What Services Does WIC Provide?
Nutrition Education
Nutrition education is available to all adult WIC participants and, whenever possible, to child participants and to other family members. The goals of nutrition education are:
- To teach participants and parents/caretakers the relationship between nutrition and good health.
- To improve the food consumption habits, as they relate to the participant's nutritional risk.
- To promote optimal use of WIC supplemental foods and other nutritious foods.
- To provide nutrition education within the context of the participant's ethnic and cultural preferences. Educators provide lessons that are appropriate for the participant's language, educational background, and environmental limitations.
Referrals for Health Care
WIC serves as an adjunct to the health care system. WIC enjoys a reciprocal relationship with the health care community, receiving referrals from private and public health care providers and providing referrals as needed for health and social services. Referrals from WIC include immunizations and substance abuse counseling and treatment. WIC encourages persons already receiving medical services to remain under their physicians' care. It also encourages individuals not receiving medical care to seek and maintain appropriate care.
Breastfeeding Promotion and Support
Breastfeeding promotion and support is
an integral part of the WIC Program. WIC strives to increase the incidence and duration of
breastfeeding among women enrolled in the Program. All WIC agencies have trained personnel
ready to assist mothers in making informed decisions about their infant feeding choice.
WIC also instructs mothers in the basics of breastfeeding. Many WIC agencies have
breastfeeding peer counselor support programs that provide mother-to-mother counseling. In
addition, many local WIC agencies provide breastfeeding aids such as manual and electric
breast pumps. WIC offers a food package for participants who exclusively breastfeed their
babies. This food package includes canned tuna fish and carrots as well as additional
amounts of milk, cereal, cheese, juice, and peanut butter or dry beans already receiving.