IT TAKES A VILLAGE!

WIC’S ROLE IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Eriko M. Grover, MS-MPH, RD, LD/NPublic Health Nutrition Program DirectorFlorida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County

WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE WIC PROGRAM?•Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or recently postpartum

•Infants

•Children up to the age of 5

HOW DO YOU QUALIFY FOR WIC?• Must be income eligible

• 2017 WIC Income Guidelines• Example, Family of 4 – maximum

monthly income = 3,793 or 45,510/year

• Income eligible if participant is receiving Medicaid, temporary cash assistance (TCA) or Food assistance (SNAP).

• Be at nutrition risk

HEALTHY FOODS

NUTRITION EDUCATION

BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT

COMMUNITY REFERRALS

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WIC PROGRAM• Serves approximately 65,000women, infants and children per month

• 16 WIC Centers• ~ 250 stores accept WIC

• 18 Stores now have a “WIC Corner”• 80 Nutrition Staff

• 30 Registered/Licensed Dietitians

What does WIC do for communities?• Improved birth outcomes• Increase in healthy food

consumption• Improved breastfeeding rates in

our community

WIC Babies – Improved Birth Outcomes• Probability of low birth weight

reduced• Risk of preterm delivery

decreased• Probability of NICU admission

decreased • Reduced probability of being

born SGASonchak, Lyudmyla (2016). The Impact of WIC on Birth Outcomes: New Evidence

from South Carolina. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20, 1518-1525.

WIC Positively Impacts Breastfeeding• Breastfeeding initiation

improves when mothers enter WIC earlier in pregnancy and early in postpartum period

• 1st vs. 3rd trimester – 10-32% more likely to initiate breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding duration greatly improves with prenatal entry into WIC

• 12-44% more likely to breastfeed longer

Metallinos-Katasaras E., et al (2015). Maternal WIC Participation Improves Breastfeeding Rates: A Statewide Analysis of WIC Participants. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20, 1518-1525.

WAYS TO REFER

CALL

TEXT

VISI

T

786.336.1300

keyword localwic + your zipcode to 67076

Signupwic.com/local

CONTACT

Eriko Grover, MPH-MS, RD, LD/NWIC Program Director786.336.1333Eriko.grover@flhealth.gov

Carla Munoz, MPH, RD, LD/N, CLCOutreach Coordinator786.385.8657carla.munoz@flhealth.gov

THANK YOU!