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 EligibilityBased on 185% of Poverty

Family size Annual Month Week

1 $15,448 $1,288 $298

2 $20,813 $1,735 $401

3 $26,178 $2,182 $504

4 $31,543 $2,629 $607

5 $36,908 $3,076 $710

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.

Thank You!