PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Policy and Procedure: 4.04 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: April 19, 2022

State Effective Date: June 18, 2022

POLICY MANUAL

4. FOOD DELIVERY SYSTEM.

4.04 Training of WIC Vendors

Page 1 of 3

A. POLICY OVERVIEW:

The WIC program shall assure WIC authorized stores are educated in WIC Program Regulations and applicable policies and procedures to improve WIC program services and prevent program non-compliance.

B. POLICY:

1. WIC retail store training shall be scheduled and conducted by each local agency under the following conditions:

a. When notification is received from the State agency that an applicant store has been approved as an authorized WIC Vendor, initial training must be conducted prior to the store being placed on the list of authorized vendors. These sessions must include, at a minimum, the topics contained in the State Agency provided training and must be in an interactive format that includes an opportunity for questions and answers.

b. Each Federal Fiscal Year (FFY), local agencies are required to conduct mandatory annual WIC vendor training.

c. When vendor non-compliance is identified by the State agency or local agency, mandatory corrective training must be conducted to correct program non- compliance.

2. The State Agency Vendor Management and Training Center will provide guidance and training assistance as requested to local agencies for the mandatory annual WIC retail store training.

3. A vendor must verify their completion of training.

4. The local agency shall record all training provided to retail stores in the MIS, within five business days of verification..

5. Vendor training additional requirements:

a. For initial training the local agency must inform the vendor that the training

is mandatory before they may begin participating in the WIC Program.

b. Training should include the manager/owner, front end managers, as many

cashiers as practical and any others designated by the vendor’s management

c. Training shall include, at a minimum, the State Agency developed training.

d. For training provided in person, written notification to vendors shall include the

following items as necessary:

i. Date the notice was mailed

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Policy and Procedure: 4.04 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: April 19, 2022

State Effective Date: June 18, 2022

POLICY MANUAL

4. FOOD DELIVERY SYSTEM.

4.04 Training of WIC Vendors

Page 2 of 3

ii. Fiscal year that the training covers (i.e. Federal Fiscal Year 2023, from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023)

iii. Location of training

iv. Date and time of training

v. Training agenda

vi. Statement that the training session is mandatory and failure to attend will result in the vendor receiving a one year disqualification from participating in the WIC Program

vii. Required response date, contact person and contact person’s phone number and email address.

e. A WIC authorized vendor shall ensure that at least one vendor representative responsible for training vendor personnel about the WIC program attends the training. The corporate office of a chain vendor may elect to send a corporate trainer to the training to represent the corporation and who will be responsible for assuring all vendor staff are trained as required. Corporate trainers will be required to complete and submit training sign-in sheets for all staff trained to the State agency within five business days of training completion. The corporate trainer must also provide the respective local agency Retail Store Coordinator with training documentation for the local agency file.

f. For annual training provided in person, sufficient training sessions must be held every FFY to provide each WIC authorized vendor at least two opportunities, on separate days. Each vendor must be provided at least one opportunity to attend training in the county where the vendor is located, or in an adjoining county within or outside the overseeing local agency.

g. The local agency will schedule and conduct corrective action training within 45 days of the determination of extended probation per §1103.2(d), non-compliance per §1105.6 (b)(4), §1105.6(d)(1)(4) and §1105.6(e)(4) when required.

h. A WIC authorized store may request training of the local agency or the State Agency.

i. The training should be conducted to suit the needs of the retail store and respond to the reasons the store requested training. An agenda of the training must be maintained in a Store Requested training file at the local agency and a copy will be forwarded to the State Agency within five business days of the completion of the training.

Reference(s): 1. PA WIC Regulations §1103.2, 1105.1, 1105.6, and 1107.1. 2. WIC Retail Store Handbook.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Policy and Procedure: 4.04 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: April 19, 2022

State Effective Date: June 18, 2022

POLICY MANUAL

4. FOOD DELIVERY SYSTEM.

4.04 Training of WIC Vendors

Page 3 of 3

Policy Status: 1. This Policy supersedes P&P 4.04, dated February 19, 2015. 2. This P&P supersedes P&P 4.16, dated February 12, 2007.