Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Food Benefits Issuance Policy: FDS 04.2 Reference: C.F.R. §246.2 Effective: March 15, 2019 Supersedes: August 1, 2017

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I. Policy:

All food benefits shall be issued through the Crossroads system after eligibility has been documented and only when the participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy is physically present at the local agency to have their food benefits loaded, except when there is a system outage or system issue. The participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy is required to complete an electronic signature to acknowledge receipt of all food benefits, or complete a delayed signature form authorizing local agency staff to sign for benefits on their behalf.

II. Procedure(s):

A. Food prescriptions shall not be loaded prior to the participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy being physically present at the local agency except as specified in policy FDS 04.2.1.

B. Local agency personnel are responsible for reviewing the entire food prescription with the participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy to ensure complete accuracy of the food prescription. Review shall include, but is not limited to the following:

1) Family ID number 2) Name 3) Dates 4) Signatures 5) Food prescription 6) Special formula ordering status

C. Food prescriptions shall be voided, in accordance with FDS 04.6, if any information in the food prescription is incorrect.

D. An “X” signature is allowed for persons unable to sign their name. WIC personnel shall note “witnessed by” and place their initials beside the “X”.

E. If the participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy fails to sign complete the electronic signature, personnel shall note “Failed to Sign”, the date, and personnel initials in the Crossroads system. While this documents awareness of omission, it remains an audit exception. This should only be used when all other efforts to comply have failed.

F. Inform the participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy that failure to attend the initial nutrition education appointment may result in reduced WIC food benefits for that month in accordance with FDS 04.4, Prorating of Food Prescriptions.

Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Food Benefits Issuance Policy: FDS 04.2 Reference: C.F.R. §246.2 Effective: March 15, 2019 Supersedes: August 1, 2017

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G. Verbally inform participant, parent / legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy that failure to receive food benefits within ninety (90) days of the last date to spend on the most recently issued eWIC benefits shall result in an automatic termination from the Program.