NC WIC Program Manual October 2025 Chapter 10 Caseload Management

Table of Contents

Local agencies should actively implement strategies to maintain or increase caseload. It is the responsibility of all WIC staff, to engage in outreach activities that extend the reach and effectiveness of the WIC Program. The purpose of this chapter is to provide policy and guidance on managing caseload, understanding barriers to participation, conducting outreach activities, creating referral agreements, developing an outreach plan and documenting outreach efforts.

Section 1. Caseload Management………………………………………………...…….............1  Participation  Caseload Management Strategies

Section 2. Participant Retention …..............................................................................................5  Eliminating Barriers to Participation  Expanding Certifications Outside the Local Agency

Section 3. Outreach.......................................................................................................................9  Purpose of Outreach  Methods of Outreach  Targeted Outreach  Plan for Outreach  Outreach Materials Developed by the Local Agency  Outreach Materials Available from the Community Nutrition Services Section

Section 4. Annual Media Release................................................................................................13  Requirements of the Annual Media Release  Annual Media Release Examples  Sample Press Release and WIC Advertisement  Non-English Media Releases  Documentation of the Annual Media Release  Working with the Media

Section 5. WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan.......................................15  Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan  Maintaining Documentation of Outreach Activities

Attachments Attachment 1. Sample Memorandum of Understanding Template Attachment 2. Outreach Activity Guide for Local Agencies

NC WIC Program Manual October 2025 Attachment 3. Social Media Attachment 4. WIC Outreach: Guidelines for Building Media Relations Attachment 5. Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment and Retention Plan Template Attachment 6. WIC Program Outreach Activity Log

Required Local Agency Written Policies and Procedures  Local agencies must have a written Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment and Retention Plan to build caseload and improve delivery of service, including the agency’s plans to target services to the highest priority groups. (Section 5, page 15 and Attachments 5 and 6)

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October 2025 Caseload Management

Caseload management involves using the tools and resources available to make decisions that maintain and increase participation. It evaluates program operations that are aimed at retaining those participants already enrolled in the program, encouraging active participation, and reaching new families and participants.

Caseload reflects the average participation over time. Caseload allocation to local agencies is determined annually by CNSS by examining participation rates. Local agencies are required to maintain active participation in the WIC Program, which is at least 97% of the base caseload.

 Participation Active participation means the sum of: (1) The number of persons who received supplemental foods or food instruments during the reporting period; (2) The number of infants who did not receive supplemental foods or food instruments but whose breastfeeding mother received supplemental foods or food instruments during the report period; and (3) The number of breastfeeding women who did not receive supplemental foods or food instruments but whose infant received supplemental foods or food instruments during the reporting period.

Participation is tracked and monitored monthly.

 If the average monthly participation falls below 97% of the base caseload, funding may be reduced.

 If the average monthly participation rises above 100% of the base caseload, then: • additional funding may be provided to the local agency and • assigned base caseload will be increased through the issuance of a revised Agreement Addendum.

 Caseload Management Strategies All staff in the local agency should be involved in caseload management. Strategies used to manage caseload include:

 Monitor trends in participation: Local agencies should track participation for the current year and trends over time.

 Monitor changes in participant characteristics: Identify changes in participant category, race, and ethnicity to guide recruitment and retention efforts.

 Evaluate the local agency’s appointment schedule: Evaluating local agency clinic appointment characteristics may provide useful information for decisions that could impact participation.

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October 2025  Monitor no-show rates: No-show rate is the percentage of applicants and participants that failed to attend their WIC appointment scheduled in Crossroads. No-show rates do not include walk-ins. Staff should utilize the no-show rates displayed on the master calendar and/or the Participant Appointment Show Rate Report in Crossroads to monitor no-show rates monthly. Local agency staff must evaluate current practices and implement strategies to reduce no-show rates. These strategies may include, but are not limited to: • Send appointment reminders via ,text, call, or email • Reschedule missed appointments via text, call, or email • Routinely mail optional notices in addition to required notices (refer to Chapter 6D). • Survey participants to assess reasons for missed appointments. • Implement a more flexible appointment process like open-access or same-day scheduling. • Schedule extra appointments to account for no-shows.

 Utilize Crossroads reports: Use Crossroads reports to assess caseload trends and develop strategies to increase participation. The following reports may be helpful in managing caseload: • Total Participation by Category and Priority • Participation by Category, Priority, and Age for Children • Participation Report by Race-Ethnicity • Summary of Actions Due Listing • Participants Who Fail to Pick Up Benefits • Issuance Due Report • Participant Appointment Show Rate Report • Initial Certification Appointments Made Outside of Processing Standards • Daily Appointments to be Rescheduled

 Utilize additional community data: Use community demographic data to target outreach efforts to potentially eligible groups in the local community and to determine how well the agency is serving the WIC-eligible population in the community. The following data may be helpful in managing caseload: • WIC Agreement Addenda Data by Process Outcome Objectives • Population at Risk Reports • Community Health Assessment Data • Reports available through reputable sources like: The State Center for Health Statistics, US Census, USDA’s Economic Research Service

 Assess clinic environment and flow: Use clinic observation tools to assess the local clinic environment to ensure that all applicants and participants have a more positive and welcoming experience. Identify ways to create a clinic environment that is participant- centered. Evaluate wait times, observe clinic flow, and note areas that need improvement or change.

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October 2025  Evaluate participant access to and Satisfaction of WIC Services: Utilize customer surveys to collect information identifying barriers or potential barriers to participation. Local agencies should make every effort to reduce barriers when possible.

 Strategically plan outreach, recruitment, and retention Activities: Local agencies must develop an outreach plan that involves all staff with the intention of building and sustaining caseload and improving service delivery.

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Chapter 10: CASELOAD MANAGEMENT 5 Section 2: PARTICIPANT RETENTION

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October 2025 Participant Retention

 Eliminating Barriers to Participation Local WIC agencies should actively assess and work to eliminate any potential barriers to program participation. Local agencies should review their procedures, survey current participants, identify any potential barriers to participation, and work toward solutions to eliminate or reduce these barriers. Local agencies should take steps to ensure participants do not have excessive wait-times and provide appointment times for participants who work or are in school. The table below outlines some common barriers to participation and offers approaches to resolving them.

Potential Barriers

Possible Solutions to Reducing Barriers Inconvenient appointment times and/or limited hours of operation  Offer lunch time, evening, and/or weekend clinic hours.  Offer remote services over the telephone or with videoconferencing as possible and appropriate.  Recommend that participants assign a Parent/Guardian 2 and/or Caretaker to complete WIC services.  Recommend that participants assign a proxy to attend nutrition education and food benefit issuance appointments.  Offer online nutrition education and remote issuance options for low-risk nutrition education. Difficulty keeping appointments  Accommodate walk-in applicants and participants when possible.  Coordinate appointments with other family members.  Coordinate appointments with other clinics when possible.  Ensure participants do not have excessively long appointments.  Offer remote services over the telephone or with videoconferencing as possible and appropriate.  Consider “Open Access” appointment scheduling.  Routinely provide appointment reminders.  Survey participants to identify barriers to attending scheduled appointments. Transportation difficulties  Establish satellite sites.  Recommend that participants assign Parent/Guardian 2 and/or Caretaker to complete WIC services.  Recommend that participants assign a proxy to attend nutrition education and food benefit issuance appointments.  Offer remote services over the telephone or with videoconferencing as possible and appropriate.

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October 2025  Schedule appointments to facilitate transportation arrangements for individuals.  Work with participants’ schedules to accommodate their needs.  Offer online nutrition education and remote issuance options for participants. Language barriers  Recruit bilingual staff (add preference for bilingual qualification to all job postings).  Include commonly spoken languages on clinic signage.  Offer staff training in cultural competence.  Support staff efforts to learn/improve non-native language skills.  Utilize language lines when interpreters are not available. Limited coordination of WIC Program with other agencies  Schedule WIC clinic visits to coincide with prenatal, postpartum family planning, or well child clinic visits, when possible.  Use medical information from other sources when available.  Coordinate nutrition education contacts.  Build a WIC Outreach Network (refer to Section 3) to better understand where coordination can be strengthened and ensure staff from other agencies encourage continued WIC participation. Negative WIC experience  Ensure all staff are practicing good customer service.  Provide staff training in customer service.  Utilize “Customer Satisfaction” surveys to determine areas that need improvement.  Offer extended hours of service.  Review local agency policies to ensure policies place no undue barrier on the participant.  Establish a child-friendly waiting room and clinic area.  Cross train staff to improve clinic flow.  Clearly explain WIC program policies to participants as needed.  Educate participants about the WIC program benefits including what to expect during their certification appointments.

 Expanding Certifications Outside of the Local Agency To increase access to WIC services, local agencies may consider expanding services to different parts of their county or to partnering agencies that serve WIC-eligible families. Conducting WIC services in partner agencies that serve WIC-eligible families like Head Start, hospitals, and Department of Social Services (DSS) expands the local agency’s reach.

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October 2025 Prior to establishing procedures for certifying individuals outside of the local agency, staff must decide if it is an efficient and effective utilization of agency resources. When making this decision, staff should consider the following:

 Staffing: Does the local agency have enough staff to expand services?

 Equipment: Does the agency have the additional equipment needed?

 Cost: Is there an additional cost associated with opening another site? And if so, is it in the agency’s budget?

 Effectiveness: How many additional participants will you be able to serve? Is the site located in an agency that serves the WIC-eligible population?

Local agency staff should meet with staff in the identified partnering agency to discuss the proposal and its implementation. Discussion topics must include:

 WIC Program integrity requirements

 Collection of medical and nutritional information

 Provision of program benefits (i.e., food benefit issuance, nutrition education and breastfeeding support)

 Space requirements

 Internet requirements

 Confidentiality issues

 Liability issues

 Client access

 Roles and responsibilities of staff in both agencies

WIC staff will need to complete an agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agencies involved that describes how WIC services will be provided. The MOU must be approved in writing by the local agency’s Regional Nutrition Consultant before any WIC Program services may be provided. Changes to any existing MOU must be reviewed and approved in writing by the local agency’s Regional Nutrition Consultant. See Attachment 1 for a MOU template.

Additionally, before a local agency opens a new site, a New Site Request Form for each new site where WIC services will be performed must be submitted to the CNSS Customer Service Desk (CSD).

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Chapter 10: CASELOAD MANAGEMENT 9 Section 3: OUTREACH

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October 2025 Outreach

Local agencies are responsible for conducting outreach activities within their respective community to promote WIC Program services. Outreach involves a multi-layered approach and should be approached with intention. Please refer to Chapter 4, Section 1 for policies and requirements related to providing services to individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and persons with disabilities.

 Purpose of Outreach The purpose of outreach is to:

 Increase program caseload,

 Increase public awareness of the benefits of the WIC Program,

 Reduce common misconceptions about eligibility,

 Inform potentially eligible persons and encourage participation in WIC,

 Educate health and social agencies about WIC eligibility criteria for participation and solicit referrals, and

 Encourage coordination between WIC and other health care providers and agencies to reduce barriers to participation.

 Methods of Outreach

 Publicize the availability of the WIC Program. This may include media-related activities like news releases, newspaper feature stories, public service announcements, and social media advertisements.

 Build a WIC Outreach Network. Connecting with community agencies, organizations, and businesses that serve the same population in the local community can lead to referral partnerships, increased visibility of the WIC Program and opportunities to educate the community about WIC benefits and eligibility. Agencies that may make up a WIC Outreach Network may include but are not limited to (See Attachment 2): • Employers of potentially eligible participants • Health and medical organizations • Hospitals, clinics, and physicians’ offices • Community assistance and unemployment agencies • Social service agencies • Religious organizations/advocacy groups • Early education/childcare programs • Educational institutions • Agencies serving homeless individuals

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October 2025  Once the outreach network is established, local agencies should provide continual updates regarding the WIC Program to the agencies/organizations. This can be accomplished by routinely visiting the agency, through telephone contacts, sending program updates via email or letters, and/or arranging short presentations on the WIC Program at a staff meeting. Each agency/organization should be contacted at least annually, and more frequently, if significant changes occur in the WIC Program. Local agencies must maintain documentation of their WIC Outreach Network, including the name of the organization, contact person and details, and description of the interaction.

 Maintain a social media presence. Local agencies are encouraged to use social media to engage with WIC participants and eligible families. Local agencies should consult their local public affairs officer or designee for guidance on using social media to promote WIC. See Attachment 3.

 Community involvement. Participating in community events like health fairs, festivals, and coalitions increases the visibility of the WIC Program and provides the opportunity to educate the local community about WIC benefits and eligibility.

 Targeted Outreach WIC services should be targeted to those who would benefit the most from the program. Targeting services to the highest priority groups is particularly helpful in ensuring that those who will benefit most from the program receive WIC services if an agency initiates a wait list.

High priority populations include:

 Pregnant women, with emphasis on reaching and enrolling eligible women in the early months of pregnancy,

 Breastfeeding women,

 Infants and children in Foster Care, CPS or Child Welfare,

 Migrant families, and

 Families experiencing homelessness.

 Plan for Outreach Local agencies must approach outreach with intention, including the development of a plan that will guide outreach efforts. Local agencies serving >97% of their base caseload are not exempt from developing an outreach plan and conducting outreach activities. Refer to WPM Chapter 10, Section 5 for details regarding the required Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan.

 Outreach Materials Developed by the Local Agency Local agencies are encouraged to develop their own outreach materials that fit the needs of their community. Outreach materials developed by the local agency must contain the local

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October 2025 agency’s contact information and the nondiscrimination statement (see Chapter 5). Locally developed materials should reflect the culture, ethnicity, and languages of the community served. It is best practice to have local agency-developed materials reviewed by their RNC.

 Outreach Materials Available from the Community Nutrition Services Section The Community Nutrition Services Section (CNSS) provides local agencies with a variety of outreach materials in English and Spanish. These materials are described on the CNSS website,https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/child-and-family-well-being/community- nutrition-services-section/wic/staff/outreach. The outreach materials may be ordered using the CNSS Materials Requisition Form. Most of the materials are customizable. Local agencies can customize these materials by including local agency contact information (phone number, address, clinic hours, and local agency website).

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October 2025 Annual Media Release

It is a program requirement that on an annual basis, each Local WIC Agency send a media release or general advertisement to relevant print, online and/or broadcast media.

 Requirements of the Annual Media Release The following information must be included in the annual media release:

 WIC eligibility criteria (See Chapter 6A, Section 1)

 Program benefits, including: • Nutrition education and counseling • Breastfeeding promotion and support • Referrals to other health and community resources • Healthy foods

 Physical address of the local agency

 The USDA nondiscrimination statement. See Chapter 4 for the complete statement and for proper use of the shortened statement when space prohibits use of the full statement.

 Annual Media Release Examples The following are examples of print, online, and broadcast media sources that may support local agency WIC Program outreach efforts.

 Print Media • newspapers including weekly community papers • periodicals including magazines published in the local area • community newsletters • trade association journals

 Online News Media • Online news sites • Online community newsletters • Online community pages

 Broadcast Media • radio stations, including community college and university radio stations • television stations, including network affiliated stations, Spanish stations, cable- access stations, and community-access stations

 Sample Press Release and WIC Advertisement Refer to Attachment 4, Appendix A and B for a sample press release and an example of a WIC advertisement. Digital copies of the WIC advertisements in English and Spanish can be found on the Community Nutrition Services Section website: www.ncdhhs.gov/ncwic. Local

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October 2025 agencies can design their own WIC advertisements, but it must include all the required elements.

 Non-English Media Releases If the local area has a substantial number of residents who speak a language other than English, translate the annual media release into the appropriate language(s).

 Documentation of the Annual Media Release The local agency must maintain documentation of the annual media release which includes:

 A copy of the submitted and printed media release and

 A copy of a broadcast schedule for radio or television, or a printout/screen shot of an online advertisement/article.

 Working with the Media Refer to Attachment 4: Guidelines for Building Media Relations.

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October 2025 WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan

Local agencies must develop an Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan that involves all WIC staff to build and sustain caseload and to improve delivery of service.

 Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment and Retention Plan Refer to Attachment 5: Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan Template for additional information.

Purpose: • Inform high priority populations about the availability of program benefits. • Improve access to services and/or reduce barriers to participation. • Engage the community and increase program awareness. • Establish and/or maintain an outreach and/or referral network. • Improve customer service. • Advertise local agency WIC Program services including the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program. • Encourage continued program participation.

 Components: • Plan. Identify the specific local agency plans for outreach and retention for the highest priority groups. ­ At least one plan should be breastfeeding promotion and support. • Goal. Identify agency specific priority. • Target Population. List the WIC category. • Reason Targeted • Description of Activity/Activities Planned. ­ Staff responsible: Name and position. ­ Location: Describe where the activity will take place. ­ Method of outreach including:  Strategies for the outreach  Appropriate community partners  Outreach tools and resources • Timeline. Provide a timeframe for implementation and follow up. • Evaluation Method. Explain methods of evaluation.

 Maintaining Documentation of Outreach Activities Local agencies must maintain documentation of all outreach efforts including who, what, when, and where for all activities and evaluation of the effort. Refer to Attachment 6: WIC Program Outreach Activity Log. Documentation should align with the local agency’s Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan. Documentation may include but is not limited to the following information:

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October 2025  Print and Broadcast Media Releases (Required). Retain a copy of all media releases (such as press releases, newspaper ads, radio and television public service announcements), including the following information: • list of media organizations that received the release; • a copy of the submitted media release; • a copy of the printed or online media release with publication date(s); and • a copy of the broadcast schedule for radio or television.

 Establish and Maintain Collaborative Community Partnerships for Breastfeeding Promotion and Support (Required). Establish and maintain collaborative partnerships for breastfeeding promotion and support within the community, particularly those that target or serve the WIC population. Partners could include local hospitals/birthing facilities, local breastfeeding coalitions, health care providers/systems, businesses, workplaces, faith-based organizations, schools and childcare facilities. Maintain list of community partnerships and description of resources provided in the WIC Program Outreach Activity Log. • For a local agency that offers the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program (BFPC program), ensure relevant partners have knowledge and information on the BFPC program.

 Program Marketing Efforts (Print, Broadcast, Social Media and Public Advertising Campaigns). These may include locally developed outreach materials and materials developed for public advertising campaigns. Retain copies of any materials the local agency has produced for outreach and public advertising (bus wraps, billboards, shopping carts, etc.). Describe the target audience and how these materials are used.

 Local Agency WIC Program Website. Document changes made to the local agency’s website to ensure it communicates current information and is participant friendly. Local agency WIC Program websites must include the full nondiscrimination statement or a link to it.

 Social Media. Retain a copy of the local agency’s plan to use social media, including who is responsible for maintaining the social media marketing efforts and how it is promoted and utilized.

 Caseload Management Strategies. Describe procedures that are in place to track participation, facilitate continued program participation, and follow up with participants who miss appointments. Examples of these activities are found in Section 1, including: • appointment reminder calls • birthday card mailings • sending missed appointment letters to all missed appointments • evaluating appointment show rates • managing the master calendar.

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October 2025  Efforts to Build a WIC Outreach Network. Maintain a list of agencies and organizations contacted for outreach. Describe agency staff’s participation on community coalitions, advisory boards or in information sessions with potential partners.

 Community Outreach Activities that Increase Program Awareness. Maintain a list of community events attended and describe how the WIC Program was represented and how efforts directed potential participants to apply for WIC.

 Efforts to Improve Customer Service and Increase Program Accessibility. Describe any procedures in place to improve the participants’ experience and accessibility to the program. Examples may include: • new sites opened or being considered • assistance with transportation • extended hours of service • staff training regarding customer service.

 Established Referral Agreements. Maintain a description of all referral agreements. Include the following information in the file for each referral agreements: • name of group and their contact information; • brief description of agreement, including copies of any Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs); and • description of provisions to protect participant confidentiality.

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Sample Memorandum of Understanding Template Memorandum of Understanding

Between

(Partner)

and

(Partner)

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets the terms and understanding between the (partner) and the (partner) to (insert activity).

Background (Why partnership is important)

Purpose This MOU will (purpose/goals of partnership)

The above goals will be accomplished by undertaking the following activities: (List and describe the activities that are planned for the partnership and who will do what). Reporting (Record who will evaluate effectiveness and adherence to the agreement and when evaluation will happen)

Funding (Specify that this MOU is not a commitment of funds)

Duration This MOU is at-will and may be modified by mutual consent of authorized officials from (list partners). This MOU shall become effective upon signature by the authorized officials from the (list partners) and will remain in effect until modified or terminated by any one of the partners by mutual consent. In the absence of mutual agreement by the authorized officials from (list partners) this MOU shall end on (end date of partnership).

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Civil Rights Assurances All activities under this contract will be conducted in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C.2000d et seq.), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.794), Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.); Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended by the ADA Amendment Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 12131-12189) as implemented by Department of Justice regulations at (28 CFR Parts 35 and 36); Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency." (August 11, 2000), all provisions required by the implementing regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (7 CFR Part 15 et seq); and FNS directives and guidelines to the effect that no person shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity for which Federal financial assistance is received for the administration of the WIC Program; and hereby gives assurances that it will immediately take measures necessary to effectuate this agreement. By providing this assurance, the contractor agrees to compile data, maintain records and submit records and reports as requested by the Community Nutrition Services Section to permit effective enforcement of the nondiscrimination laws, and to permit the Community Nutrition Services Section personnel during normal working hours to review and copy such records, books and accounts, access such facilities, and interview such personnel as needed to ascertain compliance with the non-discrimination laws. If there are any violations of this assurance, the Community Nutrition Services Section shall have the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance. This assurance is given in consideration of and for the purpose of obtaining any and all Federal financial assistance, grants, and loans of Federal funds, reimbursable expenditures, grant, or donation of Federal property and interest in property, the detail of Federal personnel, the sale and lease of, and the permission to use Federal property or interest in such property or the furnishing of services without consideration, or at a consideration that is reduced for the purpose of assisting the recipient, or any improvements made with Federal financial assistance extended to the Program applicant by USDA. This includes any Federal agreement, arrangement, or other contract that has as one of its purposes the provision of cash assistance for the purchase of food, and cash assistance for the purchase or rental of food service equipment or any other financial assistance extended in reliance on the representations and agreement made in this assurance. The contract may be renewed annually upon the mutual agreement of both parties. Any renewal shall be negotiated 30 days prior to the beginning of the contract period.

Contact Information Partner name Partner representative Position Address Telephone Fax E-mail

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Partner name Partner representative Position Address Telephone Fax E-mail

________________________Date: (Partner signature) (Partner name, organization, position)

________________________Date: (Partner signature) (Partner name, organization, position)

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October 2025 Outreach Activity Guide for Local Agencies

The purpose of this guide is to provide local agencies with a variety of options for outreach activities. It is by no means a list of activities that local agencies must complete but merely a broad list of ideas for outreach. Some activities may not be applicable to all individual local agencies. However, many of the ideas listed here may serve as a springboard for developing a local agency-specific outreach plan. As necessary, ensure information and materials are in languages the persons with LEP can understand and alternative formats that persons with disabilities can understand.

This checklist covers: • Person-to-person outreach. • Targeting specific groups such as Head Start or migrant organizations. • Creating referral systems. • Utilizing media. • Increasing program accessibility. • Potential partner organizations

Encourage person-to-person outreach. • Ask participants to bring friends and family members who may qualify for WIC benefits. Provide written materials for them to give to a friend or relative. • Host special contests like "Bring A Friend to WIC." The participant who refers the most eligible people to WIC in a specified time wins prizes that have been donated by local businesses. • Hire WIC participants or volunteers to be outreach workers to recruit participants from local communities. • Remind participants of appointments ahead of time. Reach-out to participants who missed appointments via texting, calling, or mailing letters.

Target specific groups and families. • Create targeted messages to include in the agency’s annual media release. Target children to keep them on the program after one year of age. • Create targeted messages for pregnant women to get them on the program as soon as possible. • Seek-out places where potential participants visit such as churches, social services offices, doctor’s offices, daycares, schools, and community organizations. Provide outreach material and training to staff for referral opportunities.

Create intra-agency referral systems. • Ask local Medicaid staff if the local WIC agency may set up a table in their office once a week to make appointments while their clients wait. Provide outreach material for potential participants and Medicaid staff. Invite Medicaid staff to accept Medicaid applications at WIC offices. • Provide staff with Care Management for At-Risk Children (CMARC) and Care

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October 2025 Management for High-Risk Pregnant Women (CMHRP) information and materials on WIC. Discuss their role in getting eligible participants into WIC. • Recognize partners. Consider a brown bag or potluck lunch to honor staff in another department. Give a short presentation about WIC and thank them for working so closely with the local WIC agency. • Provide an in-service or lunch and learn presentation on WIC to immunization staff, public health nurses, school lunch staff and/or school nurses, and community and migrant health workers.

Ask the medical community to refer. • Meet with doctors who are Medicaid providers or manage large practices, such as obstetricians, pediatricians, and family practice physicians. ­ Explain the eligibility criteria, the benefits of the WIC Program, and how they can refer people to WIC. ­ Provide them with outreach materials and your agency’s contact information. • Share WIC information with childbirth educators, midwives, and maternity and childbirth centers. • Ask local pharmacists to include WIC information with prenatal and Medicaid prescriptions. • Talk about WIC with local hospital staff such as social workers, OB and emergency-room nurses and physicians, and administrators. ­ Tell them about WIC and ask them to refer potential clients. ­ Leave outreach materials with your address and telephone number. ­ Some agencies perform in-hospital certifications to new mothers upon delivery. • Talk with pediatricians, OB/GYN, and family practice physician’s offices about the WIC Program. Provide WIC brochures, bookmarks, and WIC Program fact sheets so they can educate their clients about the WIC Program. Provide outreach posters to clinics. Use the sample outreach letter to physicians in your outreach efforts. Visit http://www.ncdhhs.gov/ncwic to utilize outreach resources.

Build community partnerships that include referral systems. • Ask permission from the store manager to place a booth at a local store to explain WIC, who it serves, and how to make appointments. • Send information home with students who participate in the school lunch or summer nutrition programs. • Create an in-school program for teen moms or develop a way for them to participate in WIC without missing school. • Establish a relationship with local university and community college’s student health services. • Ask churches and other faith-based groups to spread the word about WIC. Make sure all churches in your area have WIC flyers or brochures for potential clients. • Work with Head Start, childcare centers, Smart Start coalitions and other agencies that serve potential WIC applicants. • Establish a WIC Growth Task Force for the community. Task Force members should include key leaders from the community who serve potential WIC clients, the medical community, and women who are WIC-eligible. Address infrastructure issues and better

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October 2025 integration of community resources related to WIC growth. • Join community coalitions or advisory boards in your community. Share information about WIC to let other board members know about the services the Program offers. • Present WIC information to many different organizations, businesses, and clubs. Offer training to appropriate personnel to inform about WIC. Include a description of the WIC Program, eligibility criteria, the location and contact information of the local agency and outlying sites, the USDA Nondiscrimination Statement, and a contact person. • Send thank-you notes to all who provide referrals to WIC. Let them know they are performing an important community service. • Talk to your public affairs officer about utilizing social media and establishing local agency accounts. Connect to different social service organizations, as their participants may be eligible for WIC. Aim to make at least one post per week.

Produce print and broadcast media pieces. • Put posters, flyers, or brochures where participants will be. Consider grocery stores, laundromats, childcare centers, resale and thrift shops, maternity shops, church fellowship halls, university student centers and employment offices. Please refer to Chapter 4 for information about the required non-discrimination statement. • Use bus cards that travel targeted routes or billboards. • Ask local newspapers, television, local cable stations, and radio stations to play public service announcements and cover stories about your clinics. Get the WIC story in the news. ­ If you expand local agency hours, open a Saturday clinic, or hire new staff, let people know. ­ Emphasize that WIC is a nutrition program for working families and make clinics accessible to working families. Please refer to WIC Program Manual Chapter 10, Attachment 2 for more information about working with the media.

Make WIC services user-friendly and accessible. • Provide waiting room toys or activities for children. Keep the toys and waiting area clean. • Minimize waiting time to get an appointment and during clinic visits. • Encourage staff to attend customer service training at local community colleges. • Ask clients, “What time works best for you?” when scheduling return appointments. • Provide extended hours during lunch, the evening, early morning, or on the weekend. • Increase the number of sites that offer WIC services. • Refer participants to transportation resources.

Organizations for Outreach and Referral • Community Care of North Carolina/Carolina ACCESS (Medicaid managed care network) • Child Development Agencies • Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA) • Community Action Agencies • Cooperative Extension: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) • Healthcare Services: ­ Care Management for At-Risk Children (CMARC) Family Planning

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October 2025 ­ Immunization Services ­ Care Management for High-Risk Pregnant Women (CMHRP) Prenatal Care ­ Well Child Care ­ Pediatric Dental Offices ­ Physicians ­ Rural Health Centers • Department of Social Services ­ Eligibility Intake Workers ­ Work First Counselors ­ Child Support Enforcement ­ Food and Nutrition Services ­ Medicaid Program NC Health Choice • Domestic Violence Shelters • Employment Security Commission • Faith Based Organizations • Farmers Markets • Food Banks • Food Pantries / Meal Programs • Head Start • Child Care Centers • Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO’s) • Homeless Shelters • Hospital Birth Center Staff • Hospital Outpatient Clinics • Housing Authorities • Hunger Network / Food Security Organizations • Indian Tribal Organizations • Legal Services • Low-Income Citizen Organizations • Mental Health Centers • Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker’s Association • Organizations that support breastfeeding women • Substance Abuse Treatment and Counseling Centers • Smart Start Partnerships • Urban Indian Organizations • University or community college student health center

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Social Media

Social media collectively are websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. Social media can be a low-cost and effective communication tool for WIC Programs.

Social media integrates technology, social interaction, and content creation, to collaboratively connect online information. Through social media, people or groups can create, organize, edit, comment on, combine, and share content.

Social networking sites are online communities where people can interact with friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, and others with similar interests. Most social networking sites provide multiple ways for their users to interact such as chat, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, and discussion groups. Some popular social networking sites include: • Facebook Facebook is a community in which individuals ‘friend’ others and share information about themselves, their activities, and their interests. Facebook users can upload photos, videos, send direct messages to other Facebook users, comment on what others have said, play games, support causes, and more. Security can be set so that anyone can see postings, or just friends, or friends of friends. Organizations or groups have "fans" rather than "friends.” - Utilizing social media is an inexpensive way to reach potential and existing participants. - Post messages, upload pictures and videos for free. - Facebook can help create a community. WIC participants on Facebook may feel they are part of the WIC community, and it may be a further incentive to stay with the program. - Examples for local agencies may include posting recipes, nutrition and/or breastfeeding information, clinic closures, community events, and interesting information from other WIC or social service organizations.

• X (formerly Twitter) X is a micro-blog. Each posting is limited to a set number of characters. Typically, postings include links to more information. The benefit of X is that the user can quickly scan announcements to find those that are of interest. The user can click the link for more information. - Examples for local agencies may include posting healthy recipes, clinic information, breastfeeding information, community information, and information about WIC partnership organizations.

• YouTube YouTube is a video sharing website and can also be a way to provide outreach to the community. Establish a channel to upload videos for the public to view. Specific government pages can be created as well. Send the following information to government@youtube.com: - The name of the government, government department, agency.

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- The .gov website URL. - The account name registered on YouTube (i.e., the YouTube username). - The email address used to manage the account. - The type of content to be posted.

Adopting social media into the local agency’s WIC Program’s outreach plan is not for everyone. Staff and work time must be devoted to creating and posting content, monitoring site activity, and responding to site users. Consult with the local public affairs officer or designee for guidance on the use of social media.

Social Media Best Practices 1. Consult with the local public affairs officer or designee to obtain information and guidance on the county’s social media policy. 2. Become familiar with multiple sites before deciding upon which one the local agency would like to use. There are hundreds of social networking sites available, each with distinct targets, purposes, and functions. Visit the sites to gain an understanding of the participants, the culture, and the functionality. 3. Consider the overall communications strategy and objectives. Before launching a page, make sure social networking activities mesh with the communication strategy and objectives. 4. Be thoughtful about resources. Ensure that adequate resources (time and staff) are available to support ongoing maintenance of the page to keep content fresh and fans engaged. 5. Provide engaging posts and communication material on the site. Incorporate videos, quizzes, games, images, and other materials to actively and repeatedly engage users. 6. Create a comment policy. Develop a policy that covers the response to inappropriate or derogatory comments. 7. Collect and store comments. Develop a system to archive comments. 8. Develop and establish a promotion plan before launching the page. Encourage fans to share and cross-promote using other social media channels and web pages. 9. Develop an evaluation and metrics plan prior to launch to determine if efforts are successful. Example evaluation or metrics to consider: - Determine how participation will be measured. Evaluation can include simple measures of user engagement (e.g., How many followers/fans/friends does the account have? How many users commented on recent posts?) - Take advantage of the analytic packages available on social networking sites. These can be utilized to determine the number of people (“fans”) participating in the activity and observe how users engage with the site. For example, Facebook Insights is available to users (administrator) who maintain a page for an organization. Facebook Insights allows the administrator to see demographic information and fan interactions with the page over time.

Be sure to check with the local agency’s public affairs officer before utilizing any type of social media.

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WIC OUTREACH:

GUIDELINES FOR BUILDING

MEDIA RELATIONS

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WIC Outreach: Guidelines for Building Media Relations

One way to gain public awareness and support for the WIC Program is through local media – newspapers, radio and television. Working with the media can also help reach potential participants who may not be aware of the important services provided by WIC. Having good relationships with the media can markedly improve the effectiveness of using them for outreach purposes This publication has been designed to outline several of these guidelines to assist agencies with media interactions. It is important to take into account any media rules and regulations specific to the local WIC agency. This includes any social media and internet usage. Be sure to check with the local public affairs officer before utilizing any type of social media.

As an overview, the guidelines briefly describe the following eight topics.

1. Preparing a list of key media personnel 2. Characteristics of a newsworthy story 3. How and why to prepare a media kit 4. How to build media relationships 5. How to prepare a fact sheet 6. How to write a news release 7. Guidance for holding a news conference 8. Tips for hosting media visits or interviews

Establish social media tools to help promote the local program. Social media sites include: • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube

Refer to Attachment 3 for more information on incorporating social media into local agency outreach efforts.

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October 2025 Table of Contents

1. Preparing a Media List ...............................................................................................................4 2. What News is Newsworthy ........................................................................................................5 3. Preparing a Media Kit ................................................................................................................6 4. Meeting the Local Media ...........................................................................................................7 5. Preparing a Fact Sheet ...............................................................................................................9 6. Writing a News Release10 7. Holding a News Conference ....................................................................................................11 8. Hosting a Media Visit/Providing Interviews ...........................................................................12

Appendix A: Sample Press Release ..............................................................................................15

Appendix B: Sample of WIC Advertisement ……...……………………………………………16

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October 2025 1. Preparing a Media List Compile a list of the following local media. Organize each list by market served.

• Print Media – newspapers, magazines, “shoppers” and other giveaways, and entertainment magazines

• Broadcast Media – radio and television stations

News staff decides what is newsworthy based on what they believe interests or affects their audiences. In the list, include the names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of the following key players. Update the media list every four to six months.

• Editors (from city desk, city/county government, health, lifestyle) decide what goes into newspapers and edit the news.

• Reporters on relevant beats for the city/county government, health, lifestyle (at small papers, these might be the same person) write the stories.

• TV and radio producers decide who goes on shows/programs.

• News directors decide what goes on the air.

• Assignment editors decide what goes in the story. They are supervised by news directors.

• Public service directors review and decide which community groups, programs, or projects to promote. Serve as the publication’s (or station’s) liaison to the community.

• Post news stories to the local WIC Program’s Facebook page or YouTube account.

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October 2025 2. What News is Newsworthy? Before contacting the press to cover a story, there must be something newsworthy to say. Remember that the main objective for media coverage related to outreach is to raise public awareness of WIC and to increase WIC enrollment.

What is newsworthy?

• News that no one has ever said or heard before.

• Timely—yesterday’s news is old news.

• Involves a public figure, celebrity, or well-known organization.

• Affects a large number of people.

• Has a human-interest angle. (Success stories with women and children always score high). Include pictures and personal stories(with consent).

• Visual (for television and news photography).

• Centers on an event or happening.

• Is “good news” such as lower, statewide anemia rates that can be directly tied to WIC.

• Is a variation of a theme already receiving media attention.

• Accessible to the media—give location, time, and other important information.

• Interesting on what would otherwise be a slow news day.

• Unusual or ironic.

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October 2025 3. Preparing a Media Kit Media kits are the primary tools used to attract the media. They provide media personnel with newsworthy and background information in a clear and concise fashion. Their specific purposes are:

• To start a conversation with reporters, editors, or radio/TV staff when making initial contact or requesting time on a talk show, airing of a PSA, or story coverage.

• To distribute at a media event, such as a press conference or charity drive.

Media kits usually consist of a 9” by 12” two-pocket folder and contain any or all of the following:

• News/press release (see page10 – Writing a News Release).

• Biographical sketch of the WIC director and/or other key personnel.

• Fact sheet (see page 9 – Preparing a Fact Sheet).

• Photographs.

• Graphs and charts.

• Collateral and background information.

• Contact information.

The outreach folder titled, “Outreach Partner Folder” (CNSS #0068) may provide a starting point for the media kit. Add the pertinent elements from the list above that support your story. Remove any inserts from the folder that may distract from the focus of your story.

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October 2025 4. Meeting the Local Media Building relationships with local reporters and editors is beneficial. Take time to understand what they consider newsworthy, who to contact with story ideas, their deadlines, and other relevant details. In turn, they become familiar with the local WIC agency as a reliable source for quality story ideas and accurate information about the WIC Program.

The local WIC agency should establish itself as friendly to the media, while remembering that a reporter’s job is to seek news. Answer their questions accurately and quickly and offer WIC services and expertise as a “background source” to provide information about public health programs, including WIC. Also, offer to direct questions about other public health issues to the appropriate health department personnel. The key to developing good media relationships is availability and credibility.

Consider the following tips when developing relationships with reporters.

• A reporter is never completely off duty. If something newsworthy is said, it could show up in the news.

• Offer to review any technical material for accuracy prior to publication or airing.

When making initial contact with media personnel, consider the following:

• Make an appointment for introductions with the appropriate reporter, editor, or the public service director., Mid to late morning is the best time to visit reporters and editors. They are very busy in the afternoons.

• Tell the reporter or editor about the WIC program and provide a media kit. Hand-deliver the media kit to the editor/s of the sections in which the information would best be publicized.

• Depending on time available, offer one or two story ideas for consideration.

• Leave business cards with the local agency’s name, phone number, and email address.

Once initial contact is made with local reporters and editors, it is important to establish an ongoing relationship. The best way to do this is through sending out periodic press releases and holding press conferences when there is important news. Be open to visits from the media.

When there is a story that would be important to cover, consider the following steps:

• Identify the media personnel who handle the topic and send them a media kit.

• Call media personnel in advance of sending the information or place a follow-up call to make sure they received it. Email the information immediately if they have not received it.

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October 2025 • After they have had time to review the information, touch base with the reporter or editor to determine their interest in placing a story.

• Do not hesitate to re-send the information if needed.

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October 2025 5. Preparing a Fact Sheet Fact sheets should be included in media kits. They contain information about the WIC Program in general and about the project or clinic. The details on a fact sheet may depend on the focus of the press release or public service announcement (PSA). See the WIC outreach folder, “WIC Works Better Together Community Partner Folder” (CNSS #0068), for information on the program. Fact sheets should contain the following:

• Name, location, hours, and services provided at the local WIC clinic, including any recent changes, agency’s website and social media sites if any.

• Key dates for special events, such as walk-in clinics.

• A brief summary of the WIC Program as well as its mission and successes. (Include Medicaid savings associated with the WIC Program.)

• Information about WIC services (i.e. nutrition education, WIC foods, referral to other health and community resources, and breastfeeding support), the importance of these services for good health, and contact information for the local agency.

• Statistics (e.g., number of participants served last month and any recent changes, amount of food dollars spent in the community last year, number of people potentially eligible for the WIC Program, etc.).

• Eligibility requirements for the WIC Program.

• The USDA Nondiscrimination Statement. (See the WIC Program Manual, Chapter 4.)

• Contact information including names, addresses, phone numbers as appropriate, and program’s/health department’s website.

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October 2025 6. Writing a News Release News releases should be:

• Timely – News is now. Something that happened yesterday, last week, or last month is old news. If a story isn’t timely, hold off.

• Urgent – Use interesting information and attention-grabbing facts to put the story in perspective.

• Brief and focused – Length should be 1 ½ to 2 ½ pages maximum. Isolate the message to be shared and make it clear.

• Important to people – Tell the practical importance of the announcement. What impact will the news have on peoples’ lives? Include a description of the WIC Program, eligibility criteria, location of the local agency (including addresses and telephone numbers), USDA Nondiscrimination Statement, and a contact person to handle future questions.

• Authoritative – Quote appropriate experts.

• Easy to understand – Use lay terms. Do not use bureaucratic, scientific, and medical terminology or jargon. If used, define terms simply and concisely. Do not assume that non-health professionals understand terms that are commonplace in the healthcare world.

• Complete – Begin by answering the six basic questions of journalism – Who? What? Where? When? How? and Why? End with contact information.

• Formatted properly – Put the subject of the press release and the contact person’s name and telephone number at the top of the first page. If the press release takes more than one page, write “more” on the bottom of each sheet but the last one. For subsequent pages, repeat the contact person’s last name, the topic and page number in the upper left corner. Avoid splitting sentences or paragraphs between pages, even if it means leaving excessive empty space. Type ### centered at the end on the last page. Remember to double-space the text (See Appendix A for a sample press release).

• Photo friendly – Suggest photographic possibilities. Remember to obtain consent forms when arranging a photo session. The media representative (newspaper, magazine, or TV station) will obtain his or her own consent forms for photos he or she takes.

NOTE: Remember to include the current nondiscrimination statement at the end of all press releases.

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October 2025 7. Holding a News Conference News conferences follow a certain style. Remember to:

• Open with a short statement, lasting no more than 30 to 60 seconds. State the reason for the news conference and give basic information. The speaker should introduce oneself and explain why s/he is there.

• Introduce key speakers. Never have more than three speakers at a press conference.

• Be sure to allow plenty of time for questions and answers. Always answer honestly and directly. If the reply requires some thought, stop and take the time to think it through.

• Listen closely and respond to each question. If the answer is not known, do not speculate. Write down the question and the reporter’s phone number and respond as soon as possible on that and other related information.

• Share media kits. Include vital facts or statistics, staff biographies, the text of the opening remarks.

Carefully select the location and time of the press conference. Consider:

• Location: Are the building and room easy to find?

• Timing: Is the time convenient for reporters? Mid-to-late morning is usually best to give reporters enough time to write their stories by deadline. Try to avoid a schedule conflict with other events.

• Parking: Is there enough?

• Space: Is the room large enough for all the reporters and their equipment?

• Electricity: Is there sufficient power for reporters’ tape recorders, lighting, and sound equipment?

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October 2025 8. Hosting a Media Visit/Providing Interviews When a news reporter asks to visit the WIC clinic and/or to interview the WIC Director:

• Be prepared! Provide supplemental information such as media kits, fact sheets and research reports. Reporters may need the information to more fully understand the program. Prior to any interview, make a list of all possible questions (including negative) the reporter may ask and develop answers carefully. This will result in conveying the information correctly and concisely, helping to avoid damaging mis-statements and making for a more effective spokesperson. . • Be accessible and accommodating. Have professional experts and program recipients available for interviews and photos. Meet reporters at the door and show them where to go. Offer information as requested.

• Know media deadlines. News crews have rigid daily deadlines. If they need something, they generally need it quickly. Mid-to-late morning is usually convenient for a media visit or interview.

• Be concise. When interviewed, speak in brief, focused sentences. Use common terms. Stick to the subject - it's not necessary to say everything known, particularly if it involves proprietary or confidential information.

• Admit to bad news, if necessary but emphasize any positive aspects. Point out what has been done to rectify the negative. Use it as an opportunity.

• Never speak “off the record.” Don’t say anything that shouldn't be broadcast or printed.

• Don’t say “no comment.” It is perceived as an indication of guilt and/or dishonesty. Tell reporters that the information will be looked into and will get back to them. Ask for their deadline.

Don’t take reporters’ insulting questions personally. It could be a tactic to get the speaker to react angrily. Stay calm and continue to make points rationally. • Make sure the exact question being asked is understood. Ask them to repeat the question if it’s unclear.

• Be honest. If the answer to a question isn’t known, say so. Defer to another source or offer to find out and call with an answer as quickly as possible. Don’t let reporters press for an answer.

• Above all, RELAX. Advise staff in advance when the media is coming. Ask them to act naturally and to cooperate.

Television Interviews If the local health department receives coverage by a television station and they request an interview, remember to…

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October 2025 • Prepare by selecting “must air” points and stressing them in the interview. Write them out and be sure to watch the time so they all get said. Script the interviewer. Although they may not use all of it, it may help get some of the questions asked.

• First impressions are critical – establish kindness and rapport. Smile and thank the interviewer; call the interviewer by name.

• Maintain eye contact with the interviewer – the “crossover” moment between question and answer is critical to credibility on tough questions. To lose contact could indicate evasion, dishonesty, or anxiety.

• Speak up clearly and distinctly. Maintain an even pace to word delivery.

• Emphasize important words. This is a good way to underscore major points. Then, take a slight pause to reinforce the importance of what has been said.

• Sit fairly erect with a slightly forward tilt. This will help with attentiveness.

• Keep answers short, simple, and free of unfamiliar jargon. Get to the conclusion first, then explain. (e.g., Good nutrition results in having healthier babies with fewer developmental problems. WIC contributes to good nutrition by providing…)

• Work the organization name into answers, but make the interjections logical and unobtrusive (e.g., “We’re at the Monroe County Health Department believe…”).

• Offer to bring appropriate visual materials that illustrate important points of discussion. Clips are especially desirable.

Radio and Telephone Interviews Frequently radio interviews are conducted by telephone. When providing radio interviews, remember to:

• Ask whether the interview is to be aired live, live-taped, or recorded. Close office door.

• To sound alert, sit up straight in the chair or stand up.

• Speak in normal tones over the telephone mouthpiece.

• Tilt mouthpiece slightly away from mouth to avoid “popping” or “hissing.”

• Make sure there is a clear telephone line.

• Watch pauses. “Uh” sounds worse on radio than anywhere else. Silence is better.

• Avoid using numbers unless absolutely necessary. If numbers are needed, use rounded numbers.

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October 2025 Appendix A: Sample Press Release

Use agency letterhead

RELEASE: IMMEDIATE (or date, month, year, and time) DATE: (date distributed)

Contact: (Name and telephone number of contact person for more information)

WIC PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR ELIGIBLE WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN

(CITY) – The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC Program) provides supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and community resources to participants. The WIC Program is available at (insert name and location of local WIC agency). You may apply for the WIC Program on (insert days of the week) from (insert times of day). To be eligible a person must: • Be a pregnant woman; a woman within six months of the end of pregnancy; a breastfeeding woman who has had a baby in the last 12 months; an infant; or a child up to the fifth birthday; • Reside in North Carolina; • Meet income eligibility requirements: the gross annual household income cannot exceed 185% of the Federal poverty income guidelines. All Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services (food stamps) and Work First recipients meet the WIC income eligibility criteria; and • Have an identified nutritional risk as determined by a health professional.

WIC Program Provides Assistance

Contact: (Name and telephone number of contact person for more information) For more information about WIC or to make an appointment please visit (insert local agency name and location) or call (insert local agency phone number). Or, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/ncwic.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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October 2025 Appendix B: Sample of WIC Advertisements

Digital copies of the WIC advertisements in English and Spanish can be found on the Community Nutrition Services Section website on the Outreach page For Staff, under Media Resources at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/child-and-family-well-being/community- nutrition-services-section/wic/staff/outreach#MediaResources-3601.

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October 2025 <<Local Agency Name>> Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan

Completion and submission of this resource fulfills the Division of Child and Family Well-Being WIC Program Agreement Addendum, III, h. and i. (Deliverable #8- Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan and Deliverable #9-Evaluation of the prior year Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan) and the required annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan per NC WIC Program Manual, Chapter 10: Caseload Management.

Assessment of Caseload: Participation Trends

Trends in Overall Participation Participation 12-months ago

Participation 6-months ago

Current Participation

% of Base Caseload Currently Serving

% of Population At-Risk Currently Serving

Trends in Participation by Category

Pregnant Women Fully Breastfeeding Women Partially Breastfeeding Women Postpartum Women Fully Breastfed Infants Partially Breastfed Infants Fully Formula- Fed Infants Children 12-months ago

6-months ago

Current

List factors that may have contributed to trends seen in participation: ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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October 2025 Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan and Evaluation for SFY 20XX (WIC Agreement Addendum Deliverables 8 and 9)

Plan: Local agency plan for breastfeeding promotion and support. (Required) Goal: Target Population Reason Targeted Description of Activity/Activities Planned (include staff responsible, location, etc.) Timeline Evaluation Method Women and Breastfeeding Women

Evaluation- To be completed and submitted with next year’s AA (NC WIC Agreement Addendum Deliverable #9.) Refer to NC WPM: Chapter 10, Section 5: Local Agency Outreach and Retention Plan. 1. Was the plan implemented? If not, provide a reason. 2. To what degree was the plan successful? 3. Will you modify any of the activities? If so, how will the activities be modified?

Plan: Local agency plan for targeting WIC services to highest priority groups. (Required) Goal: Target Population Reason Targeted Description of Activity/Activities Planned (include staff responsible, location, etc.) Timeline Evaluation Method

Name/category of high priority group

Evaluation -To be completed and submitted with next year’s AA (NC WIC Agreement Addendum Deliverable #9.) Refer to NC WPM: Chapter 10, Section 5: Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan. 1. Was the plan implemented? If not, provide a reason. 2. To what degree was the plan successful? 3. Will you modify any of the activities? If so, how will the activities be modified?

Chapter 10: CASELOAD MANAGEMENT

Attachment 5 Page 4 of 4

NC WIC Program Manual

October 2025 Plan: (optional) Goal: Target Population Reason Targeted Description of Activity/Activities (include staff responsible, location, etc.) Timeline Evaluation Method

Name/category of target population

Evaluation- To be completed and submitted with next year’s AA (NC WIC Agreement Addendum Deliverable #9.) Refer to NC WPM: Chapter 10, Section 5: Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan. 1. Was the plan implemented? If not, provide a reason. 2. To what degree was the plan successful? 3. Will you modify any of the activities? If so, how will the activities be modified?

Plan: (optional) Goal: Target Population Reason Targeted Description of Activity/Activities (include staff responsible, location, etc.) Timeline Evaluation Method

Name/category of target population

Evaluation - To be completed and submitted with next year’s AA (NC WIC Agreement Addendum Deliverable #9.) Refer to NC WPM: Chapter 10, Section 5: Annual Local Agency WIC Program Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Plan. 1. Was the plan implemented? If not, provide a reason. 2. To what degree was the plan successful? 3. Will you modify any of the activities? If so, how will the activities be modified?

Chapter 10: CASELOAD MANAGEMENT

Attachment 6

Page 1 of 2

NC WIC Program Manual

October 2021

Agency Name WIC Program Outreach Activity Log

Date Staff Responsible Type of Contact Organization Contact Information Result(s)

Chapter 10: CASELOAD MANAGEMENT

Attachment 6

Page 2 of 2

NC WIC Program Manual

October 2021

Date Staff Responsible Type of Contact Organization Contact Information Result(s)