GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Hospital Certifications

Policy No. CT- 840.04 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 2 Page 1 of 3

Policy

Hospital clinics are responsible for certifying newborn infants delivered on site and their mothers. Women and infants who are certified in a hospital must be transferred to a receiving clinic for follow-up WIC appointments and services. Any food package changes made after a participant’s discharge will be made at the receiving clinic. It is the responsibly of the receiving clinic to provide breastfeeding follow-up according to state and district standards. Purpose

To facilitate the certification of newborn infants, non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and breastfeeding mothers at the earliest possible date and to ensure the mother/baby breastfeeding dyad is processed as a unit. Procedures

I. WIC staff may use the hospital medical record to obtain the identification (ID), residency, weight, heights and hemoglobin. If WIC staff do not have approval to access the hospital medical record, then WIC staff can receive a list (daily) of patients which contains the information needed to certify each patient (e.g., name, age, lab data, etc.).

A. Record Medical Record (MR) on the certification form for proofs obtained from the hospital medical records.

B. If access to an individual’s hospital medical record is not permitted; identification, residency and income information may be brought to the hospital by an applicant/participant. Proofs received from the applicant/participant must be copied and date stamped.

C. If a paper Certification Form is used for certification, file it in the WIC record. Once the certification information is entered into the computer, do not print an additional computer Certification Form.

D. When the participant’s hemoglobin/hematocrit was unavailable at the hospital, the receiving clinic must complete bloodwork at the next voucher pick-up. The hospital clinic must inform the participant of this requirement and note it on their WIC ID card.

II. WIC participant ID numbers for hospital certification are assigned using the hospital clinic number, unless the participant is a transferring participant. The clinic staff must

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Hospital Certifications

Policy No. CT- 840.04 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 2 Page 2 of 3

search for each new or transferring participant on GWISnet.com before issuing a new WIC ID number. When adding an additional family member to an existing WIC family, the hospital clinic number must be used for tracking purposes and to ensure a duplicate WIC ID number is not given.

III. If the mother is currently receiving WIC services:

A. The hospital clinic will transfer her into their clinic and complete the certification.

B. The hospital clinic will verify voucher issuance in GWIS.

C. If the participant has received vouchers for the current issuance period, the hospital clinic can void all issued food packages and issue the new food package. New vouchers should not be issued if the original vouchers are not available to be voided.

D. If the vouchers are not available to be voided, the new food package can begin with the next month’s vouchers.

E. The hospital clinic must instruct the participant to return the previously issued vouchers for a current food package or allow the participant to retain the vouchers and schedule the next voucher pickup for the new food package. This must be noted on the WIC ID for the receiving clinic.

F. Both the hospital clinic and the receiving clinic verify that all previously issued vouchers are voided prior to re-issuance

IV. Only one (1) month of vouchers may be issued to those certified at a hospital clinic.

V. Vouchers to be issued in the participant’s hospital room must be stored in a locked container until issued.

VI. When transferring the participant to a clinic within the state, an EVOC or a copy of the certification form can be given to the participant. A termination notice is not given unless the participant is transferring out of state.

VII. Receiving clinics should have procedures for transferring mothers and babies into their clinics and providing appropriate follow-up. The procedures must include checking GWIS for voucher issuance, dual participation, and correct WIC numbers.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Hospital Certifications

Policy No. CT- 840.04 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 2 Page 3 of 3

VIII. The participant is given a follow-up appointment at the clinic of their choice. They should be provided with the name and phone number of the WIC clinic they wish to enroll in. To accommodate mothers delivering outside their home district, the hospital clinic should work with the receiving clinic when scheduling the next visit. This could be a standard time (i.e. Mondays 9-11).

IX. Evaluation of Inappropriate Nutrition Practices and completion of Growth Chart are both optional for newborns certified at hospital clinics.

Authority 7 C.F.R. § 246.6(f)

Definitions/Supporting Information (None)