Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Executive Director
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Position
Project ID (if applicable): FY26_WIC_ADMIN
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Public Health Services for approval of ten positions effective March 7, 2026, for the FY 2026 Women, Infants, and Children Program.
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Background and Discussion:
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program has experienced a significant and sustained increase in participation over the past months, reflecting the growing demand for nutrition support and maternal-child health services in our community. Based on established workload metrics and the program’s participant-to-staff ratio, an additional 10 full-time positions are required across our WIC locations.
The Clinic Clerk positions will ensure high-level customer service to program participants and applicants, by screening and calculating applicant eligibility, processing program documentation, issuing benefits to clients, and participating in community outreach. While the Nutritionist positions will aim at improving healthy-eating habits in our program participants by providing counseling and nutrition education, assigning food package prescriptions, evaluating the need for special formulas and participating in quality assurance activities.
Expected Impact:
The increase in personnel expenses will be covered by the WIC Grant Fund.
Increased staff capacity will allow for timely appointments, reduced client waiting times, and improved access to essential nutritional education and support services. Additionally, increasing our workforce will aim at balancing caseloads and reducing overextension will support workforce morale, retention, and long-term program sustainability.
Alternative Options:
N/A
County Strategic Plan Goal: 4. Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities.
County Strategic Plan Objective: N: Improve the health behaviors of community members.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N2: Increase food/nutrition education and access to healthier food.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Grant |
$252,930 |
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$252,930 |
$438,412 |
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Total Existing Budget |
$252,930 |
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$252,930 |
$438,412 |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
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Total Funding Sources |
$252,930 |
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$252,930 |
$438,412 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
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Anticipated Court Date: 2/26/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 3/7/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: James Dinkins, Chief People Officer, Harris County Public Health
Attachments (if applicable): 3441 forms, Job Descriptions