A WIC local agency is a clinic or organization that delivers services of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support and healthy food access to eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, and to children up to age 5.
Local agencies are the primary point of contact for WIC participants in a specific geographic area. They are responsible for:
- Providing services: Delivering WIC services, including nutrition education, breastfeeding support and food benefits.
- Certification and eligibility: Determining eligibility for WIC benefits based on income, pregnancy status, and other factors.
- Referrals: Connecting families to other community resources and services.
How to Become a WIC Local Agency
Potential Mississippi WIC Local Agencies must complete an application process prior to opening a WIC clinic site. Sites must meet and follow all WIC Program requirements as outlined in the Mississippi State Department of Health's Subgrant Agreement. Applicants must be a public or private nonprofit health agency that provides ongoing, routine pediatric or obstetric care, and administrative services.
The State Agency accepts applications for new local agencies on an ongoing basis. Applications are processed as needed. Potential local agencies must submit a Local Agency Application a minimum of 90 days prior to the desired opening of a new site.
Factors to Consider for a New Site
Factors to consider for a new site are the number of persons to be served, services to be provided, staffing, and cost. All WIC Local Agency sites shall perform certification, issuance, nutrition counseling, and referral services.
The WIC State Agency shall evaluate, at a minimum, the following: location/ participant accessibility, relative need in the area, the number of persons to be served, services to be provided, staffing, budget, equipment needs, and ability to serve the projected caseload. A site must operate under all policies and procedures in the MSDH WIC Policy and Procedure Manual, and comply with Civil Rights FNS-113-1, pages 20-21, C and D.
Application Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by the WIC State Agency for location/participant accessibility, relative need for services in the area, ability to serve projected caseload, compliance with ADA, and budget.
Step 1: Assess location/participant accessibility
- The location should be clean and suitable for a clinic environment.
- The number of participants the clinic intends to serve must be comparable to the potentially eligible number of participants.
- The most current potential eligible numbers for the county or area code will be reviewed. When reviewing the potential eligible for a county with another clinic already located in the county, the enrollment of the existing clinic will be considered.
Step 2: Assess relative need for WIC services in the area
- The clinic location should be greater than 10 miles from the nearest existing WIC clinic, unless there is a high proportion (>40%) of underserved potentially eligible participants.
- Driving distance to the nearest three WIC clinic(s) will be reviewed.
- The potential eligible population for the area (not served by other clinics) will be reviewed.
Step 3: Assess the ability to serve projected caseload
- The number of participants the agency plans to serve at the clinic(s) will be reviewed.
Step 4: Assess compliance
- The agency shall agree to comply with ADA guidelines
- The agency shall agree to comply with Civil Rights guidelines
Step 5: Assess funds that are available in the budget
- The Finance Director shall review one-time costs and monthly costs to determine whether funds are available in the existing budget.
Approval notification: If the application is approved or disapproved, the agency will be notified via written letter within 120 days of the date of the application. If disapproved, the letter will include a reason for disapproval.
