Revised 12-2015 Connecticut WIC Program Manual

WIC 200-30 SECTION: Certification SUBJECT: Initiating Participant Waiting Lists Federal Regulations: §246.7 See Also: CT WIC Policy: 200-21 POLICY All local agencies, regardless of caseload, shall notify the State agency if applicants/participants cannot be scheduled within the mandated processing timeframes for a period of two months or more. Establishment and maintenance of a local agency waiting list must be authorized in advance by the State agency. If a statewide waiting list is required, the State agency will determine which categories and priorities of WIC clients will be placed on a waiting list. Local agencies will be able to access the list locally from the CT-WIC system. The order of placement on the waiting list will follow the priority groups listed below: First: Postpartum (non-breastfeeding) women.

Second: Children, age 12 months through age 5. The Child category is age specific and the State agency will select the maximum age of children that will continue to be served.

Third: Pregnant Women, Breastfeeding Women and Infants. When a waiting list is initiated, current participants shall be notified of the implementation of a waiting list. • Participants who have a recertification appointment scheduled within thirty (30) days shall not have their appointments cancelled. (30 days is given to provide a cushion for the required 15 day notification.) These participants shall be given an Extension for one (1) month or may be recertified and only issued one (1) months’ worth of benefits.

• Participants with a recertification appointment scheduled more than thirty (30) days from the initiation of the waiting list (and fall into the priority groups that are being waitlisted) shall have their appointment cancelled. The appropriate cancellation notice will be sent by the Local agency. Local agencies shall notify all low priority clients of their placement on the waiting list and the right to a Fair Hearing.

• Current participants in waiting list order groups shall continue to receive benefits until the end of their current certification period.

• Individuals transferring from out of state within a valid certification period, regardless of priority ranking shall be offered an appointment within twenty (20) calendar days or as early as possible so as not to interrupt program benefits. At the end of the certification period, the file will be ranked according to priority groups.

Revised 12-2015

• Participants and applicants who are placed in waiting list status shall be referred to other programs i.e. SNAP, 211 Info-line.

• Participants and applicants who are placed on the waiting list shall be sent a letter notifying them of their status. Documentation that a letter was sent shall be noted in the participant file. (See “Sample letter”)

• Breastfeeding women who change category to postpartum will be immediately waitlisted provided their actual delivery date was within six (6) months. All participants affected by the waiting list should be sent a letter of notification. A sample letter is attached to this policy which includes; the reason for the waiting list, the recommendation to check back with WIC in “X” number of months (usually a range from 1-3 months to be determined by the local agency to better direct volume of repeated inquiries from participants), and the affected family members. Available local resources should be included in the letter. The waiting list includes the following information and must be retained at the local agency: 1. Name of applicant 2. Address and telephone number 3. Date placed on waiting list 4. Category 5. Priority 6. Age of child 7. Nutritional Risk 8. Income Eligibility status 9. Method of application (phone, walk-in, mail or fax) 10. Date applicant notified of placement on the waiting list Local agencies will use this list to generate notification and outreach letters once a waiting list is no longer active.