PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Policy and Procedure Number: 6.01 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: September 30, 2015 State Effective Date: January 27, 2016

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

6. OUTREACH/REFERRAL

6.01 Local Agency Outreach Activities

Page 1 of 4

A. POLICY:

PA WIC shall perform an on-going evaluation of program utilization and develop, coordinate and deploy outreach initiatives to enhance program participation and reduce or eliminate barriers to new and continued program participation.

B. PROCEDURE:

1. The State Agency shall announce the availability of program benefits once a year in news releases to all relevant media sources in conjunction with the Public Meetings held to give the general public an opportunity to comment on the development of the State Plan of Program Operations. The local agency shall also announce the availability of program benefits in a news release or media ad at least once a year. 2. Each Local Agency shall perform ongoing outreach and periodic intensive outreach for WIC enrollment within its respective service area. When appropriate and possible, the State Agency shall assist local agencies through special statewide outreach efforts such as advertising or collaboration initiatives. 3. All media advertising and printed materials for the general public initiated by the local agency must be approved by the State Agency. This includes, but is not limited to, brochures, TV, radio, movie theatre, website, newspaper, billboard, and bus advertising. Refer to Policy and Procedure 1.09 Material Development and Requisitioning for further direction. 4. The local agency shall annually prepare an Outreach Plan and submit it to the State Agency for approval. The State Agency shall identify contents required in the Plan by providing written guidance. 5. The local agency shall maintain an Outreach Network Log of all contacts with hospitals, agencies, organizations and offices that serve potentially eligible participants. The log shall be updated annually and available for review by the State Agency or USDA staff during on-site visits. 6. Target Groups for Outreach. Give highest priority in outreach activities to the following categories of potential participants:

a. Priority I women in the early months of pregnancy, especially pregnant teenagers; b. Priority II infants; c. Migrants;

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Policy and Procedure Number: 6.01 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: September 30, 2015 State Effective Date: January 27, 2016

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

6. OUTREACH/REFERRAL

6.01 Local Agency Outreach Activities

Page 2 of 4

d. Individuals who are homeless; e. Individuals who are employed in minimum wage or low paying jobs; and f. Individuals who reside in rural areas.

7. Outreach Network. Contact and attempt to incorporate into the local agency outreach network log the following agencies, organizations, and offices that serve potential program participants residing in the local agency's service areas:

a. Health and medical organizations, including the State Medicaid Program and managed care providers (HMOs). b. Hospitals and clinics; c. County Public Assistance Offices, including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); Medical Assistance (MA); SNAP (Food Stamps); and Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) services; Child Support Offices; and Child Protective Services; d. Job Center Offices and Job Training Programs; e. Social service agencies including women's shelters and programs for teenage parents; f. Drug and alcohol treatment programs; g. Foster parents' groups and foster care placement staff; h. Breastfeeding promotion groups; i. Organizations serving special population subgroups such as minorities, migrant farm workers, refugees, and the homeless; j. Religious and community organizations in low income areas; k. Educational institutions including Head Start, schools and colleges; l. Organizations that interact with significant numbers of potentially eligible persons such as Child Care Information Services (CCIS); and m. Businesses that employ women of child bearing age.

8. Outreach Activities.

a. Make on-site visits to outreach network contacts to improve collaboration. b. Issue news releases and stories, outreach materials and communications to potential referral organizations, individuals, and the referral agencies included in the local agency's outreach network; c. Offer to speak at meetings and to provide in-service training sessions on WIC to potential referral organizations and the referral agencies included

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Policy and Procedure Number: 6.01 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: September 30, 2015 State Effective Date: January 27, 2016

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

6. OUTREACH/REFERRAL

6.01 Local Agency Outreach Activities

Page 3 of 4

in the outreach network; d. Contact school districts (particularly in low-income areas), Head Start Programs, and day care centers to provide information to nurses, teachers, and counselors regarding the availability and benefits of the WIC Program; e. Participate in local health fairs; f. Network with prenatal, maternity, and postpartum care providers, Healthy Beginning Plus providers, hospitals, clinics, and physicians to ensure enrollment as early as possible for pregnant women; g. Coordinate Program operations with Head Start programs, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), SNAP (Food Stamps), Medical Assistance (MA), and maternal and child health services. h. Develop local agency internet website or use social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. to promote WIC. If the local agency has a website or uses social networking sites, it is the local agency responsibility to maintain these web pages with current factual information about the WIC Program.

9. Outreach Announcements.

a. Include, at a minimum, the following information in all news releases and announcements:

(1) An explanation of Program benefits; (2) Eligibility criteria; (3) Name, address and telephone number to contact for further information; and (4) Nondiscrimination and funding statements.

b. Provide announcements, news releases, and other related Program information in appropriate languages in areas where a substantial number of people speak a language other than English.

10. Documentation.

a. Document and keep on file at the local agency all outreach activities. For example: Information on all speaking engagements, exhibits, contacts, news releases, etc. including date, location and persons contacted.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Policy and Procedure Number: 6.01 WIC State Agency USDA Approval Date: September 30, 2015 State Effective Date: January 27, 2016

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

6. OUTREACH/REFERRAL

6.01 Local Agency Outreach Activities

Page 4 of 4

11. Outreach During Full Enrollment.

a. Continue outreach to maintain assigned participation. b. Emphasize outreach to individuals most likely to be at highest risk (e.g., Priorities 1 and 2 and higher risk subgroups within these priorities). c. Inform referral agencies of changes so they will know when only higher priority persons can be served.

Reference(s): 1. WIC Regulations: 7 CFR Part 246.4(a)(7) 2. WIC Regulations: 7 CFR Part 246.4(b)

Policy and Procedure Status: 1. This P&P supersedes P&P Number 6.01, dated August 29, 2014.