DC WIC POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL

Policy 9.002 1 | P a g e Title: Replacement of Food Benefits Category: Food Delivery CFR Reference 7 CFR 246.12(bb)(2) Policy Number 9.002 Effective Date 6/15/2026 Revised Date

POLICY STATEMENT: WIC participants needing a replacement of full or partial food benefits prior to their current Last-Date- To-Use (LDTU) must meet one of the following criteria to have food benefits reissued to their eWIC account: • Impacted by a disaster event or a declared emergency event • Change in custody for a WIC participant • Medically warranted (and documented) change of food benefits • Lost, stolen, or damaged WIC foods documented with appropriate documentation (see below for additional guidance) Any request to replace purchased WIC food benefits after the LDTU will not be authorized. All requests for food benefit replacements must be approved by the State Agency. In accordance with 7 CFR 246.12(bb)(2), all approved requests for the replacement of EBT cards and the transfer of participant benefit balances must be completed within no more than seven business days following notice by the participant or Authorized Representative to the State Agency. PROCEDURE Local Agency staff will ensure that one of the following scenarios applies to request a replacement for current WIC food benefits: Disaster or Declared Emergency Event The need for a replacement of purchased WIC food benefits during a disaster or declared emergency event will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The WIC participant or Authorized Representative (AR) must submit a written request to info.wic@dc.gov and the State Agency will coordinate efforts to reissue WIC food benefits lost due to a disaster event or declared emergency event if determined appropriate. See DC WIC Emergency Plan for more details. Change in Custody Documentation of the change of custody for the WIC participant must be provided in accordance with DC WIC policy 8.008 Eligibility Special Cases. Once documentation is provided, Local Agency staff may complete the participant transfer to the new Family ID (FID) and, if needed, issue an eWIC card to the new AR (see DC WIC policy 8.012 Authorized Representatives). Food benefits may be prorated for the current month if the participant is transferring to an existing FID in the MIS (based on the existing family’s LDTU). See DC WIC policy 9.001 Food Benefit Issuance Overview for more details. Medically Warranted Change of Food Benefits If a WIC participant has a completed DC WIC Medical Prescription Form and/or other acceptable documentation provided by a healthcare provider in accordance with 9.008 Qualifying Medical Conditions, then Local Agency staff may contact the State Agency to request a reissuance of food benefits to the participant’s account. If the request is related to a change in formula, the AR must return

DC WIC POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL

Policy 9.002 2 | P a g e the purchased formula to their WIC clinic and staff are to follow the procedures under “Exchange of Purchased Formula” below. Lost, Stolen, or Damaged WIC foods An AR or participant reporting lost, stolen, or damaged purchased WIC foods must provide documentation of the event or circumstances leading to the loss of WIC foods for a reissuance of benefits to be considered. Examples of acceptable documentation include a police report or statement, insurance claim, or other documentation that may be considered on a case-by-case basis. These items must be sent to the State Agency at info.wic@dc.gov. Miscellaneous Scenarios Additional scenarios may exist that prompt a request to replace or adjust food benefits during the current benefit cycle, including the following: Breastfeeding status change Mother-infant food packages typically cannot be adjusted during the current month’s benefit cycle if partial food benefits have been redeemed, unless medically warranted. A request to add additional amounts of formula to the infant’s food package will not be approved unless the infant has a qualifying medical condition (see DC WIC policy 9.008 Qualifying Medical Conditions). Food package tailoring error If a CPA/CPPA mistakenly tailor a participant’s food package and partial food benefits have been redeemed, the State Agency may approve requests to adjust the participant’s food package. Please note that this can only be accommodated for partial food benefit redemption. If the food item from which the tailoring mistake was made has been redeemed for the month (e.g. a request to add yogurt if all the participant’s milk benefit has been redeemed) then the request cannot be approved. EXCHANGE OF PURCHASED FORMULA For a participant that has purchased their formula food benefit in the current month’s benefit cycle and needs an exchange to a different formula due to medical, dietary, and/or environmental concern (i.e. product safety or recall, contaminated water supply, etc), staff should ensure the following: 1. The staff member speaks with the AR to validate the need for formula exchange and then refers the participant to the appropriate WIC staff member as needed (i.e. CPA for medical or dietary concerns, DBE for breastfeeding concerns, etc). 2. The staff member informs the AR that an exchange for the purchased formula can be completed only if the AR returns all unopened cans/containers to their WIC clinic prior to the LDTU. The staff member and AR must sign attachment 9.002B Returned Formula Form that details the type and amount of formula returned. This form must be scanned into the participant’s record. 3. Once the AR has returned all unopened cans/containers of formula, the staff member may send a request to the State Agency to request a reissuance of the formula amount returned to the clinic onto the participant’s account. 4. The Local Agency ensures the returned formula is discarded per attachment 9.002A Processing Returned Formula. REFERENCES WIC Policy Memorandum #2020-1

DC WIC POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL

Policy 9.002 3 | P a g e DC WIC Emergency Plan DC WIC policies 8.008 Eligibility Special Cases, 8.012 Authorized Representatives, 9.001 Food Benefit Issuance Overview, 9.008 Qualifying Medical Conditions ATTACHMENTS & FORMS 9.002A Processing Returned Formula 9.002B Returned Formula Log DC WIC Medical Prescription Form