October 30, 2006 WIC Update

TO: Local WIC Provider Administrators, WIC Coordinators and WIC Nutrition Coordinators
SUBJECT: HWNE Nutrition Education screen
SUBJECT: Springfield's VENA Training Site Change - Reminder
SUBJECT: Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) Dates to Remember
SUBJECT: New WIC Preschool Activity Sheets Now Available on WIC Works
SUBJECT: Cultural Competency 101 Training and Resource Extra Manuals
SUBJECT: Cultural Competency Resource Materials
SUBJECT: FFY2007 WIC-24

1. HWNE Nutrition Education screen:  When coding the initial contact "AR" code on the HWNE screen, the HWNE screen appears to show that the code is being applied to all members of the family even if they are not due for recert that day.

Example:  "Child A" is being recertified today, 10/25/06.  There is one infant in the family "Infant A" who was certified 3 months ago on 7/25/06.  There is one other child in the family "Child B" who was also recertified three months ago on 7/25/06.

When keying the AR code for "Child A" today on the HWNE screen, the screen pulls up all three participants in the family and populates the AR code to those records on the screen.  Even though you get a successful completion on that screen, the AR code is not stored on the records for "Infant A" and "Child B" if the AR code already exists.  In other words, it will not duplicate the AR code on a record.

If you have any questions or if you find anything else that you think might be an error with the HWNE screen, please call Melissa Seaver at 573-751-6489 or e-mail melissa.seaver@dhss.mo.gov.

2. Springfield's VENA Training Site Change – Reminder: Springfield's VENA Training Site Change - In order to make the VENA program more enjoyable for our attendees in Springfield on November 16-17, the location of the training has been changed to the Clarion Hotel - Ballroom #2 at 3333 South Glenstone Avenue. A map of the training site is attached. If you have any questions, please e-mail Michele.Bailey@dhss.mo.gov.
    
3. Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) Dates to Remember:  Local agency staff that attended the VENA training earlier this month asked about timelines for implementation.  We shared the following information during the training:

December 15, 2006 - The State WIC office submits the VENA Self-Evaluation to USDA.
January 16, 2007 - The Nutrition Assessment forms will be available in HANDS.  LWPs will no longer be able to use the 24 dietary recall.
March 2007 Program Updates - Training on additional VENA changes in HANDS.
June 1, 2007 - Implement additional changes in HANDS.
August 15, 2007 - WIC State Office submits the VENA Implementation Plan to USDA.
October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2009 - Development and Roll-out of VENA.
October 1, 2009 - VENA fully implemented.

4. New WIC Preschool Activity Sheets Now Available on WIC Works: Local agency nutritionists will want to check out the new preschool activity sheets available on WIC Works.  These activity sheets could be used in presenting nutrition education sessions for children, for keeping children occupied during a clinic visit, or as a waiting room activity.

The WIC preschool activity sheets are intended for preschool aged WIC participants, in particular 2-4 year olds.  Nutrition messages are learned through activities appropriate for this age group based on information from the Department of Education.  These activity sheets include basic preschool skills such as counting, identifying shapes, identifying letters in the alphabet, matching alike items (food), and identifying objects (with emphasis on fruits and vegetables). 

The materials are available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/Sharing_Center/preschool.html in PDF format in both English and Spanish.  They may be printed in black and white or color. If you have any questions, please e-mail Rita.Arni@dhss.mo.gov.

5. Cultural Competency 101 Training and Resource Extra Manuals: The WIC Cultural Competency Training and Support team would like to thank those who attended the Cultural Competency 101 Training in July and September 2006.  The training was a success and more than 200 WIC staff members from 62 local WIC providers attended the training.  We have about 30 manuals available for local WIC providers who missed the training.  If your agency would like to have a manual, please contact Takako Tagami at Takako.Tagami@dhss.mo.gov.
6. Cultural Competency Resource Materials: An objective of the Missouri WIC Cultural Competency Training and Support project is to assist local WIC providers by providing resources in order to develop culturally friendly clinics.  All local WIC providers will receive the following resource materials in November:

• “Health Matters: A Pocket Guide For Working With Diverse Cultures and Underserved Populations" - by Michele Yehieli and Mark Grey      
• "Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fun Around the World” - by Deanna F. Cook
• "American Heritage Pocket Spanish Dictionary: Spanish to English and English to Spanish"
• "My Pyramid” DVD or VHS (in the format requested by each LWP) - English and Spanish - by Discovery Education

A world map will be sent to local WIC providers separately in December.  We hope the resource materials above will assist you in providing culturally appropriate services for WIC participants in Missouri through improved cultural awareness and competency skills.  Please contact Takako Tagami at 1-800-392-8209 or e-mail Takako.Tagami@dhss.mo.gov, if you have any questions.

7. FFY2007 WIC-24:  The FFY2007 WIC-24 Monthly Administrative Cost Invoice files have been posted.

The FFY2007 WIC-24 Excel Workbook differs from the FFY2006 WIC-24 in two respects:

1. The color of the header on each tab of the workbook has been changed to green to distinguish it from the FFY2006.
2. The WIC24-C In-Kind Expenses Reported tab has been revised to reflect the sources of funding for covering un-billed WIC eligible expenses between non-federal and Federal sources.  The instructions tab for the WIC24-C has been updated.

Individual WIC-24 files for each of the twelve months of FFY2007 have been posted. However, as in past years, each month's file may be modified to turn it into the next month's file thus saving copying names, rates, etc.

Questions regarding the FFY2007 WIC-24 should be directed to Jim Schindler at the state WIC office, or by email at James.Schindler@dhss.mo.gov.

Attachments:
Map To Clarion Hotel - VENA Training - Springfield.doc
JANWIC24.xls
FEBWIC24.xls
MARWIC24.xls
APRWIC24.xls
MAYWIC24.xls
JUNWIC24.xls
JULWIC24.xls
AUGWIC24.xls
SEPWIC24.xls
OCTWIC24.xls
NOVWIC24.xls
DECWIC24.xls