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 Based on 185% of Poverty

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:

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): – Locally: –Call your County Health Department On the internet: –

Any Questions? If you have any questions about this presentation, call Richard W. Burleson at the State WIC Office at (334)

Thank You!