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History and Evolution of Peer Counseling in Connecticut WIC The following is a brief history and evolution of Connecticut’s peer counseling program as it responds to new research and fluctuations in available resources.

The State WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator has been part of the WIC Breastfeeding Unit since 2016. The State WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator has a Master of Science in Nutrition is IBCLC, RD and brought her experience, managing a WIC- clinic and peer counseling program at the Fair Haven WIC office, to the State agency.

BREASTFEEDING HERITAGE AND PRIDE: HISPANIC HEALTH COUNCIL, HARTFORD HOSPITAL PROGRAM SERVING THE HARTFORD WIC (AND A FEW NEIGHBORING LOCATIONS)

The Breastfeeding, Heritage, and Pride (BHP) breastfeeding peer counseling program was initially funded through a grant received by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) in 1993. It continues to be jointly operated by the Hispanic Health Council (HHC) and Hartford Hospital (HH). In 2005, using USDA WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling funds, CT DPH WIC Program, entered a contract with the HHC to expand the BHP program to include two additional full-time peer counselors and administrative support. A 2004, CDC-funded, randomized, controlled trial of the BHP (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004; 158:897-902) concluded that peer counselors can significantly improve breastfeeding initiation rates and have an impact on breastfeeding rates at 1- and 3-months post-partum. At the conclusion of FY 2020 USDA FNS WIC funds were redirected from HHC to the City of Hartford of clinic- based peer counseling services.

NEW HAVEN WIC BREASTFEEDING PEER COUNSELING PROGRAM FORMALLY: BREASTFEEDING HERITAGE AND PRIDE:

In 2009, the BHP model of peer counseling was expanded to Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). The program was originally established using WIC Nutrition Services and Administration funding and was planned to staff one full-time Lactation Consultant, Peer Counseling Coordinator and 2 full-time peer counselors. The program is primarily funded with Connecticut’s USDA WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling grant and some resources from YNHH. The program now has one IBCLC and 4 peer counselors.

WIC BREASTFEEDING PEER COUNSELING: LEARN TOGETHER, GROW TOGETHER In 2011, the Connecticut WIC Program established a pilot breastfeeding peer counseling program in three (3) WIC local agencies with existing IBCLC’s on staff (New Haven-Fair Haven site, TVCCA and Access (DKH site). Planning meetings occurred between October 2010 and January 2011 and the BHP protocol and documentation forms were modified to accommodate the more traditional WIC peer counseling model embedded in a WIC clinic.