ability to apply online
your offices around the valley are jam packed with women wanting either to sign up for wic or with people who have questions. If you gave the ability to apply for wic online, it would cut wait time for the mothers who have to bring their children with them to the office.
Kylene
shared this idea
We agree it would be helpful, however the Women, Infant and Childrens nutritional program is a federal program. Federal rules state the client receiving benefits must be present at the time of certification.
WIC does help to streamline the appointment by having adjunctive eligibility (meaning their participation in AHCCCS, Food Stamps or TANF automatically makes them income eligible for WIC, which cuts down on the amount of paperwork that needs to be reviewed).
In addition the WIC program is set up as the premier public health nutrition program because of the tailored nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to other services that we provide in addition to the healthy food.
These services are based on the individual family needs and the nutrition assessment that is done at the time of certification.
On a happy note, we will be moving to certifications for children for 1 year, rather than 6 months in late 2012 and early 2013 which will help to decrease the number of visits to the clinic.