WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors Formula Grant Summary

The Ohio Department of Health received a $2.08M formula grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC, CFDA 10.557) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This funding supports the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors initiative, which provides specialized breastfeeding promotion and support services as a core component of Ohio's WIC program. The grant delivers evidence-based breastfeeding counseling and peer support services to income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who meet nutritional risk criteria across Ohio's 88 counties through partnerships with local health departments and WIC clinics.

The breastfeeding peer counselor program enhances WIC's comprehensive nutrition assistance services by leveraging trained peer counselors to provide culturally competent, accessible breastfeeding education and support. This initiative complements WIC's three core program components—supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and social services—with specialized emphasis on breastfeeding promotion and lactation support. The two-year funding supports the administrative and operational infrastructure necessary to recruit, train, and deploy peer counselors throughout Ohio's WIC service delivery network, thereby improving breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among economically vulnerable populations.