Grundy County health department preparing for federal grant shifts; family case management ends, competitive "Better Birth Outcomes" grant to replace it

Nursing staff reported to the Grundy County Board of Health that a federal family case management grant will be discontinued at the end of the month and that the department has applied for a new, competitive award called "Better Birth Outcomes." Katie, nursing staff, said the new award would target higher‑risk mother–infant dyads rather than the broader income‑eligible population the department previously served.

Katie told the board the family case management grant provided roughly $94,000 to the department and that the replacement grant is competitive and “open to any agency.” She said the department has applied but did not yet know whether it would receive funds.

WIC update: Katie also updated the board on the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC). She said the WIC budget at the state level has been approved but that cash‑value benefit (CVB) amounts for participants were not yet confirmed. She reported that Illinois faces a potential budget decrease that could reduce the CVB for children from $26 to $10 and for pregnant women from $47–$52 down to $13. Katie described those figures as not yet final: “that has not been confirmed yet but … more to come.”

Operational notes and next steps: Katie said two staff members are certified lactation consultants and that the department plans to offer public lactation‑consultant appointments to increase access. She also noted the department’s WIC caseload is increasing and that staff will attend a June 26 state meeting to get further guidance on cash‑value benefits and program changes.

Why it matters: Changes to maternal and child health grants and WIC benefits could reduce services or the amount of nutrition assistance available to participating families in Grundy County. The board asked staff to track state guidance and report back at the next meeting.

Ending: Nursing staff will update the board after the state meeting on June 26 and will continue pursuing grant opportunities to support nursing division services.