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WIC - Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the WIC Program, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements, which are each discussed in individual topics:

·          Categorical

·          Residential

·          Income

·          Nutrition Risk

Other factors affecting eligibility are discussed below.

Participation in Other Programs

The WIC program is designed to supplement Food Stamps, and as a result, participation in the Food Stamp Program does not preclude a person from participating in WIC.

NOTE: A person or certain family members who participate in other benefits programs such as the Food Stamp Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) automatically meet the WIC income eligibility requirement.

Length of Participation

WIC is a short-term program. Therefore, a participant will "graduate" at the end of one or more certification periods. A certification period is the length of time a WIC participant is eligible to receive benefits. Depending on whether the individual is pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, an infant, or a child, an eligible individual usually receives WIC benefits from 6 months to a year, at which time she/he must reapply.

WIC participants are typically eligible to receive benefits for 6-month periods; they then must be re-certified in order to continue to receive benefits. However, pregnant women are certified for the duration of their pregnancy and up to 6 weeks postpartum, and most infants are certified up to their first birthday.

Waiting List/Priority System

Sometimes WIC agencies do not have enough money to serve everyone who needs WIC or calls to apply. When this happens, WIC agencies must keep a waiting list of individuals who want to apply and are likely to be served. WIC agencies then use a special Priority System to determine who will get WIC benefits first when more people can be served. The purpose of the Priority System is to make sure that WIC services and benefits are provided first to participants with the most serious health conditions such as anemia (low blood levels), underweight, history of problems during pregnancy. The WIC - Eligibility Priority System topic has complete details.

Moving

WIC participants who move from one area or State to another are placed at the top of a waiting list when they move and are also served first when the WIC agency can serve more individuals. WIC participants who move can continue to receive WIC benefits until their certification period expires as long as there is proof that the individual received WIC benefits in another area or State. Before a participant moves, they should tell the WIC office. In most cases, WIC staff will give the participant a special card which proves that the individual participated in the WIC Program. When the individual moves, they can call the new WIC office for an appointment and take the special card to the WIC appointment in the new area or State.

See also

WIC - Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - Overview

WIC - Income Requirement

WIC - Categorical Requirement

WIC - Residential Requirement

WIC - Nutrition Risk Requirement

WIC - Eligibility Priority System

WIC - Participant Benefits

WIC - Contact Information

Source

Information for this topic was drawn from:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/fanrr27/
http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/howtoapply/whogetswicandhowtoapply.htm

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