WIC - Women, Infants, & Children | Wayne County Health Department

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The Wayne County WIC Program

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The Wayne County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is a health program funded by the USDA.

The purpose of the program is to help improve diet during critical times of growth and development.

The goal is to improve the health status & prevent health problems within this population.

WIC provides:

Nutrition education
Breastfeeding support
Nutritious foods
Referrals to other local community agencies

The foods provided by the program are supplemental and are not intended to provide all of your daily food requirements.

Homemade Infant Formula is not safe. It can be dangerous for your baby!

Please do not dilute infant formula and or make homemade infant formula.

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WIC currently serves approximately 2,000 participants per month.
WIC works with several grocers & one pharmacy for special orders.
Supplemental foods are provided through the use of the WIC Nutrition Card (WNC) that can be used throughout the state at vendors under contract with the State WIC program.

What is WIC Eligibility Criteria?

Be a resident of Ohio.
- Migrant workers are eligible to apply while they reside in the state.
Be at medical and nutritional risk.
Must meet income guidelines
A person automatically meets the income eligibility requirement regardless of actual gross income if currently receiving:
- Medicaid
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Income Eligibility Requirement

What is the Length of Eligibility?

Pregnant women are certified for their entire pregnancy.
Breastfeeding women are certified up to twelve months postpartum.
Non-breastfeeding postpartum women are certified up to six months postpartum.
Infants are certified after birth & re-certified at their first birthday.
Children are certified every twelve months up to five years of age.

What Services are Provided?

Nutrition Education

Nutrition education is available to all adult WIC participants or parents or caregivers of child and/or infant participants.

The goals of nutrition education are:

To teach the relationship between proper nutrition & good health.
To achieve a positive change in the food consumption habits related to the participant's nutritional risk.
To promote the optimal use of WIC supplemental foods & other nutritious foods.
To provide nutrition education within the context of the ethnic/cultural preferences of the participant.
- Consideration is always given to the participant's language, educational background, & environmental limitations.

All classes are:

Available to WIC participants.
30-45 minutes commitment.

Twice a month hands-on classes are

Offered for children 2-5 years old.
Engage them in the food/nutrition process.
Provide families with healthy recipes / food ideas that children will eat.

Monthly classes are

Offered for moms with infants ready to start solids.
Class for infants beginning to explore table foods & drinking from a cup.

Breastfeeding Promotion & Support

WIC strives to increase the incidence & duration of breastfeeding among women enrolled in the program

Breastfeeding classes are offered twice a month to WIC participants.
Classes are taught by an RN who is also a Certified Lactation Counselor.
Classes include information on every aspect of breastfeeding.
Individual education is available for those who are unable to attend a class or prefer a more personal experience.
Breast pumps & other breastfeeding aids are available.
An enhanced food package is available for participants who are exclusively breastfeeding their babies & not receiving infant formula from WIC.

Breastfeeding Coordinator & Breastfeeding Peer Helpers are trained to

Assist mothers in making informed decisions about infant feeding.
Assist mothers with breastfeeding concerns or questions.

Immunization Assessment & Referral

Linkage of WIC and immunization services have been shown to improve the immunization status of WIC participants.

Infants/children participating in WIC are targeted for immunization coverage.
Infant/child participants' immunization records are entered into the Statewide Immunization Information System.
The participant is given a computer-generated list of the individual's shot history & shots due.
Individuals listed with any post-due shots are referred to their immunization provider.

Nutritious Supplemental Foods

WIC provides highly nutritious supplemental foods that are rich in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C.

These are key nutrients commonly lacking in the diets of the WIC target population.

WIC recognizes that breastfeeding is the best method of infant feeding and nurturing.
However, formula-fed infants may receive the WIC contract brand of iron-fortified formula for the first year of life.
Baby Food Beginning at six months of age, infants may also receive iron-fortified infant cereal, baby fruits/vegetables.
Amounts of the formula provided per month will decrease as these complementary foods are added.
Exclusively breastfed infants will also receive strained baby meats.
Non-contract/special formulas are available with a doctor's prescription & other appropriate documentation.

How Does WIC Work?

Participants meet with a healthcare professional every six months to review their dietary habits & any medical conditions.

Nutritional status is evaluated through:

A health history provided by the participant or parent/guardian.
A brief dietary assessment.
A discussion.

Based on this evaluation, mutually agreed upon goals for improvement are set.

Nutrition Counseling/Education.
WIC provides nutrition education/counseling to pregnant women, new mothers, infants/children.
The main focus of the nutrition education program is prevention & improvement of the health status.
Individuals learn about their specific nutritional needs & the nutrients necessary during pregnancy/lactation.
New mothers receive information/guidance in feeding the child through all stages of development.
Counseling is also targeted toward identified nutritional issues such as
- Anemia, Growth problems, Inappropriate weight in pregnancy, Special feeding programs, ETC.
Every effort is made to provide culturally appropriate counseling in the participant's own language.

Supplemental Foods

WIC participants receive specified foods prescribed to meet their individual needs.
WIC foods are high in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.

Improved Access to Health Care Services

The WIC program encourages earlier more frequent utilization of other health care systems.

It refers and coordinates with other services such as