CERTIFICATION WPPM #210-12 Subject: Eligibility Requirement Item: Determining Nutritional Risk – Clinical/Health/Medical

Revised May 6, 2019 California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 1 of 2

PURPOSE: To provide local agencies (LA) standardized procedures for determining clinical nutritional risk(s) when certifying applicants. POLICY: I. A Competent Professional Authority (CPA) must assess whether a clinical nutritional risk exists at each certification and recertification using CDPH/WIC-approved assessment tools and self-reported information. PROCEDURE(S): I. To assess the presence of clinical risk(s), the CPA must: 1. Collect health assessment information. a. Ask the health assessment questions contained in the WIC Web Information System Exchange (WIC WISE). b. As needed, ask other probing questions tailored to the applicant to obtain relevant health information. c. Use participant-centered techniques throughout the assessment. 2. Evaluate the health information obtained during the assessment, including: a. Applicant’s age. b. Health history and current health status. c. Social factors affecting health (e.g., family substance use). d. Other health-related issues asked during the assessment. 3. Review and assess WIC WISE generated clinical risk factor(s). 4. Assign any other clinical risk factor(s) manually, if identified, and properly document a brief explanation, if applicable, in the Care Plan. 5. Document sources of clinical/health information in the Care Plan if the source is something other than the medical referral form or the WIC WISE health assessment questions. II. Self-reporting versus Self-Diagnosis A. An applicant/participant can self-report medical conditions that were diagnosed by a health care provider (HCP).

CERTIFICATION WPPM #210-12 Subject: Eligibility Requirement Item: Determining Nutritional Risk – Clinical/Health/Medical

Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 2 of 2 May 6, 2019

B. Self-reporting of a diagnosis by a HCP must not be confused with self-diagnosis, where a person simply claims to have or to have had a medical condition without any reference to professional diagnosis. C. A self-reported medical diagnosis (“My doctor says that I have/my child has”) should prompt the CPA to validate the presence of the condition by asking more pointed questions related to that diagnosis to appropriately document in the Care Plan. AUTHORITY: 7 CFR §246.7 (e) USDA WIC Policy Memorandum 2006-05: VENA – A WIC Nutrition Assessment Policy USDA WIC Policy Memorandum 2011-5. WIC Nutrition Risk Criteria. Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) CROSS REFERENCE: 210-09 Complete Nutritional Risk Assessment