Alabama WIC: Keeping Moms and Kids Healthy
For pregnant women and nursing mothers of modest income, the federal based WIC is a godsend. WIC, which stands for Women, Infants and Children, is a nutrition program that provides nutrition and health education, healthy food and other services free of charge to families who qualify. The Alabama WIC program is operated regionally by the Alabama Department of Public Health.
The mission of the Alabama “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program,” commonly known as WIC, serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, & children up to age 5 who may be at nutritional risk. The Alabama WIC program offers key information on healthy eating and breastfeeding. The Alabama WIC Program collaborates with the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture to provide WIC participants with coupons, redeemable at Alabama Farmers’ Markets for fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer months.
The target population of the Alabama WIC program are are low-income, nutritionally at risk. The Alabama WIC program is widely utilized, as 45 percent of all infants born in the United States use WIC. Families benefit from the Alabama WIC program by receiving supplemental nutritious foods, counseling and nutrition education, plus referrals to other health, welfare and social services.
Eligibility
Who is eligible for the Alabama WIC program?
Categorical simply means who can receive services of the Alabama WIC program. regnant women, women who have just had a baby,breastfeeding women, infants, and children under the age of five.
Residential requirements which are mandated by the federal WIC program simply require that applicants applying for Alabama WIC to be currently living in Alabama.
The strictest requirement of the WIC program is that applicants must have an income at or below an income level set by the Alabama WIC agency. The state-set income level must not be more than 185 percent of the Federal poverty income guidelines. Current income charts are available on the Alabama WIC program web site.
Women and children are automatically eligible, according to the Alabama WIC program if they have already been determined income-eligible by their participation in other social services, including Food Stamps, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
The final requirement of the Alabama WIC program is called nutritional risk. Although the wording seems a bit harsh to expectant and new mothers, there are various factors that may contribute to nutrition risk. It could simply mean the person has a medical-based condition like anemia or is underweight, or has suffered miscarriages.
Benefits and Services
For women children who meet all Alabama WIC program requirements, WIC provides breastfeeding support, and immunization screening and referral, Personalized nutrition consultation and checks to buy free, healthy food.
Because research has proven that the best food for baby’s first year of life is breast milk, the Alabama WIC program encourages breastfeeding. The Alabama WIC program provides breastfeeding mother with education, support, and additional resources to help with the breastfeeding process.
For those not breastfeeding the Alabama WIC program food package includes formula. There are Federal regulatory requirements for WIC-eligible foods. Food that are included on the Alabama WIC program for adults include certain hot and cold cereals, which are high in iron and low in sugar. Beverages on the voucher include cow’s milk and 100% juice products. Women will also receive peanut butter or dry beans, cheese, eggs and beans. Breastfeeding women will also receive tuna fish and carrots. Baby will receive his/her own vouchers for cereal and juice in the first year of life under the Alabama WIC program. After one year, when the mother comes off the program, baby stays on and receives the cow’s milk, cereal (not infant), eggs and peanut butter or dry beans. A pamphlet is given to WIC recipients with pictures of all acceptable brands.
Because immunizing children against certain diseases is one important way to help them stay healthy, another service of the Alabama WIC program is to refer parents WIC’s about where to get a child immunized. However, immunization records or status and/or an infant/child’s are not tied to the receipt of WIC benefits under the Alabama WIC program.
To Apply for WIC in Alabama
Contact your local WIC office or call 1-800-654-1385 to locate the Alabama WIC office nearest you and to schedule an appointment. The Alabama WIC program does require the person applying to be present, as well as:
* Proof of Identity – which may be a driver’s license OR a social security card or an adult; a crib card OR birth certificate for an infant.
* Proof of Income – in the form of a pay stub OR completed income tax form OR a Medicaid card.
* Proof of Address – acceptable forms: utility bill OR a rental receipt
The main Alabama office:
Division of WIC
Bureau of Family Health Services
Alabama Department of Public Health
RSA Tower, Suite 1300
P.O. Box 303017
Montgomery, AL 36130-3017
telephone: (334) 206-5673
toll-free in-state: 1-888-942-4673 (1-888-WIC HOPE)
fax: (334) 206-2914
email: wblackmon@adph.state.al.us
website: http://www.adph.org/wic
