Revised 2-2016

Connecticut WIC Program Manual

WIC 200-00 SECTION: Certification SUBJECT: Eligibility Requirements ITEM: Overview Federal Regulations: §246.7 POLICY The local agency shall certify an applicant or participant for program benefits based on category, residency, identification (ID), income and nutritional risks in accordance with the procedures described below. Required Procedures

The following criteria must be met and documented in the Connecticut WIC Information System (CT- WIC) for the individual to receive program benefits. A. Category (200-05) 1. Pregnant woman, 2. Breastfeeding woman, 3. Non-breastfeeding woman, 4. Infant, and/or 5. Child under the age of five. B. Residency in Connecticut (200-04) C. Income (200-06 through 200-07) D. Indicators of nutritional needs (200-08 through 200-14)  Unless an applicant or participant meets an exemption criterion, presence at certification is required. (200-02)  Certification shall be performed at no cost to the participant.  WIC allows program participation by foreign citizens, including foreign students residing in the United States, provided they meet the program eligibility requirements. Citizenship status cannot be a factor in eligibility determinations.  Eligibility of “Lawful Temporary Resident Status” persons. A. Assistance received under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 of which the WIC program is part, is exempt from being considered as financial assistance for purposes of determining a person’s eligibility for initial or continuing status as a legal resident. B. This information is important because the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 prohibits persons who are granted “Lawful Temporary Resident Status” (LTRS) from receiving financial assistance during the five year period following their date of attaining legal resident

Revised 2-2016

status. This restriction on the receipt of financial assistance also applies to persons who have applied for, but not yet received LTRS.

C. Since the WIC program provides non-cash benefits, WIC participants are not considered to be recipients of public cash assistance and are therefore not considered public charges under the Immigration Reform and Control Act. D. Therefore, receipt of WIC benefits does not have any effect on an individual’s application for immigration or citizenship benefits or result in a determination that an alien is a public charge.  Nondiscrimination statement. The WIC program does not permit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.