Overview

WIC clients receive benefits each month that are used to buy specific nutritious foods at grocery stores. WIC food packages are issued to participants based on their nutritional needs. WIC supplements client’s diets with these nutritious foods:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Cereal
• Juice
• Dried or canned beans
• Peanut butter
• Whole grain bread, tortillas or brown rice
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Tofu

WIC encourages women to breastfeed as the most nutritious way to feed their babies.  Mothers who fully breastfeed their babies are issued a larger food package that includes canned light tuna, pink salmon, or sardines.  Totally breastfed babies will receive infant cereal and jars of baby food fruits, vegetables, and meats at six months of age.

Infants who are not breastfed receive supplemental amounts of iron-fortified formula, and beginning at six months of age, they will receive infant cereal and jars of baby food fruits and vegetables.

Education

Good nutrition is essential to good health, and the Indiana WIC Program offers a range of health and nutrition education services for families to help clients put healthy behaviors into action.  Nutrition education is provided in Indiana through various methods, including one-on-one contacts, group classes, and individual learning modules.  These services are customized to each family's needs and interests and include:

• Infant feeding
• Breastfeeding
• Prenatal Weight Gain
• Postpartum Weight Loss
• Picky Eaters
• Anemia

WIC staff are ready to discuss nutrition and health related needs specific to the participant and their family including:

• Information about eating well for a healthy pregnancy and baby
• Answers to questions and concerns about feeding yourself and your family
• Discussions about eating habits and how to help someone eat better
• Connection to breastfeeding support to help reach breastfeeding goals
• Information about introducing foods to your baby as they develop and grow
• Recommendations on improving your family’s meals during and after pregnancy
• Suggestions for supportive online education

Participants also have the opportunity to complete online nutrition education if eligible.

Referrals

A specific function of the Indiana WIC certification process is to make referrals for Medicaid and other social service programs.  Although the Indiana WIC Program does not provide health care, Indiana WIC will refer all applicants to health care providers as appropriate.  Some of the referrals include:

• Health Coverage
• Food Assistance Programs
• Parenting Programs
• Health and Safety Programs
• Immunization Services
• Family and Social Services
• Mental Health and Addiction Services
• Healthcare Services
• Housing and Shelter Programs
• Utilities Assistance
• Domestic and Sexual Violence Resources

Additional Resources for WIC Families (Laura)

Healthcare Providers

WIC Authorized Formulas

WIC Approved Foods (available in Burmese and Spanish)

Medical Documentation Forms:

• Children 1-5 Years of Age
• Infants up to 12 Months
• Pregnant, Breastfeeding, and Non-Breastfeeding Postpartum Women

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.