An Evaluation of the CDC’s Community-Based Breastfeeding Supplemental Cooperative Agreement: Reach, Strategies, Barriers, Facilitators, and Lessons Learned

Background:Community-based organizations (CBOs) have an important role to play in promoting breastfeeding continuation among mothers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program’s Cooperative Agreement Breastfeeding Supplement funded 6 state health departments to support CBOs to implement community-based breastfeeding support activities.Objectives:Study objectives were to (1) describe the reach of the Cooperative Agreement, (2) describe breastfeeding support strategies implemented by state health departments and CBOs, and (3) understand the barriers and facilitators to implementing community-based breastfeeding support strategies.Methods:Qualitative and quantitative data were abstracted from state health departments’ final evaluation reports. Qualitative data were analyzed for common themes using deductive and inductive approaches.Results:Within the 6 states funded by the Cooperative Agreement, 66 primary CBOs implemented breastfeeding support strateg...