Caseload Management (CM) CM-3 Community Outreach and Participant Retention 1

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention WIC Nutrition Program Effective: October 1, 2012

Policy No. CM-3 Revised: October 1, 2022

Community Outreach and Participant Retention

Authority 7 CFR §246.4(a)(5)(i-ii), (6), (7), (19-22); §246.7(a) and (b); 22 MRSA §255 and §1951; 10-144 CMR Chapter 286, § II.Q

Policy

1. Each Local Agency shall develop and implement a community outreach and participant retention plan. 2. The Local Agency community outreach and participant retention plan shall coordinate the Maine CDC WIC Nutrition Program with other programs and services that serve potential WIC applicants/participants. 3. Local Agencies may develop their own outreach materials to meet the needs of the communities they serve. 4. The Local Agency community outreach and participant retention plan shall include special populations, see Policy CR-7, Special Populations. 5. The State Agency shall develop general outreach materials for use by local agencies, which may be tailored to meet community needs.

5.1 Any alterations to State developed outreach materials must be approved by the State Agency prior to dissemination.

6. The State Agency shall develop and implement an annual statewide outreach plan, based on programmatic needs.

Procedures

1. Outreach activities shall include but not be limited to informational posters, brochures, and displays in public places, presentations at meetings and clubs, health fairs, webpages, social media and advertisements in local newspapers. 1.1. Local Agency outreach materials shall include the Non-Discrimination Statement in accordance with policy CR-1, Public Notification Requirements and Nondiscrimination Notification.

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1.2. The Local agency is not required to use the CDC logo, however the Local Agency does choose to use the CDC logo on agency developed materials, they must be approved by the State Agency prior to dissemination. 2. Local Agencies shall conduct community engagement activities. 2.1. Community outreach efforts shall include two areas of concentration chosen by the Local Agency. 2.2. Outreach to community providers serving mothers and children shall be included. See Appendix CM-3-A Outreach Targets for a listing of potential community providers. 3. Local Agencies shall conduct participant retention activities. 3.1. Participant retention efforts shall focus on strategies including such as: 3.1.1. Messaging to encourage income-eligible families to keep appointments. 3.1.2. Same day contacts when appointments are missed to set up another appointment 3.1.3. Follow up with authorized representatives who do not respond to missed appointment text or phone call message with request to reschedule. 3.1.4. Follow up with authorized representatives for participants listed on monthly termination reports. 3.1.5. Group sessions that meet needs of participants 3.1.6. Encourage the use of online Nutrition Education modules to complete appointments at a time that works best for the participant. 3.1.7. Same day walk-in appointments 3.1.8. Partner with medical providers to encourage WIC participation at well-child visits 3.1.8.1. Discuss services provided by program with health care provider staff 3.1.8.2. Provide program materials to health care provider offices 3.1.9. Partner with staff from other programs to encourage continued WIC participation, including but not limited to: 3.1.9.1. Head Start 3.1.9.2. Maine Families Home Visiting Program 3.1.9.3. Public Health Nursing 3.1.9.4. Summer Feeding Programs 3.1.9.5. DHHS Office of Family Independence

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3.2. Local Agency Directors shall monitor rates of participation decrease by participant category and clinic. 4. State and local agencies may use any of the following formats to inform the public about program benefits: 4.1. Newspapers 4.2. Television 4.3. Radio 4.4. Posters 4.5. Letters 4.6. Brochures/pamphlets 4.7. Websites/social media 4.8. Face-to-face communication 5. Local Agency community outreach and participant retention plans shall be submitted to the State Agency no later than November 30 and as a part of the annual report. 5.1. The annual report shall provide the Local Agency’s self-evaluation of the previous year’s activities. 5.2. Updates to the community outreach and participant retention plan shall be submitted to the State Agency as major changes occur within the community or the Local Agency during the federal fiscal year. 5.3. Local Agency community outreach and participant retention plans will be assessed for adequacy and quality of services at Local Agency management evaluation reviews (MER). 5.4. The Local Agency community outreach and participant retention plan along with associated activities and outcome measures shall be documented and kept on file for three (3) years plus the current year. 5.5. Local agencies will keep an Outreach log which will be reviewed upon SA request. Local Agencies can use Appendix-CM-3-B Outreach Log or create their own tracking method which will include a minimum of: 5.5.1. Date of activity 5.5.2. Type of activity (event, community partner meetings, published newspaper article, social media posts etc) 5.5.3. Location 5.5.4. Materials provided (copies of handouts, wording for social media posts/texts) 5.5.5. Estimate of potentially eligible population reached/attendee

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5.6 The State Agency shall provide technical assistance to Local Agencies in promoting collaboration between the Maine CDC WIC Nutrition Program and other community service providers.