Special supplemental food program for women, infants, & children

              S . I S I Depo<\i orv t PIROt'ERTY OF T.!E pec1a upp emen a LIBRARY
Food Program for . ~cJ ~ ·~ .'J
Women, Infants, & e'ttil(jferr~a
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE I FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE I WASHINGTON, D.C.
Revised December 1977 FNS-131
The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides
specified nutritious supplemental foods to pregnant, postpartum , and breastfecding women, and
to infants and children up to their fifth birthday who are determined by competent professionals
(physicians, nutritionists. nurses, and other health officials) to be at "nutritional risk" because
of inadequate nutrition and inadequate income. Funds are made available to participating State
health departments or comparable State agencies; to Indian tribes, bands or groups recognized by
the Department of the Interior or their authorized representative or to the Indian Health Service
of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. These agencies distribute funds to the
participating local agencies. These funds are used to provide specified supplemental foods to WIC
participants and to pay specified administrative costs, including those for nutrition education.
WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS?
Infants. children, and pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding women are eligible for the WIC
Program if they: (I) reside in an approved project area or are a member of a special population;
(2) meet the income eligibility standards of the local agency ; and (3) are individually determined
by a competent professional to be in nutritional need of the supplemental foods provided by the
WIC Program. A person is determined in nutritional need for such reasons as anemia, abnormal
growth, high-risk pregnancy, and inadequate diet. When a local agency no longer has funds to
serve additional participants, applicants are placed in one of six nutritional need priority levels in
order to assure that those persons in greatest need are placed on the WIC Program as soon as
space is available.
WHAT SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS DO THE PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE?
Under the WIC Program, infants receive iron-fortified formula, cereal which is high in iron, and
fruit juice which is high in vitamin C. Infants 6 months of age or older may receive fortified
whole fluid milk or fortified evaporated milk in lieu of iron-fortified infant formula. Participating
women and children receive fortified milk and/or cheese, eggs, hot or cold cereal which is high
in iron, and fruit or vegetable juice which is high in vitamin C. Children with special dietary
problems may receive iron-fortified infant fonnula by request of the physician.
HOW DO PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS?
WIC participants receive foods from a food delivery system operated by their State agency, which
is responsible for the accountability of the system and its effectiveness in meeting their needs.
Systems the State agencies use are: (I) retail purchase systems in which participants obtain sup-
plemental foods through local retail stores; (2) home delivery systems in which food is delivered
to the participant's home: and (3) direct distribution systems in which participants pick up food
from a storage facility.
HOW ARE LOCAL AGENCIES SELECTED?
Each State agency must rank areas and special populations under its jurisdiction in order of
greatest need based on economic and health statistics and approve new programs in this rank
order. When funds are available to open a WIC' Program in an area, the State agency sl'lccts a
local agency based on the type of service and capabilities of the agency. Consideration is given
to each agency in the following order: (I) a health agency which can provide both health and
administrative services; (2) a health or welfare agency which must contract with another agency
for health or administrative services: (3) a health agency which must contract with a private
physician in order to provide health services to a particular category of participant (women, in­fants,
or children): and (4) a welfare agency which must contract with a private physician in order
to provide health services.
WHAT RECOURSE DOES A PERSON HAVE FOR ANY ADVERSE DECISION WITHIN
THE WIC PROGRAM?
Each State agency is required to have a fair hearing procedure under which pregnant, postpartum
and breasttl:eding women, parents, or guardians can appeal any decision made by the local agency
regarding program participation.
USDA policy does not permit discrimination because of race, color, national origin, sex, political
beliefs, or religion. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any
USDA-related activity should write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C. 20250.