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 # 5



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting

September 10, 2013



Agenda Report # 25







TO: Mayor and City Council



SUBJECT: Nurse-Family Partnership Home Visiting Program



INITIATED BY: Jennifer Davidson, Cooperative Extension Services



Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and if approved

accept a grant (with no local match required) from the Governor?s Office for

Children and Families (federal MIECHV/Health and Human Services/HRSA) for

$490,743 to execute a Nurse-Family Partnership Implementation Agreement for the

period of January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014, with Nurse-Family

Partnership, a Colorado nonprofit corporation, which is automatically renewable

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

available. Approval is also requested to amend the Multi-Governmental Grant

Fund by the award of the grant.



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 January 10, 2013. Contract

(#HVF13-004) issued by GOCF in January, 2013 to take effect for period January

1, through December 31, 2013, was signed by CCG officials. Funding has been

committed from GOCF in the amount of $490,743 (or otherwise awarded) for

CY2014. NFP, Inc., requested a formal Implementation Agreement with the

Columbus Consolidated Government, to ensure model fidelity and payment of

associated fees ($23,000) for NFP services. The program implementing

department is Cooperative Extension.



Analysis: This grant enables the expansion of home-visitation,

evidenced-based parent education programming, in order to reach 100 children

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

high quality trainings and, as a collaborator with others.



**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, $23,000 in fees and payments

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

defaults, dispute resolution, liability, assignment/subcontracting, and

miscellaneous provisions).



Financial Considerations: The NFP program in Columbus was initially funded by

Contract #HV12-009 as part of the comprehensive home visiting strategy.

Funding requests, if deliverables are met, will be available for at least two

more years. No local match required.



Legal Considerations: The applicant, Columbus Consolidated Government (for

Cooperative Extension?s Positive Parenting Program), signed a 2013 contract

(#HVF13-004) with and received funds from GOCF for the NFP program in

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

Agreement with the CCG to continue funding for 2014.



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

Agreement with NFP, Inc., to renew and continue services for 2014 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 SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND

IF APPROVED ACCEPT A GRANT (WITH NO LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED) FOR $490,743 (OR

AMOUNT AWARDED) FROM THE GOVERNOR?S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO RENEW

AND CONTINUE HOME VISITATION PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN

AND IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT WITH NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP FOR $490,743, WHICH

ENUMERATES THE FEES FOR SERVICES ($23,000) REQUIRED BY NFP (EXHIBIT C) AND

BASED ON THE FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CONTRACT FOR 2014 AND AMEND THE

MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL GRANT FUND BY THE AWARD AMOUNT.



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 Nurse

Family Partnership, 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:



1. That the City Manager is here by authorized to submit and

application and, if approved, accept grant funds; and,



2. Authorize to enter into an Implementation Agreement with Nurse

Family Partnership, a Colorado nonprofit corporation, to renew and continue the

evidence-based, NFP, home visiting program, which was previously funded with

a grant (Contract #HVF13-004) from the Governor?s Office for Children and

Families under the Early Childhood System of Care; and,



3. Amend the Multi-Governmental Grant Fund by the award of the Grant.



__________________________



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

held the 10th of September 2013, 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 ____________.





______________________________ _________________________

Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor









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