What is WIC
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WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. It is administered in Illinois by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). WIC is an equal opportunity provider.
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| WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides |
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| Nutrition Education, Counseling and Support: |
- Through the nutrition education offered by the WIC program, parents learn about their own nutritional needs, as well as those of their infants and children. Participants are taught how to shop for nutritious foods and how to prepare well-balanced meals to improve the health of the entire family. Individual nutritional counseling is also provided.
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| Breastfeeding Support: |
- WIC encourages breastfeeding as the most nutritious choice for infant feeding. Our WIC staff has been trained to provide lactation counseling and support for mothers who choose to breastfeed their infant.
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| Nutritious Foods: |
WIC provides eligible participants with a variety of nutritious foods including:
These foods are rich in protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron and folic acid. |
- Milk
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Juice
- Cereal
- Dry Beans or Peas
- Iron-Fortified Infant Formula
- Breastfeeding mothers may also receive tuna fish and carrots
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| Health Screenings: |
- WIC provides free health screenings to all participants to determine nutritional risk. A nutritional risk is any problem, medical or dietary, that is caused by or is associated with what you eat. Examples are poor growth in a child, poor eating habits and tooth decay. WIC determines nutritional risk by measuring height and weight, doing a simple blood test and reviewing each participant’s medical history and dietary intake.
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| Referrals to other services: |
| The WIC staff have been trained to help participants find the care providers they need, including doctors and social service agencies. Examples of possible referral include: |
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Smoking-Cessation Programs
- Family Planning
- Substance Abuse Programs
- Family Case Management
- Lead-Poisoning Screening
- Developmental Screening
- Children With Special Health Care Needs
- Well-Child Visits
- Immunizations
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Eligibility Requirements - To qualify for WIC you must (please read carefully):
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- A Pregnant Woman
or
- Breastfeeding (up to one year after giving birth)
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- A New Mother (up to six months after giving birth)
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- A Parent, Guardian or Caretaker who has an infant or child younger than 5 years of Age.
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- Within Income Guidelines
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- Have a Medical or Health Risk as determined by a WIC Certifying Health Professional.
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| For your first visit to a WIC clinic, please bring the following with you: |
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Identification (examples: driver’s license, photo ID)
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Proof of pregnancy (positive pregnancy test)
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Proof of income (examples: your last two paycheck stubs, income tax form, Medicaid or Food Stamp ID or ALL KIDS Card)
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Proof of residency (examples: your utility bill or recent mail)
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Proof of birth (birth certificate for your infant or child)
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Proof of immunizations (shot records)
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Person to be certified (you or your child)
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WIC does not require proof of citizenship or alien status.
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