Harrison County Health Department

WIC -- WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN

WIC serves pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children, up to five years of age, in Harrison County.  These periods of the life cycle are particularly critical in growth and development.  Therefore we in the WIC program are committed to working with the eligible target population to provide comprehensive nutrition services including nutritious supplemental food, nutrition education and health care referral. 

WIC is a supplemental food program that is Federally funded and is administered in Missouri by the Department of Health and Senior Services.  By improving the diets of low-income women, infants and children, the WIC program improves the health status of a vulnerable population during a critical growth period.  The statistics gathered on health care savings for this group is impressive.  Standards for participation in the WIC program are the same for everyone regardless of race, color or national origin, sex, age, or handicap.

Each year the state and county decide which areas of need will be emphasized.  WIC participants are persons who meet WIC income guidelines and are determined by health professionals to be at nutritional risk.  The nutritional risk factors are continually reviewed and revised by the state nutritional staff.

WIC supplemental food packages are specifically chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium and Vitamins A and C.  Eligible women and children receive fortified milk and/or cheese, eggs, hot or cold cereals high in iron, fruit juices high in Vitamin C and dried beans/peas or peanut butter.  Fully breastfeeding women can receive additional cheese, juice, carrots, and tuna.  The WIC program recommends breastfeeding for the first year of life.  For the infant who has stopped breastfeeding or whose mother has elected not to breastfeed, supplemental iron fortified formula is provided.  Infants receive infant cereal and juice at appropriate ages. 

To help busy, young parents, WIC clients are also given the opportunity to get their immunizations brought up to date during their time at the clinic.  We also offer clients lead risk assessment and testing for their children over one year of age during the clinic.  The hemoglobin and lead testing can be done with one “stick”.

Our contract budget number is to serve 325 clients per month.  We are currently serving over 330 per month.  In 2006 we served a total of 4,097 clients for the year.  A WIC clinic is conducted four times each month at the health department.

Delcena Hamilton

WIC Coordinator

2006 WIC Statistics

Clients served monthly        330+

Clients served                   4,097