Code of Maryland Regulations
Title 10 - MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Part 1
Subtitle 01 - PROCEDURES
Chapter 10.01.06 - Fair Hearing Appeals under the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Section 10.01.06.01 - Definitions

A. "Appellant" means an individual, an applicant agency, a food vendor, or delegate agency who desires to participate in the WIC Program, who requests a fair hearing for the reasons specified in Regulation .02, of this chapter.

B. "Applicant agency" means a public or private, non-profit health or welfare agency providing or contracting to provide health services, which has filed with the Department all the information required by the Department to apply to participate in the WIC Program.

C. "Delegate agency" means a local agency or organization which, pursuant to contractual agreements with the Department, has accepted responsibilities under the WIC Program as defined by federal program regulations.

D. "Department" means the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

E. "Food vendor" means an individual or organization licensed to sell food products, who has, or has applied to have, a contractual agreement with the Department or delegate agency to supply approved foods to program recipients.

F. "Hearing officer" means an impartial official designated by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to conduct and make administrative decisions in fair hearings. The hearing officer may not have had any prior connection with the action which is the subject of the fair hearing.

G. "Participant" means pregnant women, breastfeeding women, post-partum women, infants, and children who are receiving supplemental foods or food instruments (benefits) under the WIC Program, and the breastfed infants of participant breastfeeding women.

H. "State Agency" means that unit of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene which is responsible for the administration and operation of the WIC Program in Maryland.

I. "WIC" means the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, a federally funded program authorized under an amendment to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( PL 94-105) to provide supplemental nutritious food as an adjunct to good health care during critical times of growth and development to prevent the occurrence of health problems.