Food Delivery (FD) FD-2 Food Benefit Pick-Up and Transaction 1

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention WIC Nutrition Program Effective: October 1, 2020 Policy No. FD-2 Revised: October 1, 2023

Food Benefits Pick-up and Transaction

Authority 7 CFR §246.4(a)(11)(iii) and (a)(14)(vi); §246.12(r)

Policy

1. The State Agency shall utilize an eWIC Card Holder for its WIC benefit delivery system.

2. eWIC benefits (electronic benefits) shall include benefits for the household unit. They may be issued to, received by or mailed to the participant, an authorized representative or a designated proxy.

3. The eWIC card must be presented at the time of transaction at an authorized eWIC Vendor.

Procedures 1. All Local Agency WIC counseling and administrative staff may issue eWIC cards.

2. Local Agency staff may issue WIC benefits to participants/authorized representatives/alternate representatives/proxies on a monthly, bi-monthly or tri- monthly basis.

2.1. Benefit issuance to a household can be done in person, or remote as outline in policy CE-1 when an appointment is not in person.

3. The Local Agency shall ensure that authorized representatives/alternate representatives/proxies show proof of identification (refer to CE-1 for other acceptable forms of identification) at the time of eWIC card pick up and issuance of all eWIC cards are documented with either:

3.1. Signature of participant/authorized representative/proxy on the SPIRIT signature pad or paper signature form (Appendix FD-2-A) which must be scanned into the electronic record, or

Food Delivery (FD) FD-2 Food Benefit Pick-Up and Transaction 2

3.2. Local Agency staff will document in SPIRIT with general note explaining reason for mailing an eWIC card.

3.2.1. In the event eWIC cards are mailed, Appendix FD-2-A will need to be signed by the Authorized Representative and returned to the Local Agency and scanned into the record. 3.2.2. Local Agency will follow up with the Authorized Representative to ensure the eWIC card has been pinned.

3.3. Local Agency staff username and date of WIC benefit issuance are captured electronically.

4. The State Agency requires Local Agency staff to provide each new participant/authorized representative with training in the following:

4.1. How to identify authorized vendors

4.2. How to redeem WIC benefits, including:

4.2.1. Food items and quantities

4.2.2. Monthly eWIC balance

4.2.3. How to download the WICShopper Application

4.3. Reasons for using a proxy

4.4. Selecting WIC-approved foods

4.5. Selection of secure PIN for eWIC card

4.6. Reporting problems and requesting assistance

4.7. Actions considered abuse/misuse of the Program

4.8. Confirm with the participant/authorized representative that it is their own responsibility to train their proxy on all of the above.