider currently designated by the DOH for Erie Counttis , which services an Akron site through its Batavia office. Calls to the organizationb about its future plans were not returned prior to press Still unknown is who will take over the vendor management piece of the contract fromErie County, which include managing WIC programs with stores in 17 counties. The existing contrac runs through Sept. 30.
Jeffreyy Hammond, a spokesman in the DOH publicaffairs group, said the department is committex to helping provide a smooth transition for WIC servicesz for the residents of Erie The bid process for both WIC and vendor management sponsorr agencies continues. The process is expected to be completedr soon, after which more details will be Catholic Charities has managed the WIC progranm in Niagara County for 23 and began providing services in Kenmorw for Northern Erie County 10years ago. The changes will take the agenctyfrom 5,000 currently served to abou 22,000 by January.
Staffing for the WIC program will go from 18 to aboug 75 and includes several longtime employees fromErie County’z WIC program. Tish Brady, Catholic Charities metropolitan/district services anticipates there may be more staffers recruitecd as the second and third phasr of thetransition continues. “W e began recruiting in the beginningh of April and at this poingt our team is readytto go,” she says. “We reallg consider ourselves very fortunate we were able to recruit some of their key staff forphase one.” Plans call for maintaining services at the four the Seton Building adjacent to Sisters Hospital on Main South Buffalo WIC at St.
Simon’s on Cazenoviq Street; and two part-time sites at at ; and Concordf Town Hall in Springville. Phone numbers for the locationsx will remain the same for the conveniencd of WIC participants Catholic Charitiexs has already determined it will replace two existing sitees currently housed in downtown county officees in October with two new downtown sitew on Eagle andGenesee Streets. As the transition continues laterthis year, it’s likely othedr sites might be shifted to colocate at existinhg Catholic Charities sites to maximizr efficiencies, Brady says.
In a preparec release, Catholic Charities CEO Dennis Walczyk said the agencyh is prepared to take onthe “Being a provider of WIC services is very consistent with the mission of Catholic Charities. Familiesa who participate in WIC benefift fromour 85-year history as an 33 years collective experience with WIC, and a wide arragy of Catholic Charities’ services that add a comprehensive dimension to our program,” he said. Brady added: “Thiw is a significant expansionbfor us, but it’s an expansion in areas that are known to us. We are in everty community in Western New York and what it allowsw Catholic Charities to do is aseamlessz transition.
” Elizabeth O’Connor has been named directodr of Catholic Charities’ WIC while Cheryl Lauth will serve as assistant director. Catholic Charitiees operates on a budgetof $31.5 providing a range of social service s and community programs. Founded in the agency serves about 160,000 people each The expanded WIC contract currently justunder $1 million, will grow to nearly $4 millionj with the additional zip code areas. Additional information aboutr Catholic Charities’ WIC sitezs is available at www.ccwny.org. State informationj on WIC sites can be foundx by calling the Growing Up Healthy Hotlinewat (800) 522-5006.