EFNEP PILOT PROJECTS Mr. WHITTEN. You currently have underway 16 pilot projects which are exploring ways of increasing food stamp families participation in EFNEP. Please describe these 16 pilot projects and indicate where they are located. Dr. BERTRAND. Over 4,000 persons participated in 16 EFNEP/ Food Stamp pilot projects funded in fiscal year 1980. In all cases effectiveness of new approaches was measured by dietary practice change and improved food buying skills. Project summaries will be provided for the record. [The information follows:] Alaska. A comparison of newsletters, newspapers and radio public service announcements as recruitment methods were made in one urban and one rural Alaska setting. The use of demonstrations in supermarkets as a method to improve nutrition knowledge and dietary practices and improve the efficiency of program delivery was also tested. California.-An evaluation of the effectiveness of a Spanish language TV series to reach and teach Mexican-Americans in two counties in the California Central Valley was undertaken. Group comparisons in the alteration of food habits will be made between those who received the: (1) TV series only; (2) traditional one-to-one EFNEP instruction; (3) a combination of TV and individual instruction; and (4) no instruction. Georgia.-Fifteen counties tested six recruitment and six educational methods for providing nutrition education. Recruitment methods included: (1) 8 mm film loops; (2) posters; (3) radio public service announcements; (4) TV public service announcements; (5) promotional flyers mailed with information of food stamp; and (6) minidemonstrations in food stamp certification centers. Educational strategies included: (1) one-to-one instruction using print media on an irregular schedule; (2) one-to-one instruction using print media teaching on a specific schedule of home visits; (3) small group instruction (10 or fewer persons) using print media; (4) small group instruction (10 or fewer persons) using audiovisual materials; and (5) weekly educational television series with programmed study workbook. The alteration of the dietary practices of participants in each group will be compared/contrasted. Hawaii. As part of a program to improve participants proper use of food stamps, and to improve food stamp workers knowledge of EFNEP, food stamp workers received a slide tape presentation about EFNEP. The cost effectiveness and dietary practice improvement for families who received a six month intensive one-to-one lesson series was compared with families receiving less concentrated instruction. Kansas.-The use of public service announcements and mail to inform food stamp users about EFNEP was evaluated in two counties. Eight weeks of group instruction for adults and children will be evaluated through measurement of changes in food purchase and dietary practices. Kentucky.-Mobile units and drop-in centers were tested as alternative educational strategies. Michigan. Seven educational strategies were tested. The promotional methods included: (1) posters; (2) flyers mailed; (3) TV public service announcements; (4) radio public service announcements; (5) mailed grocery shopping cards; (6) distribution of promotional material by food stamp caseworkers; and (7) mini-demonstration in food stamp offices. Michigan also tested the effectiveness of a six-week intensive lesson series compared with the traditional EFNEP approach. Massachusetts/Rhode Island.-Seven recruitment and seven educational strategies were tested in the two States. Educational methods included: (1) material about EFNEP included in food stamp mailing to food stamp participants; (2) agency referral; (3) newspaper and radio announcements; (4) referral through aide; (5) posters; (6) brochures; and (7) home delivered material. The following teaching strategies were tested: (1) local radio and news spots; (2) radio and newspaper spots and small group meetings; (3) radio and newspaper spots and individual instruction biweekly; (4) radio and newspaper spots and a 13 lession correspondence course; (5) small groups; (6) individual instruction; and (7) correspondence course only. Minnesota.-Recruitment and instruction methods were varied in three EFNEP sites as follows: (1) use of EFNEP graduates to recruit and instruct families; (2) nutrition demonstration in urban food stamp offices; and (3) mail correspondence coupled with occasional telephone and home visits by EFNEP aides. New Hampshire.-Telephone recruitment of food stamp families with young children in one rural county and one urban city was combined with a one month radio correspondence course on food buying skills. A novel soap opera format radio program was utilized. New Jersey.-Agency referral, TV public service announcements, posters, pamphlets, and individual mailings were recruitment techniques used to attract Hispanic homemakers in two urban areas to attend ten group meetings featuring food shopping skills. New York.-Three counties evaluated use of former program homemakers as volunteers and their ability to lead small groups using prepared food and nutrition taped messages with discussion and support activities. North Dakota.—A variation of home sale promotional parties was used to recruit families to participate in the EFNEP program. Aides conducted forty-five group nutrition sessions. Oklahoma.-Printed materials at the food stamp office, flyers mailed with food stamp coupons, slide-tape presentation at the food stamp office and TV spots were used to inform American-Indian families about EFNEP. South Dakota.-Use of taped phone messages and demonstrations at local food stamp offices were tested as alternative educational methods to improve the diets of low-income families. Vermont-Nevada.-One rural Vermont site and one urban Nevada site tested three six-month nutrition education programs. Television and mail, with and without telephone instruction by EFNEP aides, was compared with traditional EFNEP instruction. Mr. WHITTEN. The Comptroller General has recently completed a report on EFNEP, which included a number of recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture. Would you please comment on what you are doing to carry out these recommendations? Dr. BERTRAND. While the GAO report was based on a sample of only four of the 1,000 cities and counties which receive federal EFNEP funds, it nonetheless contributed useful insights to the Department's ongoing efforts to provide administration and management for the operation of EFNEP. I will provide information for the record on concerns identified in the GAO study and subsequent actions taken by SEA-Extension in response to the concerns. [The information follows:] 1. Concern: Need to Develop New Methodology to Reach More Low-Income Families SEA-Extension, in cooperation with the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), initiated sixteen projects designed to recruit and teach more food stamp families. All projects tested alternative methods to improve EFNEP efficiency while not sacrificing effectiveness. Delivery methods being compared with the traditional one-to-one instruction include mass media, telephone instruction, self-instruction devices, and group meetings. Conclusions will be drawn as to the costs and benefits of the various alternative strategies. Promising alternative recruitment and delivery mechanisms will be further tested in fiscal year 1981 using a representative group of states. 2. Concern: Need for Improved Standards and Evaluation Tools to Measure the Program's Success SEA-Extension has been cooperating with SEA-Joint Planning and Evaluation to study and develop objectives and measurable standards for judging the effectiveness of EFNEP as a part of the Senate Mandated EFNEP Evaluation. Evaluation and feedback tools were developed to measure program performance against these standards. An assessment of these evaluation tools will be a basis for recommending appropriate changes in the national EFNEP reporting system. SEA-Extension works with nutrition researchers at land-grant universities and SEA-Human Nutrition on an ongoing basis to remain knowledgeable of the latest dietary practices measurement techniques appropriate for field use. These will be reviewed for possible use in EFNEP. 3. Concern: Need to Improve Administrative Practices A national workshop was conducted in November 1979 which included training for state staff on supervision of local EFNEP units. As a part of the followup to this workshop, states were asked to provide information related to utilization of the training. This feedback information provides a basis for continued guidance and training on supervisory and recordkeeping requirements and responsibilities. As standards and evaluation tools for the EFNEP Program are revised, additional workshops will be conducted for state EFNEP personnel. SEA-Extension is aware of the need for constant review of program performance. Program review procedures have been revised. Three units in SEA (Financial Management, Equal Employment Opportunity and Extension) cooperate with key state EFNEP personnel to conduct on-site program reviews in eight states each year. Adherence to supervision and recordkeeping requirements and responsibilities is examined during these reviews. As partners in the program review process, state EFNEP personnel diffuse management strengths and alert peers to administrative weaknesses. 4. Concern: Need for Better Coordination Between EFNEP and Other NutritionRelated Programs A high priority for the SEA-Extension Food and Nutrition Unit is to establish close working relationships with other federal food and nutrition programs. In August 1980, a joint memorandum developed by USDA program unit administrators of the WIC and EFNEP Programs removed a prohibition from WIC subcontracting nutrition education responsibilities to Cooperative Extension Services. This memorandum also stressed the importance of cooperative planning and coordina tion. SEA-Extension has initiated collaborative efforts with other food and nutritionrelated programs. Memoranda of Agreements for fiscal year 1980 and fiscal year 1981 with the Food Stamp Program have resulted in the initiation of pilot projects to increase outreach efforts and innovative educational strategies in food and nutrition for food stamp participants. FARM SAFETY Mr. WHITTEN. The budget for fiscal year 1982 proposes to delete the farm safety program on the basis that about one half of the states will continue to provide this type of assistance as part of their regular programs. Would you please list, for the record, the states that will continue the program and the amount of resources they will devote to farm safety? Dr. BERTRAND. Considering the latitude the states have in directing their programs and establishing their own program priorities under formula funds, we cannot say with any degree of certainty what their positions will be with respect to farm safety in 1982. However, based on past performance, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas maintained a fulltime farm safety specialist on the staff before 1972 when earmarked funds were first appropriated. Many other states had one or more staff members responsible part-time for safety programs. Without earmarked funds, we would expect these same states plus the eight additional States of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida, Missouri, Louisiana, California, and Arizona to continue at a near full-time level and almost all other states would maintain some effort. 4-H PROGRAM Mr. WHITTEN. According to the Notes, approximately 26 percent of the Extension resources are devoted in support of the 4-H program. Would you please describe, in some detail, how these resources are used to support the 4-H program? Dr. BERTRAND. More than 5 million American youth and volunteer leaders took part in 4-H last year, completing 9.9 million subjects/projects. About 24 percent of the total 4-H youth participants came from minority ethnic groups; 56.7 percent lived on farms and rural communities; 15.6 percent in towns of 10,000 50,000; and 27.7 percent lived in metropolitan areas; 615 4-H professionals and 1,415 paraprofessionals along with local planning groups and 5,500 volunteers develop extension educational programs to assist youth to acquire knowledge, skill, and understanding in agricultural, home economics, and related subjects/projects in which he or she elects to participate; aid in the social development of youth; and develop leadership skills in both youth and adults. Major nationwide 4-H program thrusts in fiscal year 1980 were in the areas of food and fiber production, energy conservation and education, health, youth employment and careers, conservation of natural resources, nutrition, consumer education, and family involvement in 4-H. Salaried staff involvement by major program components were: Individual and Community Development about 8 percent; 20 percent for Family Living; 16 percent for Science and Technology; Volunteer Leadership comprised 38 percent; and Human Nutrition was 18 percent of the total. The 4-H portion of the federal, state and locally appropriated CES funds is 26 percent. Of the total public funds going into the 4-H program, approximately 55 percent goes for professional and paraprofessional staff salaries and 45 percent for other operational expenses. Mr. WHITTEN. How does 4-H enrollment today compare with five years ago, ten years ago, and twenty years ago? You might separate that between urban and rural. Dr. BERTRAND. I will provide that for the record. [The information follows:] Participation in 4-H programs, including organized 4-H Clubs, 4-H special interest groups, 4-H instructional TV, and 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Programs, during the past 20 years is as follows: The 4-H enrollment in rural areas has, for the most part, continued to show steady growth since 1960 up to the last of the 1970's, while participation from urban areas during this same period has quadrupled. The significant 4-H expansion between 1970 and 1975 occurred largely as a result of the increased appropriations by Congress for 4-H expansion in urban areas and special CRD efforts, the impact of 4-H EFNEP, and the use of new delivery modes such as 4-H instructional TV. Until 1979, enrollments in organized 4-H Clubs and 4-H special interest groups have continued to show some growth each year. Declining enrollments in the late 70's have been primarily in the area of 4-H instructional TV and in 4-H EFNEP. Since the middle 70's, there has not been a new 4-H TV series to take the place of the highly successful 4-H nutrition TV series, "Mulligan Stew." Restricted state and local Extension budgets, inflation and shifts of resources to other demands has hampered greater expansion of 4-H program services to youth. The professional Extension staff-time devoted to 4-H by states has declined from 5,410 in the peak year of 1974 to 4,615 FTE's in 1980. 4-H ENROLLMENT Mr. WHITTEN. What is the Cooperative Extension Service doing to try to stem the decline in 4-H enrollment? Dr. BERTRAND. Efforts by Extension staff to stem the decline in 4-H enrollments include expanding the number of volunteer leaders who assist 4-H youth in their projects and activities and provide additional training opportunities to maximize their effectiveness. State and regional Extension workshops in recent years have focused on training volunteer leaders for middle management responsibilities within the program. In many states, 4-H alumni are also being recruited to assist in 4-H expansion efforts. In over 40 states, collegiate 4-H Clubs are providing 4-H members an opportunity to continue their involvement in 4-H as volunteers in local 4-H groups. Special efforts are being made in all states to update current 4-H projects and activities and provide new educational experiences that are relevant to needs and interests of youth today, thus hopefully attracting more youth into the program. An example is the current thrust in Jobs/Careers/Economics Education which covers all facets of career awareness to actual employability. The projects offered through 4-H are geared to include career and marketability aspects. At the annual National 4-H Conference, youth and adults have an opportunity to discuss and make recommendations for future 4H programming, which provides for greater involvement of clientele in programs in which they take part. Several national committees and task forces composed of state 4-H staff and Extension specialists along with SEA-Extension staff are updating 4-H curricula, particularly in the areas of food and nutrition; energy; natural resources and environmental education; clothing and consumer education; and careers. New materials for youth and volunteer leaders are currently underway or planned in these and other areas. A current goal in the 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is to increase the number of volunteers in the program, particularly those from low-income groups, to assist in making nutrition education programs available to larger numbers of low-income youth. To support the increased programs, updated food and nutrition teaching materials are being prepared and distributed nationally. Currently a national task force is updating the 4-H food and nutrition curriculum as a basis for developing new materials at both state and national levels. Plans for a new 4-H instructional TV series on "Food and Fiber" were completed several years ago but due to budget restrictions, production has been delayed. This new series is designed for both rural and urban youth to help them understand factors relating to production, processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products. It is expected that this series will enroll 300,000 youth the first year after completion. Based on data from the "Mulligan Stew" nutrition TV series, it is estimated this new series could be expected to enroll more than 7 million youth within a 10-year period following completion. |