Charleston, WV (WOAY)—The West Virginia Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is making significant progress in reaching more families who could benefit from its services through an innovative in-hospital certification pilot project.
This initiative aims to connect with eligible families before they leave the hospital’s labor and delivery unit, ensuring they receive benefits and support without needing to visit WIC clinics immediately.
The pilot program initially launched as a part-time effort in 2023 and later expanded to a full-time program in September 2024.
Through this program, WIC hospital representatives use electronic medical records to identify and certify participants directly in birthing hospitals.
The initiative allows families to leave the hospital already enrolled in WIC, giving them access to breastfeeding peer counselors and nutrition education.
While services are prioritized for families in the six counties served by the Monongalia agency, the program is open to all West Virginia residents.
With promising early results, the initiative plans to expand to seven additional WVU Medicine hospitals across four local WIC agencies, funded by a WIC infrastructure grant.
For more information about this program and its expansion, contact the Office of Nutrition Services Director, Heidi Staats, at Heidi.E.Staats@wv.gov or 304-558-0030.
