Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL
Part V - Preventive Health Services
Subpart 15 - Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Chapter 43 - Participant Eligibility
Section V-4303 - Eligibility Criteria
Universal Citation: LA Admin Code V-4303
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. To be certified as eligible for LA WIC, applicants shall:
1. reside within the jurisdiction of the
state, however, length of residency is not an eligibility
requirement;
2. meet the income
requirement as described in Subsection B of this Section; and
3. meet nutritional risk criteria as
described in Subparagraph d (Priority IV) of Paragraph 4 of Subsection C of
this Section and in the state plan.
B. Income Criteria and Income Eligibility Determination
1. Income criteria for the
program is established annually at 185 percent of poverty level (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services) as issued annually by the USDA's FNS.
This shall have an annual effective date of no later than July 1.
2. LA WIC will determine income through the
use of a clear and simple application form. Routine verification on a random
selection of WIC participants to verify income is, and shall remain, at the
discretion of LA WIC. Applicants are adjunctively income eligible for LA WIC
when proof of enrollment in Louisiana Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is
provided.
C. Nutritional Risk
1. A competent professional authority
shall determine if a WIC participant is at nutritional risk through a medical
and/or nutritional assessment. This determination may be based on referral data
by an applicant or WIC participant's medical provider.
2. At minimum, height (or length) and weight
of the WIC participant shall be measured, and a hematological test for anemia
(such as a hemoglobin, hematocrit or free erythrocyte protoporphyrin test)
shall be performed. Such hematological tests are not required, but are
permitted, for infants under nine months of age. All infants nine months of age
and older (who have not already had a hematological test performed or obtained
between the ages of and six and nine months), shall have a hematological test
performed between nine and 12 months of age or obtained from referral
sources.
3. Appropriate nutritional
risk codes, as specified in the current state plan and as summarized in
Paragraph 4 of this Subsection, shall be documented at each
certification/recertification visit.
4. In the event that statewide participation
has reached the maximum level, LA WIC shall fill vacancies according to the
federally mandated priority system. In the event a priority level must be
partially closed, subpriorities are described in the state plan as approved by
USDA. Priority levels are identified as follows.
a. Priority I-pregnant women, breastfeeding
women and infants at nutritional risk as demonstrated by hematological or
anthropometric measurements, or other documented nutritionally related medical
conditions which demonstrate the need for WIC approved food items.
b. Priority II-
i. infants (except those infants who quality
for Priority I) up to 6 months of age born of women who participated in LA WIC
during pregnancy; and
ii. infants
(except those infants who qualify for Priority I) up to 6 months of age born of
women who were not WIC participants during pregnancy but whose medical records
document that they were at nutritional risk during pregnancy due to nutritional
conditions detectable by biochemical or anthropometric measurements or other
documented nutritionally related medical conditions which demonstrated the
person's need for WIC approved food items.
c. Priority III-children at nutritional risk
as demonstrated by hematological or anthropometric measurements or other
documented medical conditions which demonstrate the child's need for WIC
approved food items.
d. Priority
IV-pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants at nutritional risk because
of an inadequate dietary pattern.
e. Priority V-children at nutritional risk
because of an inadequate dietary pattern.
f. Priority VI-postpartum women at
nutritional risk.
g. Priority
VII-individuals certified for LA WIC solely due to homelessness or migrancy
and, at state agency option, previously certified WIC participants who might
regress in nutritional status without continued provision of WIC approved food
items.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:972.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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