GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Transfer of Certification

Policy No. CT- 850.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 5 Revised: March 2019

Page 1 of 5

Policy

Electronic Verification of Certification (EVOC) cards are the official documents for validating WIC certification nationwide (see Electronic Verification of Certification (EVOC) Card). Local agencies (LA) must provide an Electronic Verification of Certification (EVOC) card to every participant who is a member of a migrant family, and any other participant who is likely to relocate during a certification period (7 CFR § 246.7(k)(1).

The participant must be allowed to continue to receive services throughout their original certification period even if the participant does not meet the receiving agency’s nutritional risk, priority, or income criteria. If the receiving agency is at maximum caseload, the transferring participant must be placed at the top of any waiting list and enrolled as soon as possible.

Under no circumstances should a WIC participant transferring into a clinic with a valid Verification of Certification (VOC) card be denied WIC benefits or reassessed for eligibility. When an applicant transfers in with a VOC card, the parent, guardian, or caregiver is not required to bring the infant or child. An alternate-proxy can present VOC or transfer information for the participant. Participants are not required to sign a release of information to request or share VOC information with other state or local agencies. WIC information retrieved from other WIC programs is considered confidential information and may only be used for WIC purposes. Child Nutrition Act requires that an eligibility certification remain valid for the period for which an individual was originally certified, specifically if that participant moves from one area of WIC operations to another. The LA may conduct a recertification for the convenience of the participant if a VOC is presented to a clinic and the certification will expire soon (within the next 30 days). The LA is not required to do a mid-certification income reassessment, and the participant may receive the remainder of the benefits for that certification period (7CFR 246.7 (h)(1)(i)) if the transferring participant reports a change in income within the last ninety (90) days of the certification period. The participant must not be denied service if they do not have this information. 1. Local agencies are not allowed to establish minimum length of residency requirements or waiting periods. 2. The local agency may accept a written statement from the participant using the No Proof form if a participant is unable to provide documentation.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Transfer of Certification

Policy No. CT- 850.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 5 Revised: March 2019

Page 2 of 5

Purpose To ensure seamless and continued participation of certified participants for the period for which an individual was originally certified through the entirety of their certification period. Protecting WIC program integrity is also important for the implementation of the VOC policy.

Procedures Districts shall establish procedures to ensure other WIC clinics obtain the information needed to complete an in-state/out-of-state transfer. I. Provide an EVOC to every participant who is likely to relocate during a certification period and every member who is a participant of a migrant family.

II. Print two copies of the EVOC Card on regular white 8 ½ x 11 paper 1. Give the first signed copy to the participant. 2. Place the second signed copy in the medical record or EVOC card file. 3. Stamping the EVOC card is no longer required.

III. Ensure participants know and understand the availability, process and purpose of an EVOC by:

1. Describing the EVOC process during the explanation of Rights and Responsibilities.

2. Posting signs for participants to request an EVOC if they are planning to move before their next certification appointment and providing a flier for the participant to take as a reminder. (See EVOC Poster)

3. Routinely asking the participant if they plan to move during their certification period (during voucher pickup).

IV. Issue A Notice of Termination Form on site when an EVOC card is issued to a participant, with the exception of a migrant participant and participants transferring from Grady Hospital District (see Notice of Termination Form in English or Spanish). If the participant is issued a termination notice and has vouchers that can be used before the participant is scheduled to relocate, do not submit the termination to DXC Technologies until after the scheduled move date.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Transfer of Certification

Policy No. CT- 850.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 5 Revised: March 2019

Page 3 of 5

V. Document “Thirty Day”, the Thirty Day return date and the missing proof information on the EVOC card to alert the next clinic of the incomplete certification due to missing information. VI. Provide a copy of the current Medical Documentation Form (MDF) to the participant, when applicable. VII. Include the below information as VOC/EVOC content:

a. Name of participant b. Date certification was performed c. Date income was determined d. Nutritional risk of participant e. Date certification expires f. Signature and printed name of local agency official g. Name, address, and phone number of local agencies h. WIC ID number i. Last date Food Instruments/benefits were issued (not required but encouraged)

VIII. Accept an incomplete VOC/EVOC card as long as the certification period has not expired, and the card contains:

1. Participant’s name 2. Date of certification 3. Date certification expires 4. Name and address of the certifying agency

IX. Verify any questionable information and retrieve any missing information by contacting the sending agency. X. Assign risk 502 can be used to complete the transfer, if the VOC card does not contain a nutritional risk condition, XI. Follow the below steps when transferring participants without a VOC/EVOC Card

1. The receiving clinic will call the original clinic and obtain all necessary information required to complete the transfer process in the absence of a VOC Card. 2. The original clinic must send a signed copy of the current Certification form to the receiving clinic within twenty-four (24) business hours in the absence of a VOC Card. 3. For an in-state transfer, the clinic staff must perform a search on Georgia WIC Information System (GWIS.net) to obtain current participant information to transfer the participant into the clinic in the absence of the VOC card. 4. If WIC clinic staff is unable to obtain the necessary information by phone or by accessing GWIS.net for a Georgia participant, a valid Georgia WIC Program ID card may be accepted in lieu of a VOC card, with proper ID.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Transfer of Certification

Policy No. CT- 850.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 5 Revised: March 2019

Page 4 of 5

5. A participant who is transferred using a Georgia WIC Program ID card will be issued vouchers for one (1) month. a. Prior to the next issuance, clinic staff must contact the certifying clinic for certification information. b. All transfer certification information must be in the participant record within two (2) weeks of the transfer. If VOC information is obtained via phone call, all information must be documented in the participant’s health record and followed with the written documentation within two weeks.

XII. The LA must not require a participant who is transferring to a different clinic within the district to present residency, income, or identification if the participant brings in a valid EVOC card or WIC ID card. Staff must update the new address in the frontend system and send an update Turnaround Document (TAD) to DXC Technologies.

XIII. The LA must ensure the below procedures are completed when an out of state participant transfers into their clinic:

1. Request participant surrenders any unused food instruments (FIs) or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards from the previous agency in their possession, however do not be deny benefits if the FIs are not in the participants possession. 2. Give an explanation to the participant for any differences in authorized supplemental foods, e.g. a different contract formula. 3. Securely destroy all food instruments or EBT cards retrieved from the transferring participant. 4. Provide a food package that ensures the participant receives the maximum monthly allowance for that month, unless individually tailored in accordance with 7 CFR 246.10. 5. Prorate the food benefits to correspond with the unused benefits retrieved from the participant. XIV. Integrate transferring participants into the clinic’s regular appointment scheduling process for the remainder of the certification period. XV. Utilize the list of Point of Contacts (POC) for each state found at http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-contacts, if you wish to contact the state POC directly. XVI. Submit the following information to the Program Operations Unit should a clinic refuse to send information and require a completed Release of Information form:

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL CT Transfer of Certification

Policy No. CT- 850.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 5 Revised: March 2019

Page 5 of 5

1. The name of the employee who refused to provide the information, clinic name and number for both in-state and out of state agencies 2. Date the information was requested XVII. Request proof of Identity and Residency--While the VOC card satisfies the income and nutritional condition requirements, the participant must provide proof of residency and identification if transferring from out of state or another LA. If the information is not available, a thirty-day certification may be used for missing proof information. FNS 2016-4 states that if proof of identity or residency are not immediately available, the local agency may wait to process the transfer until the information is provided. If a participant is unable to provide this documentation, the local agency may accept a written statement from the participant in accordance with 7 CFR246.7(c)(2)(i). XVIII. Document the Transfer

1. Retain the original WIC Assessment/Certification Form in the district/clinic where the participant was originally certified. 2. The local agency must document the transfer with the date, source of transfer information, and scan or place actual copy of the VOC card in the medical record.

XIX. LAs and clinics must maintain an inventory of EVOC cards issued. XX. LAs must conduct EVOC inventory quarterly on the last working day of December, March, June, and September of each year.

Authority 7 CFR § 246.7(k) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) WIC Policy Memo 2016-4, Verification of Certification Definitions/Supporting Information

Electronic Verification of Certification (EVOC)/ Verification of Certification (VOC cards) Paper or electronic negotiable instruments used to validate a WIC certification. These cards allow WIC participants to transfer certification from one clinic, city or state to another. Local agencies must maintain accurate records of issuance, security and receipt from participants.

Migrant-An individual whose principal employment is in seasonal agriculture, who has been so employed in the last 24 months, and who establishes, because of that employment, a temporary abode.

Participant Profile Report /VOC Card- The Department of Defense (DOD) WIC Overseas Program verification of certification (VOC) card which also serves as a participant profile report.