Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. WIC
benefits shall be based upon certifications established in accordance with the
following timeframes.
1. Pregnant women shall
be certified for the duration of their pregnancy and for up to six weeks
postpartum.
2. Postpartum women
shall be certified for up to six months postpartum.
3. Breastfeeding women shall be certified at
intervals of approximately six months and ending with the breastfed infant's
first birthday.
4. Infants shall be
certified up until their first birthday.
5. Children shall be certified at intervals
of approximately one year and ending with the end of the month in which a child
reaches its fifth birthday. WIC clinic staff shall ensure children certified
for a year shall be offered a mid-certification assessment, which includes a
health and nutrition assessment (review of anthropometrics, blood work, and a
brief update of the health and dietary assessment), immunizations screening,
nutrition education, and referrals to other health and social services, within
a certification period. Food benefits shall not be denied to parents/guardians
who refuse to obtain the mid-certification assessment for their
children.
B. Upon
request, WIC participants shall receive verification of certification (VOC)
when transferring to another WIC program out of state.
C. If the nutritional risk determination is
based on data taken before the time of entrance into the program, the
certification period for breastfeeding women and children shall be based upon
the date when the data was first taken.
D. WIC participants receiving program
benefits may be disqualified during a certification period for the following
reasons:
1. WIC participant violation
including, but not limited to, intentionally making false or misleading
statements or intentionally misrepresenting, concealing, or withholding facts
to obtain WIC benefits; exchanging WIC benefits for cash, credit, non-food
items, or unauthorized food items, including WIC approved food items in excess
of those listed on the participant's WIC benefit; threatening to harm or
physically harming vendor staff; or making a written, electronic, or verbal
offer to sell WIC benefits, including WIC approved food items, and/or WIC EBT
cards, or allowing someone else to do so.
2. If LA WIC experiences funding shortages,
it may be necessary to discontinue program benefits to a number of certified
and participating WIC participants. LA WIC shall not enroll new participants
during the period when currently participating WIC participants, those who have
received WIC benefits during a current certification, are denied remaining WIC
benefits.
AUTHORITY
NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
46:972.
