The Scotland County Health Department has announced that a contract to provide WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) services for fiscal year 2021-22 has been signed with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Under the terms of the contract, Scotland County Health Department will be able to serve 167 eligible pregnant or postpartum women, infants and children up to five years of age each month.
WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program that provides services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility. The primary services provided by WIC are health screenings, risk assessments, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support and promotion and referrals for health care.
To be eligible for WIC applicants must have an income of less than or equal to 185% of the federal poverty level and be determined by a health professional to be at nutritional risk. Participation in the food stamp, Persons who are eligible for the Medicaid and TANF programs automatically qualify a person in the WIC program.
WIC supplemental food packages are specially chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium, and Vitamins A and C. Eligible women and children receive fortified milk, cheese, eggs, whole grain bread products and hot or cold cereals, 100% fruit juices and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. WIC recommends breastfeeding and provides breastfeeding support and has breast pumps available. WIC provides food packages that include infant fruits and vegetables and cereal. For women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infants may receive supplemental iron fortified formula. WIC participants obtain their foods using WIC EBT cards at local grocery stores.
Studies confirm that pregnant women who enroll in WIC during the early months of pregnancy have fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer infant deaths, see the doctor earlier in pregnancy and eat healthier.
The Scotland County Health Department is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers WIC services on the third and fourth Wednesday each month and by appointment.
Missouri residents interested in finding out more about how to receive WIC benefits can call the Scotland County Health Department at 660-465-7275 or TEL-LINK at 1-800-TEL-LINK (1-800-835-5465). The information is also available online at www.health.mo.gov/wic
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