Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Food Benefit Issuance without Physical Presence Policy: FDS 04.2.1 Reference: N/A Effective: August 1, 2017 Supersedes: N/A

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I. Policy:

WIC personnel are allowed under specified conditions to upload participants’ food benefits to their eWIC account without the participant/parent/guardian/caretaker/proxy being physically present at the clinic.

II. Procedure(s):

A. A Delayed Benefits Signature Authorization form (WIC-318) shall be completed and scanned into Crossroads for every family.

1) WIC staff shall verbally explain the purpose of the form and its uses to the participant/parent/guardian/caretaker prior to signature.

2) The form is in effect for 1 year from the date of signature.

3) Once completed and signed, the Delayed Benefits Signature Authorization (DBSA) form shall be scanned into the family record in Crossroads. The original of the form shall be provided to the participant.

4) A Family Alert shall be entered in Crossroads stating when the form expires and whether or not authorization was given. This alert shall be deactivated when a new form takes effect and a new alert shall be entered.

B. Benefits to the eWIC account by WIC personnel in the absence of the participant as follows:

1) System issues/outages that prohibit the entering or issuing of food benefits

2) Food prescription changes

3) Formula change without in-hand formula to return/exchange

4) Incorrect initial benefit issuance

5) Benefits issued on a one month interval in months when a Secondary Nutrition Education contact is not required

6) Breastfeeding status change and/or formula increase for a participant who does not have a breast pump that needs to be returned

7) Staff is not accessible for meeting separation of duty requirements

Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Food Benefit Issuance without Physical Presence Policy: FDS 04.2.1 Reference: N/A Effective: August 1, 2017 Supersedes: N/A

Page 2 of 2

C. Benefits may not be uploaded to the eWIC card by WIC personnel in the absence of the participant when:

1) Secondary Nutrition Education, to include group, individual, and High Risk contacts, is due

2) HealthBites on-line Secondary Nutrition Education has been completed

3) Formula change involves formula in-hand to return/exchange

4) Breastfeeding status changes and/or formula increases for a participant who has been issued a breast pump that needs to be returned

5) Authorization was not allowed by the participant on the DBSA or there is not a current DBSA on file

6) Determination of subsequent certification eligibility is due

D. In all cases where the WIC staff sign for food benefits the reason why the participant did not sign for benefits shall be entered under the staff signature.

1) For situations involving changes in formula, the participant shall be contacted by a CPA and informed of the details of the change. An entry shall be placed in the Care Plan Summary Screen of Crossroads with information on the participant contact, including who was spoken to and any questions addressed regarding the formula change and/or benefit issuance.

2) For situations that involve CAP orders, the participant shall be contacted and shipping information shall be verified. Information about who was spoken to and shipping location preference shall be added to the Family Alerts.

3) For situations that involve breastfeeding participants, the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Breastfeeding Coordinator, or Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE) shall be contacted before the prescription is changed to ensure that all breastfeeding complications and concerns have been addressed. Information about this shall be entered into either the Care Plan Summary or Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Care Plan.