Colorado WIC Program Policies and Procedures Section 8: Certification, Eligibility and Coordination Revised: 01.01.2023

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WIC Appointment Protocols

Policy: WIC clinics must use the Compass Scheduler to record all client appointments.

Regulation: 7 CRR 246.7

Procedures/Additional Guidance: The Compass Scheduler is used to send appointment reminders and informational text messages to WIC clients. For this reason, it is important that all clinics use the Compass Scheduler to schedule client appointments so that all Colorado WIC clients receive the same level and equal services regardless of where they live in the state or which clinic they attend. In addition, many statewide data reports use the data within the Compass Scheduler; use of the Compass Scheduler is critical for accurate data collection and analysis.

Certification/Recertification Appointment The certification appointment refers to the first appointment a WIC applicant is scheduled to apply for WIC. The recertification appointment is for participant who are or have been on WIC and are reapplying for WIC eligilbity. The following occur during this type of appointment:  Eligibility determination.  Initial Explaination of WIC (certification appointment or as needed during recertifications).  Follow up on previous goals (recertification only).  Nutrition Assessment.  Nutrition Interview.  Anthropometrics (Height/Length, Weight, Hemoglobin (if applicable).  Nutrition risk assignment.  Nutrition education.  Counseling and goal setting.  Provide handouts/resources as necessary.  Referrals.  Certify.  Inform participant of their certification end date.  Documentation.  Eligibility proofs provided.  Nutrition Education and goals.  Food package assignment.  Food benefit issuance.

Mid-Certification Appointment: This appointment type must occur for infants ( 5-7 months of age or 5-7 months after enrollment) and children (5-7 months between certification visits).  Follow-up on previous goal.  Verify contact information.  Nutrition assessment.  Nutrition Interview.  Anthropometrics (Height/Length, Weight, Hemoglobin (if applicable).  Nutrition risk assignment.  Nutrition education.  Counseling and goal setting.  Provide handouts/resources as necessary.  Referrals.  Documentation.  Eligibility proofs provided.  Nutrition Education and goals.  Food package assignment.  Food benefit issuance.

Colorado WIC Program Policies and Procedures Section 8: Certification, Eligibility and Coordination Revised: 01.01.2023

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Follow-up Appointment: In-person Visit For low risk participants, generally occurs 3 months after the certification appointment and the midcertification appointment. Women receive follow up appointments quarterly or more often as needed.  Anthropometrics.  For infants: As a best practice, length and weight should be taken at each follow up visit.  For pregnant women: check weight at least once per trimester for all in-person clinic visits. An Education Choice option may be offered one time to low-risk pregnant women after the certification/recertification visit, allowing one measurement to be excused.  For all other participants: Height and weight checks should be done if anthropometric and blood risk factors have been assigned and/or there is a concern with weight status or growth.  Nutrition education.  Counseling and goal setting.  Provide handouts/resources as necessary.  Referrals.  Documentation.  Nutrition Education and goals.  Food package assignment.  Food benefit issuance.

Follow-Up Appointment: Education Choice  wichealth.org  Endorser/participant completes wichealth lesson any time between the previous appointment and before the next date of food benefit issuance.  Verification of lesson completion.  Remote Food benefit issuance.  Phone/Video contact  Follow-up on previous goal.  Verify contact information.  Nutrition education. o Counseling and goal setting. o Provide handouts/resources as necessary.  Referrals.  Documentation  Nutrition Education and goals.  Food package assignment.  Remote Food benefit issuance.

When a Client Does Not Attend Their Scheduled Appointment:  Mark the client as “No Show” in the Compass schedule.  For a phone appointment (low or high risk), staff may want to make an extra attempt to contact the client as some clinic phone numbers show up as “unknown” or as an unrecognized phone number to the client. This extra attempt gives the client another chance to answer the phone.