# Presentation: 398635

## WIC Women, Infants and Children

- WIC Helps You Help Your Family
-  Nutritious food, and so much more...

- The USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children

## The Facts about WIC 

- Since 1974,  West Virginia WIC has received federal funding from the United States Department of Agriculture in order to help women and children in West Virginia grow up to be healthy and strong.

**Notes:**
WIC is a federal discretionary grant program.  It is designed to be a short-term intervention to influence lifetime nutrition and health behaviors.  Families receive free supplemental foods to meet their immediate nutritional needs while learning how to choose healthy foods that provide the necessary nutrients for each person’s diet.

## Who is eligible for WIC?

- Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or had a baby in the past six months or twelve months if breastfeeding.
- Infants and children under age five, including foster children.

## Applicants must:

- Reside in West Virginia
- Have a medical or nutritional risk
- Meet the income eligibility guidelines which is 185% FPL
- Applicants who receive food stamps, Medicaid or TANF are adjunctively eligible as outlined in federal regulations

## What benefits and Services can you expect from WIC?

- Nutrition Services and Counseling.
- Breastfeeding Information and Support
- Health and Immunization Screenings
- Referrals to Health and Social Service Organizations
- Nutritious Food

**Notes:**
WIC provides a monthly food package of nutritious foods tailored to supplement the dietary needs of participants.  The foods are specifically chosen to provide high levels of protein, iron, calcium, and Vitamins A and C, nutrients that have been scientifically shown to be lacking or needed in extra amounts in the diets of the WIC population.  These five nutrients plus calories and other essential nutrients provided by the WIC Food Package are critical for assuring good health, growth and development.

## WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)

- The program provides checks to WIC participants in select operating counties  to purchase locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables at their local farmer’s market every year between June 1st and October 31st.

**Notes:**
Pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, children over two years of age are eligible for this program.

## Accomplishments in 2005-2006

- Served approximately 50,000 West Virginians each month; 12,000 women-12,000 infants-26,000 children.
- Provided $32.5 million dollars to the West Virginia economy through participant purchases at over 400 grocery stores throughout all 55 counties.
- Children who are a part of the WIC program are more likely to be healthy, do better in school, maintain up-to-date immunizations, and have regular medical care as well as lower medical costs to themselves than those not participating in the program.

**Notes:**
It costs over $21,000 per pound to raise a very low (less than 3.3 pounds) birth-weight baby to normal weight (7 pounds).  However, it only costs approximately $89 per pound to provide WIC prenatal care benefits.
WIC prenatal care benefits reduce the rate of low birth-weight babies by 25% and very low birth-weight babies by 44%.  Medicaid costs were reduced on average between $12,000 to $15,000 for every very low birth-weight incident prevented by participation in WIC.

## Where does WIC serve West Virginia families?

- Where does WIC serve West Virginia families?

## How much does WIC save families? 

- Participating in the WIC Program saves West Virginia families an average of $35.00 to $121.00 a month.
- Every dollar spent on pregnant women in WIC produces $1.92 to $4.21 in Medicaid savings for newborns and their mothers.  It only costs approximately $622 a year for a pregnant woman to participate in WIC.

## How can you help?

- WV WIC is only serving 61% of Medicaid recipients eligible for the program
- Caseload could be approximately 75,000 by accessing the population who is eligible but not participating; this would increase federal funds by $18 million
- Help WIC to ensure infants’ and children’s normal growth, reduce levels of anemia, increase immunization rates, improve access to regular health care and improve diets.

##     How Can You Refer to WIC?

*******You or Caregivers can fill out Partners for Healthy Kids Referral Forms and you can mail or fax to WIC**
***Pass out Bear Cards as an incentive to get on WIC**
***Call WIC and we can take care of you/client over the phone**
***Provide potential clients with brochures/handouts that have WIC’s phone number & address on them**
***Potential clients can fill out an application on the Internet **
**at:   www.wvdhhr.org/ons**

## How Can WIC Help You & Your Community?

- WIC can collaborate with other agencies in local communities and promote health and wellness
- We can provide continuity of care for clients and work on goal setting with families
- We can partner with other agencies and provide them with referrals
- WIC can participate in community events and fairs

**Notes:**
Participate in FRN’s, HS policy council meetings, etc
Work with others s/as BTT, RFTS, social workers, MD’s, nurses-to help provide families with what they need. 
Provide referral to other agencies-such as all 3 yo have an opportunity to be referred to HS etc.
WIC can set up booths, give nutritional information, provide inservices to staff, give talks on nutrition related topics.

##                The Future of WIC

- VENA (Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment)
- Food Package Changes
- Motivational and Emotional Based Counseling
- SAM

**Notes:**
VENA-Will establish national standared for the WIC nutrition assessment process.  A more client centered approach.  Provide a positive approach on desired health outcomes rather than deficiencies. Will allow staff to use their time to identify individual needs.  

Food PKg Changes: Whole grains different options.  $ Value for fruits and veggies.  More flexibility with dairy –allow soy milk or tofu
Add on Babyfoods

MI and EB Couseling-Focus more on the client’s feelings and goals for the family.
SAM- A new computer system which will allow more data to be entered and less paper

## Questions

*   **Thank You!*