Transcript Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education: New

UNDERSTANDING
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
EDUCATION (SNAP-ED)
Gerry Howell, MS, RD, Nutritionist
July 12, 2012
Objectives
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Understand what the SNAP-Ed program is and how
it operates
Understand why and how the SNAP-Ed program is
changing and the new role collaboration will play in
the program
Understand how health department staff and others
can connect with people in their State working on
SNAP-Ed
Understanding SNAP-Ed
SNAP Facts
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
is the largest food assistance program in the nation
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Formally known as the Food Stamp Program (FSP)
Purposes:
To provide improved levels of nutrition among low-income
households
 To provide economic benefits to communities
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In April 2012, approximately 46 million people
received SNAP
SNAP Facts
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Food Stamp Act of 1964 made the FSP permanent
 In 1977, the Food Stamp Act revised the legislation to
include nutrition education
Since 1977, the law has been revised several times to
expand the nutrition education component
In 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act amended
the 2008 Food and Nutrition Act (FNA)
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Established a nutrition education and obesity prevention
grant program
Food and Nutrition Service
Mission
To provide children and needy families
with better access to food and a more
healthful diet through its food assistance
programs and comprehensive nutrition
education efforts
SNAP-Ed Goal
Goal
To improve the likelihood that persons
eligible for SNAP will make healthy food
choices within a limited budget and
choose physically active lifestyles
consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans and US Department of
Agriculture (USDA) food guidance
Organization of SNAP
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7 Regional Offices
 West
Regional Office (WRO)
 Mountain Plains Regional Office (MPRO)
 Midwest Regional Office (MWRO)
 Southwest Regional Office (SWRO)
 Southeast Regional Office (SERO)
 Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (MARO)
 Northeast Regional Office (NERO)
FNS Regional Offices
Organization of SNAP-Ed
52 State Agencies: all States + DC & VI
Main point of contact for the purpose or
coordination and collaboration
Hundreds of local projects
Redesign of SNAP-Ed
Changes to SNAP-Ed
Role of Collaboration
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
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Section 241 established the Nutrition Education and
Obesity Prevention Grant Program
Re-shapes SNAP-Ed
Changes financial structure
Focus on obesity prevention
Requires activities be evidence-based and outcome
driven
SNAP: Nutrition Education and Obesity
Prevention Grant Program Interim Rule
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Codifies provisions of Section 241, HHFK Act
Will be published as an Interim Rule
Must be implemented as of publication date
Provides a sixty-day comment period
2013 SNAP-Ed Guidance
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Reflects content of HHFK Act, Section 241
Provides direction on implementing HHFK Act
provisions
Designed to be streamlined, more flexible, userfriendly, and amendable as needed
Released March 30, 2012
Guidance Highlights
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Funding
Socio-ecological Model
Approaches
Collaboration and Coordination
Greater Flexibility: Schools, Physical Activity,
Gardening
Funding
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Past funding required a State contribution or match
Now 100% Federal funds indexed for inflation
Funds available for 2-year period of performance
Considers State share of national SNAP-Ed
expenditures
Formula will change over time to consider SNAP
participation in addition to expenditures
Social-Ecological Model (SEM)
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Takes the following factors into consideration:
 Social
and cultural norms and values
 Sectors of influence such as government and public
health
 Environmental settings such as schools and workplaces
 Individual factors like knowledge and demographics
SEM for Nutrition and
Physical Activity Decisions
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
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Foundation of nutrition
education in all FNS
nutrition assistance
Information can be
found on
http://health.gov/diet
aryguidelines/
MyPlate
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USDA Food Guidance
System is also used as
the basis for nutrition
education in SNAP-Ed
More information can
be found at
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/
SNAP-Ed Approaches
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Individual or Group-Based
Multi-level Interventions
Community and Public Health
Individual/Group Based Approaches
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Definition: individual or
group-based nutrition
education, health
promotion, and
intervention strategies
Most common level of
nutrition education
delivery approach in
SNAP-Ed
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Examples:
 Nutrition
education
programming on
Dietary Guidelines
 Individual
or group
education sessions
Multi-level Interventions
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Definition:
Comprehensive, multilevel interventions at
multiple complementary
organizational and
institutional levels
May target the
individual, interpersonal,
organization, community,
public policy, or societal
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Examples:
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Collaborating with
schools and other
organizations to improve
school nutrition
environment
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Establishing community
gardens in low-income
areas or community sites
Community and Public
Health Approaches
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Definition: Community
and public health
approaches to improve
nutrition
Target a large
segment of the
population
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Examples:
 Working
with local
government to develop
policies for eliminating
food deserts
 Collaborating
with
community groups to
improve the food
environment
Coordination and Collaboration
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HHFKA permits coordination with publicly or privately
funded health promotion or nutrition improvement
strategies
FNS strongly encourages coordination with other
national, State, and local nutrition education and health
promotion initiatives
Provides the capacity for SNAP-Ed to reach its goal
and remain consistent with the FNS mission while
reaching low-income families and individuals through
multiple spheres of the SEM
Examples of State and Local Partners
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State public health agencies and other State
programs
Universities
Faith-based organizations
Local schools
Food retailers
Food banks and other food assistance programs
Etc.
Connecting with SNAP-Ed
http://snap.nal.usda.gov/state-gates
SNAP-Ed Connection Home Page
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Funded by FNS and maintained by the National Agricultural
Library’s Food & Nutrition Information Center
Useful online resource center for both State and local SNAP-Ed
providers and the public
Features include:
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In the News: Up-to-date information about SNAP
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Spotlights
 Recipe Finder (both in English and Spanish)
 Access to SNAP-Ed Guidance, MyPlate, Dietary Guidelines, other resources
SNAP-Ed Connection Home Page
Points of Contact
If interested in SNAP-Ed, please contact State SNAP
Agency for more information at:
 http://snap.nal.usda.gov/state-gates
Questions, Comments, or Concerns?