MORGANTOWN – The West Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Nutrition Services announced Wednesday that it is supporting the Monongalia and Marion County WIC Clinics in launching the Learn the Signs, Act Early (LTSAE) initiative as part of a new pilot program aimed at enhancing developmental screening for young children.
The Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD) has received a $25,000 grant from the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) to implement The Developmental Monitoring Project. The program will equip WIC participants with information about early childhood developmental milestones and provide guidance on how to intervene when signs of developmental delays are detected.
The project, which is set to run this month through September, will offer WIC clinics in Monongalia and Marion Counties access to technical assistance from ASPHN and the CDC. Staff will participate in monthly training webinars and in-person meetings with an ASPHN project manager to ensure comprehensive implementation of developmental screening protocols.
“This project will give our clinic staff the additional skills needed to make WIC a more holistic resource for nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and early intervention referrals for children not meeting developmental milestones,” said Cami Haught, nutrition director at MCHD. “Although WIC has not previously focused on LTSAE, this training complements our existing Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment process, which already addresses critical aspects of child development, such as the parent-child feeding relationship and successful breastfeeding.”
Heidi Staats, Director of the Office of Nutrition Services, highlighted the success of MCHD’s previous pilot programs: “The Monongalia County Health Department has consistently demonstrated leadership in piloting initiatives that strengthen WIC’s mission to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Their proven ability to develop effective clinic operating procedures has paved the way for securing additional funding, and we are excited to see the impact of this new developmental screening initiative.”
While the initial focus of the Developmental Monitoring Project will be on the WIC clinics in Monongalia and Marion Counties, the program aims to quickly expand to the full MCHD region, which includes Preston, Taylor, Harrison, and Doddridge counties. Following the pilot phase, the Office of Nutrition Services will evaluate the success of the program and consider expanding the initiative to WIC clinics statewide.
For more information: Cami Haught, 304-598-5188 or camilla.c.haught@wv.gov. To learn more about WIC services, visit dhhr.wv.gov/wic.
