March 21, 2005 WIC Update

TO: Local WIC Provider Administrators, WIC Coordinators and WIC Nutrition Coordinators
SUBJECT: E-mail from State WIC Office Week of March 14 - 18, 2005

1. The State WIC Office is receiving calls from the LWPs regarding formula availability at the WIC grocery stores and pharmacies.
   It is not always possible for a vendor to get a formula into their establishment within the 72 hours required. If the exempt formula is not available, the local agency should contact the physician to find out what other formula the part icipant can use until the vendor can get the originally requested formula. (ER# 2.07000)  Your vendor liaison person might be of assistance also for contacting the vendor to see if a formula is available. 
2. The revised Income Guidelines for April 1, 2005 - March 31, 2006 will be e-mailed to you on Monday, March 28.  The State WIC office is awaiting release from USDA and this usually does not come out until the end of March.  O nce we receive USDA approval the State WIC Office will be printing and laminating the guidelines and will be sending them to each LWP.
3. OMB 15 goes into effect in April.  The HANDS will no longer allow check printing for participants with U's for race or ethnicity.  Not entering U's is already the policy but it will have varying effects on LWPs.   ; Details of how this change will effect your agency will be sent the week of March 28 - April 1.
4. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released four radio public service announcements (PSAs) that emphasize the importance of adult role modeling for healthy eating and active living. The PSAs are part of the Ea t Smart. Play Hard Campaign designed to motivate children and families to eat a nutritious diet and be physically active. 

USDA distributed the PSAs to radio stations nationwide to help reach families in communities across the country.  The four audio public service announcements were created to motivate and help parents remember the important role t hey play in helping kids make healthy choices.  The PSAs cover the following themes:

• PSA 1:  Mom Discussing Family's New Habits (60 seconds)
• PSA 2:  Friends Discussing Healthy Eating in the Grocery Store  (30 seconds)
• PSA 3:  Be Physically Active and Eat Better (30 seconds)
• PSA 4:  New Rules for Mealtime (30 seconds)

The PSAs are part of the Eat Smart. Play Hard. (tm) Campaign, may be
used by  schools, Food Stamp Programs, WIC, and health organizations to
support State and local activities by: 

• Airing during school events, assemblies.
• Playing during family programs in your community.
• Encouraging local supermarkets to play over a public announcement system during National Nutrition Month.

We also encourage you to ask your local radio stations to air them during nutrition month.

The audio version and scripts of the PSAs are available at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard/Collection/collect_tools_2.html

For more information about the campaign, see the Related Links at:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhard/

Have a great week,
Phyllis