Description
WIC is a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. WIC helps lower-income women (pregnant, breastfeeding and those who recently had a baby) and infants and children (up to age 5) who are at nutritional health risk. WIC benefits include:

• Nutrition evaluation, learning and guidance to improve eating behavior;
• Access to health care programs plus referral to private and public health care providers; and
• Supplemental, highly nutritious foods such as iron-fortified cereal, milk, eggs, peanut butter and dried beans.

Eligibility
To qualify for WIC benefits, a person must be either:

• A pregnant woman, a breastfeeding woman, a woman who recently had a bab, an infant, birth to 12 months, or a child, up to age 5 years.
• Determined by a health professional to be at nutritional or medical risk,
• Below 185% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, and
• Reside in Montana.

WIC is 100% federally funded by the US Department of Agriculture.

For more information, or to apply for WIC, please call the WIC representative at (406) 433-6917.

Authority
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) manages an annual WIC grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture through state rules (ARM (37.59.101-402). Federal WIC regulations are published in 7 CFR 246. Public Law 108-265, the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, (amended June 30, 2004) authorizes WIC.


Effectiveness
Here are several facts known about participants in the WIC Program:

• Pregnancy results are improved.
• Fewer low birth weight babies are born.
• Diets are improved.
• Late fetal deaths are reduced.
• Children are better immunized.
• Children do better on vocabulary scores.
• Rates of anemia are reduced.
  

Savings
Participation in WIC can lower Medicaid costs for mothers, newborns and the government. WIC children are better immunized and more likely to have a regular source of health care.