Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Replacing eWIC Cards Policy: FDS 04.7 Reference: N/A Effective: November 1, 2014 Supersedes: FDS 04.8 and FDS 04.8.1

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Policy:

Replacement eWIC Cards may be issued when the participant, parent / legal guardian, or caretaker informs the WIC clinic that the card has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

II. Procedure(s):

A. WIC personnel shall refer the participant, parent / legal guardian, or caretaker at initial certification to the eWIC Cardholder Booklet instructions on what to do if their eWIC Card has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

B. WIC personnel shall refer the participant, parent / legal guardian, or caretaker at initial certification to the eWIC Cardholder Booklet instructions on safeguarding their PIN at all times.

C. WIC personnel shall inform the participant, parent / legal guardian, or caretaker at initial and subsequent certifications that when an eWIC Card is replaced it is possible that food benefits may be prorated.

D. WIC personnel shall inform the participant, parent / legal guardian, or caretaker at initial and subsequent certifications that a replacement eWIC Card is not able to be reissued until 24 hours after it has been deactivated with Xerox and the clinic is notified.

E. Upon issuance of a third lost card replacement within a year, not including cards reissued due to the documented circumstances specified in Procedure F, the participant shall be placed on recurring replacement card list, placed on a one month issuance cycle, and have their eWIC card usage monitored for the next year.

F. Food benefits reported as lost shall be replaced under the following circumstances with the specified documentation:

1) Food benefits that are lost due to a participant leaving home because of family violence. This shall be documented by self-declaration.

2) Food benefits are lost due to a change in full legal custody, including when infants / children are removed from home and placed in foster care or parental custody is changed. Documentation of a change in full legal custody shall be required from the Department of Social Services, a court order, or a military change of custody form. A copy of the documentation shall be scanned into Crossroads.

Division of Community Nutrition

Subject: Replacing eWIC Cards Policy: FDS 04.7 Reference: N/A Effective: November 1, 2014 Supersedes: FDS 04.8 and FDS 04.8.1

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3) eWIC Cards damaged, destroyed, or lost due to an event out of the control of the participant, such as a fire or natural disaster. Documentation from news reports, insurance claims, fire/police reports, or any public document shall be accepted and scanned into Crossroads.

G. eWIC Cards reported as stolen shall only be replaced when a police report is provided which states that WIC food benefits were stolen.

1) The police report requirement for stolen food benefits may be waived if the police department charges a fee that the participant cannot pay. This waiver shall only be granted once.

2) WIC personnel shall cancel the eWIC Card, scan the police report into Crossroads, and arrange for issuance of a replacement eWIC Card.

H. If food benefits cannot be replaced to meet infant needs, then the local agency shall refer the participant to a Food Bank or other resources for assistance.

1) Documentation of all such referrals shall be made in Crossroads.