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Section 6.8: Nutrition Education Documentation 1/2024 References: 246.11(e)(4) Policy: The local agency must document nutrition education in each participant’s Information System Record. Purpose: To help WIC staff consistently follow-up and reinforce education already provided. To ensure that appropriate education is provided for the participant. Procedures Nutrition Education Documentation must: ▪ Describe the education provided to participants in a manner that is easy to retrieve and review. ▪ Facilitate communication between CPAs and promote continuity of care. Procedures for documenting Initial Education ▪ Initial education contacts, which are completed at the certification or recertification appointment, must be documented in the participant’s record. The required components are: ▪ Participant name ▪ Date the education was provided ▪ Topics discussed ▪ Plan for subsequent visits ▪ Name of CPA who provided the education (The Information System automatically records the User Name). ▪ Initial education contacts may be documented in one of the following locations in the Minnesota WIC Information System: ▪ Nutrition Education page (with Notes in the WIC Information System as needed) ▪ Is an option for documenting topics discussed, materials given, peer referrals, and goals.

S E C T I O N 6 . 8 : N U T R I T I O N E D U C A T I O N D O C U M E N T A T I O N 2 ▪ May be used to help minimize the time and effort needed to document nutrition education topics. ▪ Should be used in conjunction with the Notes function as needed. ▪ For some low-risk participants, documentation of nutrition education in the Nutrition Education page may be sufficient. ▪ Notes in the WIC Information System ▪ Use for High Risk Individual Nutrition Care Plan (INCP) documentation and other narratives. ▪ document the unique needs of a participant and facilitate care and follow-up. ▪ For example, if formula is issued to a breastfeeding infant per the family’s request, document the education provided to support continued breastfeeding and to facilitate appropriate follow up on the food package. See Section 7.4: Supporting Breastfeeding with the WIC Food Package. ▪ A local agency may elect to document all nutrition education in notes. ▪ For high-risk participants requiring an Individual Nutrition Care Plan (INCP), See Section 6.6: High Risk Individual Nutrition Care Plan. Procedures for documenting Additional Education ▪ Options for documenting individual additional education contacts: ▪ Nutrition Education page (with Notes in the WIC Information System as needed). This method may be adequate for low risk participants. ▪ Notes in the WIC Information System. ▪ Options for documenting additional education contacts that are provided in a group setting. (This includes a display board with an educator.) ▪ Nutrition Education page in the WIC Information System. (A separate record should be maintained of the class or display topics, content outline, instructor, and dates presented.) ▪ Notes in the WIC Information System – document the date and class title. (A separate record should be maintained of the class or display topics, content outline, instructor, and dates presented.) ▪ Options for documenting additional education contacts that are self-guided (this includes computer-based nutrition education): ▪ Nutrition Education page in the WIC Information System. ▪ Wichealth.org lesson documentation: When a participant completes a wichealth.org lesson, the lesson topic and date information imports from wichealth.org to the Nutrition Education page, Group Education Contacts in the Information System. Please see Procedures for using wichealth.org as an Education Choice for additional information.

S E C T I O N 6 . 8 : N U T R I T I O N E D U C A T I O N D O C U M E N T A T I O N 3 ▪ Notes in the WIC Information System. ▪ Documentation should also include a record of education offered and either missed or refused and the reason the participant did not attend. Documentation for Continuity of Care To facilitate continuity of care, local agency documentation procedures should: ▪ Promote seamless services across all staff. ▪ Be followed consistently by all staff in the agency to minimize duplication of information. ▪ Be clear so that other staff, including those in other local agencies, can easily understand what the author is communicating. Use established terminology and abbreviations. ▪ Describe the services provided to help other staff understand the plan for future services. ▪ Be concise so that it contains pertinent information and minimal extraneous information. Guidance ▪ For additional information on documentation best practices, see WIC Nutrition Education Documentation. Reference – Complete Listing of Hyperlinks Section 7.4: Supporting Breastfeeding with the WIC Food Package (https://www.health.state.mn.us/docs/people/wic/localagency/program/mom/chsctns/ch7/sct n7_4.pdf) Section 6.6: High Risk Individual Nutrition Care Plan (https://www.health.state.mn.us/docs/people/wic/localagency/program/mom/chsctns/ch6/sct n6_6.pdf) Procedures for using wichealth.org as an Education Choice (https://www.health.state.mn.us/docs/people/wic/localagency/nutrition/edchoice/procedures .pdf) WIC Nutrition Education Documentation (https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/wic/localagency/nedocumentation.html) Minnesota Department of Health - WIC Program 625 Robert St N, PO BOX 64975, ST PAUL MN 55164-0975; 1-800-657-3942, health.wic@state.mn.us, www.health.state.mn.us. To obtain this information in a different format, call: 1-800-657-3942 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.