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What is WIC?
WIC is a food and nutrition program funded by the United States Department
of Agriculture through the Michigan Department of Community Health. Local
agencies, such as health departments and non-profit organizations, deliver
WIC services and benefits to the public.
WIC helps to correct or prevent
malnutrition in low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who
recently had a baby, infants and children up to 5 years old who are at
health risk due to inadequate nutrition. WIC provides supplemental food,
offers professional nutrition education and makes referrals
based on health screening and assessments of need.
What does WIC Provide?
Supplemental Food. Nutritious foods are provided to supplement and
help improve the diet.
- Women and children may receive milk, cheese, eggs, juices rich in
Vitamin C, cereals rich in iron, and dry peas/beans or peanut butter.
- Breastfeeding women who do not receive formula from WIC, may also
receive tuna fish and carrots, as well as extra cheese, juice & beans.
- Starting at 4 months of age, infants are eligible to receive infant
cereal and infant juice.
- For infants who are partially breastfed or not breastfed, WIC
provides iron-fortified formula.
- Fresh produce is provided to many WIC participants through Project
FRESH, a Farmer's Market Nutrition Program.
Participants receive coupons for the foods which they may redeem at any
of the WIC authorized retail stores throughout Michigan.
Nutrition Education. Nutrition education is offered to all WIC
participants or their care givers. The education must relate to the
nutrition need of the individual and be of interest to them. Participants
with high risk nutrition conditions are referred to a registered dietitian
for a nutrition care plan & counseling. Common nutrition education topics
include nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, nutrition during
childhood, and wise food shopping. WIC encourages women to breastfeed
because of many health benefits for both baby and mother. General
nutrition education topics may be provided by EFNEP/FNP.
Referrals. An added benefit of the WIC Program is screening for
other health problems and referrals to other appropriate health and social
services. These referrals may be for Medicaid, MI-Child, Healthy Kids,
Food Stamps, immunizations, child health screening, family planning,
Project FRESH, EFNEP/FNP, and more.
Who is eligible for WIC?
Applicants must meet all of the following 4 criteria:
1. Fall into one of the following categories:
- Pregnant Women
- Breastfeeding Women up to 1 year from delivery
- Postpartum Women up to 6 months from delivery
- Infants
- Children up to their 5th birthday
2. Resident of the state of Michigan. U.S. Citizenship is not
required.
3. Income eligible (at or below 185% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or
on Medicaid or food stamps)
4. Determined by WIC clinic staff to be at nutrition and/or health
risk.
Some typical health risks are: low blood iron or anemia; too much or too
little weight gain (for pregnant women and children), poor diet, chronic
disease, and developmental disabilities.
How much do WIC services cost?
WIC services are free to applicants and participants.
What must an applicant bring to
an appointment?
- Proof of income or Medicaid Card
- Proof of identification for the applicant (drivers licence, birth
certificate)
- Proof of applicant's address
- Proof of pregnancy, if available (for Pregnant Women)
- Immunization record (for children)
Applicant should contact the local WIC office for more specific
information.
What happens when someone applies
for WIC?
- Review of income.
- Review of health and medical history.
- Review of usual dietary intake and eating patterns.
- Review of immunization record (children only).
- Height & weight measurements taken.
- Hemoglobin test performed (over 6 months of age).
- Meet with health professional for determination of eligibility for
program.
- Discuss foods that will be received from WIC.
- Learn nutrition & health information applicable for participant.
- Learn about other helpful services & resources in the community.
- Learn about how to use the WIC coupons.
- Make next appointment to pickup coupons and receive additional
nutrition education.
The initial appointment can take from 1-2 hours. The other appointments
during the certification period usually take 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Depending on the individual, the next appointment may be in 1, 2 or 3
months.
How long is someone certified for
the program?
Depending on their WIC category, participants are certified for a specific
length of time. At the end of the certification period, participants can
repeat the certification process to be recertified. The general
certification periods by WIC category are:
- Pregnant women are certified up to 6 weeks past their
estimated date of delivery.
- Breastfeeding women are certified for 6 months at a time up
to 1 year from date of delivery as long as they continue to breastfeed.
- Postpartum women are certified for 6 months from the date of
delivery.
- Infants added prior to 6 months of age are certified up to
their first birthday.
- Children and infants added after 6 months of age are
certified for 6 months.
If someone is working, can they
apply for WIC?
Yes, WIC looks at income, not whether or not someone is working.
Can someone be on WIC and food
stamps at the same time?
Yes.
If someone is no longer eligible
for food stamps, are they eligible for WIC?
Yes, they may possibly still be income eligible.
Can someone be on both WIC and
the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)?
No, an individual may not be on both programs at the same time. Although,
a family may have some family members on WIC and others on Commodity
Supplemental Food Program.
How does someone apply for WIC?
Contact the nearest WIC agency or call 1-800-26-BIRTH for this
information.
Where can I get more information
about WIC?
Check out the following website:
www.fns.usda.gov/wic
Email address for the WIC Division, Michigan Department of Community
Health: MichiganWic@michigan.gov
In accordance with Federal law and U.S.
Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from
discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or
disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director,
Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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