Expansion of WIC Program
The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), is a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. WIC operates through health departments and clinics and is available in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Additionally, 31 Indian tribal bands and organizations administer the program.
WIC provides supplemental food, nutrition education, and health care referrals at no cost, to low-income pregnant, breast-feeding and postpartum women, and infants and young children up to 5 years of age who are found to be at nutritional risk.
Congress appropriates a specific amount of funds each year for WIC. The program serves about 6 million participants each month, 50 percent of whom are children. Although WIC serves a large number of persons, its current funding reaches only 60 percent of those eligible for benefits. In some areas, eligible individuals - generally children - are not being served due to lack of sufficient funds.
WIC's role in providing nutrition and health assistance to all eligible women, infants, and children will be extended and its funding increased. For fiscal year 1994 there was a $350 million increase over fiscal year 1993, and it is estimated that WIC will be able to serve an additional 600,000 participants. The budget for fiscal year 1995 is projected to have a $350 million increase over 1994 and serve 700,000 more participants. With an increase in funding, the largest expansion is expected to occur with children from ages 2 to 4.
Recognizing that both WIC and Head Start will most likely receive increases in funding for services to a similar target population, it is a good time to recommit to working together to meet the needs of our shared clientele. Areas of collaboration between Head Start and WIC that are already taking place include:
- Co-location of program services;
- Coordination of various public health initiatives (e.g., lead screening, immunization, child abuse awareness, etc.);
- Sharing of strategies/guidelines for training paraprofessionals and using volunteers;
- Sharing of statistical, medical, and eligibility information;
- Exchanging nutrition education approaches and materials for children;
- Exchanging information on procedures and standards for providing nutrition services; and
- Obtaining and displaying information on each other's programs (e.g., bilingual brochures, post ers, etc.).