GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FD Voucher Issuance Policy No. FD-910.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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Page 1 of 4 Revised July 2018 Policy The local agency shall issue the eligible quantity of monthly food benefits, not to exceed three months, to participants within a valid certification period. Every effort should be made to coordinate voucher issuance with regularly scheduled WIC appointments (e.g., nutrition education contacts or recertification) and/or the delivery of other health services whenever possible. Further efforts must be made to provide health services so that the patients/families will not have to return more than once a month. However, vouchers may be issued for one month, if the participant/caregiver is to return for services at that time (this is the exception, not the rule). Under no circumstances are vouchers to be withheld or denied if a participant or a participant’s parent or caregiver fail or refuse to participate in nutrition education activities or any other services provided by the health department.

Purpose To provide a uniform procedure for local agencies to follow when issuing WIC benefits to participants that will ensure adequate nutrition education opportunities and coordination with other health services. Procedures I. Local agency staff shall routinely issue and print vouchers for WIC participants at:

A. Initial program enrollment for new WIC participants B. Nutrition Education Contact appointments C. Recertification of WIC participants

II. Identification of Persons Picking Up Vouchers. Local agency staff must verify the identity of the person picking up the vouchers as follows:

A. Participants/Alternate-Proxy: Check the WIC ID card for signatures of either the participants or his/her designated alternate. Participant/Alternate-Proxy must sign the VMARS receipt before vouchers are issued.

B. Proxy: Check the WIC Proxy Form, WIC ID card, and proof of identification.

C. Foster Parent: Check the WIC ID card and proof of identification, and DFACS paperwork.

D. Local agency staff must document the types of identification presented by the person picking up the vouchers by entering the proof code on the voucher receipt under the user’s identification.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FD Voucher Issuance Policy No. FD-910.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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Page 2 of 4 Revised July 2018

III. How to Issue Vouchers

A. Vouchers must only be issued to participants who are in a valid certification period. (See Certification Periods Policy).

B. Local agency staff must verify that the serial numbers on the VMARS vouchers match the serial numbers on the VMARS receipt.

C. Local agencies may issue vouchers to participants at a one, two, or three-month intervals. With the two or three - month issuance, WIC clinic staff must explain to participants not to use vouchers prior to the "First Day to Use" date on the vouchers.

D. Local agencies are strongly encouraged to issue one month of benefits to:

1. Pregnant women enrolled in their third trimester 2. Foster children who are not in a stable foster situation 3. Infants or children receiving formula for medical conditions 4. Participants who receive the homeless package 5. Participants who plan to relocate 6. Participants for whom there are custody disputes 7. Participants for whom the Thirty Day Eligibility proof is pending; and, 8. Newborns who are exclusively, mostly, or partially breastfeeding in the first 30 days 9. If nutrition education is not completed by parent/guardian/caretaker. Alternate-proxy, or proxy

E. Local agency staff may issue a full month of vouchers for participants who are in their final month of eligibility. Participants receive a full food package if the “First Day to Use” date on the voucher is prior to their last date of eligibility (i.e., categorical termination date), or their recertification due date.

F. Categorically Ineligible. Local agency staff must not issue vouchers if the “First Day to Use” or printed date is after the last date of eligibility (i.e., categorical termination date), or the recertification due date.

IV. All infants who are eleven months old must be issued an infant’s food package. They shall not be issued a child’ package until their first birthday (12 months, 0 days).

A. Infants certified after six months of age will be transitioned to a child’s food package for

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FD Voucher Issuance Policy No. FD-910.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

No. of Pages: 4

Page 3 of 4 Revised July 2018 the first month’s vouchers with a first day to use on or after their first birthday.

B. Participants may be certified as a “child” at 11 months 1 day. But will receive an infant package for any vouchers with a first day to use prior to their first birthday. They will be transitioned to a child’s food package for the following month’s vouchers with a first day to use after their first birthday.

V. Prenatal women must not receive vouchers dated greater than 45 days after their EDC date.

VI. A recertification is required to change the prenatal woman to either a breastfeeding woman or a non-breastfeeding woman before new food instruments can be issued.

A. When prenatal participants are recertified as a postpartum woman, they must not be issued food instruments without first checking the last voucher issuance date.

B. If the postpartum package is different than previously assigned prenatal package, void the prenatal unused vouchers with a First Day to Use Date after her delivery date and replace them with the new food package.

Authority 7 C.F.R. § 246.12(r)(4) and (5) 7C.F.R. § 246.11(a)(2) 7 C.F.R. § 246.7(j)(2)(iii)

Definitions/Supporting Information Alternate-Proxy: A person who acts on behalf of the participant or parent/guardian/caretaker of a participant to pick-up and/or redeem vouchers, and attend subsequent certifications, mid/half-certifications, or nutrition education visits on behalf of the participant.

Categorically Ineligible - The period of time a WIC client is no longer in a valid certification period and, therefore, not eligible to receive WIC benefits. Participants who are categorically ineligible are postpartum women at six months postpartum, children who have reached their fifth (5th) birthday, and breastfeeding women who stop breastfeeding and are greater than or equal to six (≥ 6) months postpartum or up to 12 months postpartum.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FD Voucher Issuance Policy No. FD-910.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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Page 4 of 4 Revised July 2018 Food Instrument – Commonly referred to as "vouchers" or "checks", it is negotiable financial instrument by which WIC benefits are provided to participants. Food instruments can provide either specific amounts of WIC authorized foods or formula (vouchers), or a fixed-dollar amount for participant to obtain WIC-approved fruits and vegetables (referred to as a "Cash Value Voucher” or "CVV") Pending Eligibility-Status of a WIC participant who has not brought in all required proofs (proof of identity, residency and verification of income) at the time of new enrollment or recertification. Proxy – Any person designated by a woman participant, or by a parent or caretaker of an infant or child participant, parent/guardian/caretaker of a participant to obtain and transact food instruments or cash value vouchers or to obtain supplemental foods on behalf of a participant. Receipt –The detachable bottom portion of the FI paper stock. When FIs are printed, FI issuance data is printed on this stub. There is also a signature line where the participant, alternate-proxy, or parent or caretaker must sign when receiving FIs.