Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

Agenda Item # 8



Columbus Consolidated Government



Council Meeting



March 27, 2012



Agenda Report # 032



TO: Mayor and City Council



SUBJECT: Nurse-Family Partnership Home Visiting Program



INITIATED BY: Cooperative Extension







Recommendation: Authorize the City Manager to sign the Nurse-Family Partnership

Implementation Agreement for the period of April 1, 2012 through December 31,

2012, between the Columbus Consolidated Government and Nurse-Family

Partnership, a Colorado nonprofit corporation, which is automatically renewable

annually if funding through the Governor?s Office for Children and Families

(federal MIECHV/Health and Human Services/HRSA) is available to conduct the

Nurse-Family Partnership program in Columbus, GA for a cost to the CCG of

$37,370.



Background: What happens in early childhood matters for a lifetime.

Neuroscience indicates that providing supportive and positive conditions for

early childhood development is more effective and less costly than addressing

consequences of adversity later. Since education begins at home and parents are

their children?s first and most influential teachers, educating and supporting

parents is a logical strategy.

*Federal Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program was created

in 2010 with funding available for each State for Evidence Based Home Visiting

programs. The Governor?s Office for Children and Families was designated as

the lead agency in Georgia. Funding is expected through September 2015.

* The Early Childhood System Of Care (ECSOC) in Columbus has an opportunity to

implement a third Home Visitation evidence-based model (Nurse-Family

Partnership, which has strong maternal and infant health components) and pilot

a community-based, comprehensive home visiting strategy directed toward six

outcome/benchmark areas (improved infant and maternal health; prevention of

child injuries, maltreatment and reduction in ER visits; improvement in school

readiness and achievement; reduction in crime and domestic violence;

improvement in family economic self-sufficiency; improvements in coordination

of and referrals for community resources and supports).

* Council approved application for funding in July 2011. Contract (#HV12-009)

issued by GOCF in December, 2011, to take effect for period January 1, through

December 31, 2012, was signed by CCG officials. Funding has been committed

from GOCF in the amount of $497561, for CY2012, for NFP implementation in

Columbus. NFP, Inc., desires to have a formal Implementation Agreement with

the Columbus Consolidated Government, the program implementing department being

Cooperative Extension.



Analysis: This grant will enable the expansion of home-visitation,

evidenced-based parent education programming, in order to reach more children

and parents. UGA Cooperative Extension is a recognized leader in delivery of

high quality trainings and, as a collaborator with others who need education

resources.

**NFP desires to ensure that model fidelity and financial considerations are

clear to both parties through this formal Implementation Agreement (covering

definitions, NFP obligations, CCG obligations, fees and payments associated

with NFP services in support of the implementing agency, terms and defaults,

dispute resolution, liability, assignment/subcontracting, and miscellaneous

provisions.

**This Implementation Agreement will take effect April 1, 2012.



Financial Considerations: The NFP program in Columbus is funded for a total of

$497,561 as part of the comprehensive home visiting strategy. The $37,370

funding will come out of the total funding of $497,561. Funding requests, if

deliverables are met, will be available for at least three years. No local

match required. See Exhibit C for the detailed schedule of Fees for Services.



Legal Considerations: The applicant, Columbus Consolidated Government (for

Cooperative Extension?s Positive Parenting Program), has signed a contract

(#HV12-009) with and received funds from GOCF for the NFP program

implementation in Columbus. The NFP, Inc. of Denver, Colorado, wants a signed

Implementation Agreement with the CCG.



Recommendation/Action: Authorize the City Manager to sign the Implementation

Agreement with NFP, Inc., based on the grant award received from the Governor?s

Office for Children and Families.



















A RESOLUTION



No. _____





A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN IMPLEMENTATION

AGREEMENT BETWEEN COLUMBUS CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AND NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

FOR $37,370, BASED ON THE FUNDING AVAILABLE OF $497,561 (CONTRACT #HV12-009)

FROM THE GOVERNOR?S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR HOME VISITATION

PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN.



WHEREAS, the funds have been made available from the Governor?s Office

For Children and Families for the purpose of evidence based, home visitation

programs for parenting education under an Early Childhood System Of Care that

addresses Federal home visiting benchmark areas and constructs; and, Muscogee

was selected as one of six counties eligible to apply; and,



WHEREAS, the UGA Cooperative Extension in Columbus has operated Parents

As Teachers, a home visiting parenting education program, under the umbrella of

Positive Parenting Program; and,



WHEREAS, there is a need to increase the knowledge and skills of

parents with young children so that they can provide a nurturing and safe

environment while acting as their children?s first teachers; and,



WHEREAS, parent education through evidence based, home visiting models

is a proven strategy to prevent child maltreatment, improve maternal and

newborn health, improve school readiness and achievement, and improve

coordination and referrals for other community resources and supports; and,



WHEREAS, there is limited access to pro-active parent education for

families at-risk, in transition, or parents who want to increase their

parenting skills and knowledge; and,



NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:



That the City Manager is here by authorized to sign an Implementation

Agreement with Nurse Family Partnership FOR $37,370, a Colorado nonprofit

corporation, to implement the evidence-based, NFP, home visiting program, that

funding will come from out of a grant (Contract #HV12-009) from the Governor?s

Office for Children and Families $497,561, under the Early Childhood System of

Care.



________________



Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,

held the 27th day of March, 2012, and adopted at said meeting by the

affirmative vote of _________members of said Council.





Councilor Allen voting ____________.

Councilor Baker voting ____________.

Councilor Barnes voting ____________.

Councilor Davis voting ____________.

Councilor Henderson voting ____________.

Councilor Huff voting ____________.

Councilor McDaniel voting ____________.

Councilor Thomas voting ____________.

Councilor Turner Pugh voting ____________.

Councilor Woodson voting ____________.









____________________________________ ______________________________

Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor

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