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WIC. WOMEN, INFANTS, CHILDREN Official Name: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Started in 1974. WIC Is …. a nutrition program an education program a healthcare program not a Welfare Program not Food Stamps not a handout. Who Administers WIC?.
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WIC • WOMEN, INFANTS, CHILDREN • Official Name: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children • Started in 1974
WIC Is … • a nutrition program • an education program • a healthcare program • not a Welfare Program • not Food Stamps • not a handout
Who Administers WIC? • Nationally: USDA / FNS • In Alabama: • State WIC Office • County Health Departments • Contracts with other health agencies • WIC serves over 100,000 in Alabama
Who Is Categorically Eligible For WIC? • Pregnant Women • Postpartum Women • Breastfeeding Mothers • Infants • Children up to 5 years of age
What Makes A Person Eligible For WIC? • Meets Income Guidelines AND • Has a Nutritional Risk
WIC Income Eligibility • Adjunctive Eligibility • Medicaid • Food Stamps • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Proof of Income
Program Integrity in WIC • Proof of Income • Proof of Identification • Proof of Residence • Identification of a Nutritional Risk
Nutritional Assessment • Weight • Height/Length • Hgb/Hct • Food Intake/Frequency • Health/Medical History • Identification of Nutritional Risk(s)
What Benefits Does A WIC Participant Receive? • Nutritional Assessment and Education • Counseling • Pamphlets / Materials • Goals: • Improve dietary habits of families • Improve the dietary intake and weight gain in pregnant women • Improve the growth of infants and children
WIC Benefits (continued) • Breastfeeding Education • Counseling • Pamphlets, books, and videos • Loaned electric breastpumps • Other breastfeeding items when needed • Goal: Improve the incidence and success of breastfeeding
WIC Benefits (continued) • Nutritious Foods (WIC Food Instruments) • Milk, Eggs, Cheese, Cereal, Juice, Dried Beans and Peas or Peanut Butter • Carrots and Tuna (exclusively breastfeeding mothers only) • Infant Formulas, Infant Cereal, Infant Juice • Special Food Packages for children or adults
WIC Benefits (continued) • Referrals to other agencies and programs • Food Stamps • Medicaid • Immunizations • Substance Abuse / Social Worker • Children’s Rehabilitative Services • CHIP (ALLKIDS - health insurance) • Health Care Provider
How Does WIC Work? • Call for an appointment • Establish eligibility • Receive Food Instruments • Go to WIC Vendors • Proxies may go for participant • Must have WIC Identification Card
Subsequent Nutrition Education Contacts • Reinforcement Counseling • Follow up of high risk clients • Height • Weight • Hemoglobin • Referrals
Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) • Collaborative effort • WIC • Alabama Farmers Market Authority • Alabama Cooperative Extension Service • New program • Piloted in Montgomery in 1999 • Currently in 12 Alabama counties for 2001 • Provides fresh produce during the summer
Does WIC Work? • Decreased risk of low birth weight (25%) • Decreased risk of very low birth weight (44%) • Significantly decreased prevalence of anemia • Women on WIC have fewer premature births • And...
WIC Pays For Itself! • For every $1.92 spent in WIC, $4.21 are saved in Medicaid costs All of the preceding statistics, plus much more information, can be found at the USDA website: • www.usda.gov
How Else Does WIC Help? • Helps the state regenerate food money • Benefits local farmers in counties with FMNP • Lifetime effect in improved dietary habits • Lifetime effect in healthy choices for good health
Contact WIC • Healthy Beginnings (statewide): • 1-800-654-1385 • Locally: • Call your County Health Department • On the internet: • www.alwic.net
Any Questions? If you have any questions about this presentation, call Richard W. Burleson at the State WIC Office at (334) 206-2929.