West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ POLICY: WIC staff will be trained on the WIC Program policies, procedures, and techniques that will enable them to serve WIC participants in the most effective, efficient, and courteous manner. PROCEDURE: A. Mandatory Training for New Permanent Employees, Rehired Employees, and Currently Hired Employees Assigned to a New Job 1. Each newly hired permanent employee (full-time or part-time) must attend appropriate training given by the State Agency within four (4) months of employment. Note: Temporary employee training will be handled on a case-by-case basis with the State Agency. 2. Previous WIC employees (full-time or part-time) who have been rehired six (6) months after the last day of employment must attend appropriate training given by the State Agency within four (4) months of employment. Note: Previous WIC employees (full-time or part-time) who have been rehired within six (6) months of the last day of employment do not need to attend training unless they are changing job function. 3. Current WIC employees (full-time or part-time) who are assigned to a new job function must attend appropriate training given by the State Agency within four (4) months of employment. 4. Employees will attend training(s) on the following topics: a. Crossroads computer system b. Anthropometric measurements c. Hematological measurements d. WV WIC Civil Rights Training for New Employees e. Mandatory Reporter Training f. Nutrition/breastfeeding education for Competent Professional Authorities (CPA): i. Goals and philosophy of nutrition education in the WIC Program ii. Minimum nutrition education contacts and documentation in Crossroads iii. Nutritional risk criteria iv. Nutrition Services Standards v. Dietary assessment vi. Interpretation and assessment of anthropometric and hematological measurements vii. WIC-approved formulas viii. Food package tailoring ix. Individualized Nutrition Care Plans Page 1 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ x. USDA WIC Breastfeeding Training – Level One 5. Newly hired CPAs must complete the USDA Breastfeeding Training – Level Two and Level Three within the first six (6) months of employment. 6. Newly hired Breastfeeding Peer Counselors must complete the USDA Breastfeeding Training – Level Two within the first six (6) months of employment. 7. Newly hired International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC’s) must complete the USDA Breastfeeding Training – Level Two, Level Three, and Level Four within the first twelve (12) months of employment. 8. Staff who are not authorized to perform the functions of a CPA must first complete competency-based training at the Local Agency. Competency-based training requires that the trainee demonstrate competency in skills learned during training before he/she practices as a CPA. a. The State Agency will provide the list of required training modules b. All competency-based training must be provided by a preceptor appointed by the Local Agency Director (see Policy 11.04 WIC Preceptor) c. All competency-based training must have an evaluation component, including WIC case studies d. The preceptor will observe the trainee using Nutrition Monitoring Forms (see Policy 9.01 Attachment #3 Nutrition Monitoring Forms Internal and External Monitoring Clinic Observation). 9. All training on policies and procedures within the WV Policy and Procedure Manual will be done by the Local Agency. 10. Per WV Travel Regulations, each trainee will be covered by the State Agency for expenses incurred in obtaining the mandated training given by the State Agency. Routine and overtime compensation for hours worked will be the responsibility of the Local Agency. B. Mandatory Training Updates 1. Mandatory annual training for all WIC personnel will be conducted at the Local Agency on civil rights (see Policy 1.08 Civil Rights). a. Previous employees being rehired must complete Civil Rights Annual Training during their rehire process. 2. Mandatory annual training for those staff performing hemoglobin testing will be conducted by (see Policy 2.13 Hematological Testing): a. A person assigned by the State Agency during the biennial state WIC meeting; or Page 2 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ b. A person assigned by the Local Agency Director to be performed at the Local Agency; or c. A person designated by the State Agency. 3. WIC personnel may be mandated to attend State Agency in-services or state-sponsored programs, i.e., nutrition education, breastfeeding, policy updates, Crossroads updates, outreach training, etc. a. Where feasible, schedules will be provided to the Local Agencies at least three (3) months in advance. b. Attendance at a mandatory training may only be excused due to a personal or family illness, a death in the family, a family emergency, a scheduled vacation or leave-of-absence, a natural or man-made disaster (fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, chemical leak, etc.), or any other excused absence from work. Other exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis requiring the submission to and approval by the State Agency of an alternate training plan. c. If attendance is for a specified group of people--i.e., nutrition education liaisons, breastfeeding coordinators, outreach liaisons, then any alternate/substitute must be approved by the State Agency prior to his/her attending the training. 4. Upon review by the State Agency Monitor, training may be mandated as corrective action in the Monitoring Report. The Local Agency will be responsible for all expenses incurred in acquiring this training, including training required at the State Agency or Nutrition Services Training Center. 5. The Local Agency may mandate local training for its staff, as appropriate. C. Continuing Education Contact Hours for All Permanent WIC Staff 1. Each permanent WIC employee with at least one (1) year of WIC experience is required to receive a minimum of twelve (12) hours per fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) on any of the following topics, as appropriate for their job duties: a. Nutrition b. Breastfeeding c. Anthropometric measurement, assessment, and interpretation; hematological measurement, assessment, and interpretation d. Counseling e. Teaching and learning process for health care personnel or patients f. Professional clinical practice in the health care of women, infants, or children g. Management of health care personnel and patient care h. Legal, social, economic, or ethical aspects of health care i. Computer-aided design Page 3 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ j. Community assessment, planning, and evaluation k. Stress management or interpersonal relationships in the workplace l. Social marketing and focus groups m. Special health care problems n. Other topics approved by the State Agency Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator o. Other topics required by the Local Agency 2. Newly hired permanent employees must attend mandatory new-employee training; therefore, they are waived from acquiring continuing education hours during their first year of service (see above, Section A). 3. If applicable, training hours do not have to meet the professional organization's requirements for maintaining licensure/certification/registration status. In short, these hours do not need to be submitted for continuing education credits from your professional organization. 4. The State or Local Agency is not responsible for reimbursing employees for expenses incurred in acquiring these continuing education hours. 5. Contact hours may be obtained through the following (but not limited to) sources: a. State Agency in-services b. WIC-sponsored speakers c. WIC-sponsored teleconferences d. State Health Education Council e. Public Health Conference f. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) g. West Virginia Nurses Association h. American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences i. American Medical Association j. American Academy of Pediatrics k. Dairy Council l. American Heart Association m. American Cancer Society n. American Diabetes Association o. Accredited college and university course p. Lactation courses approved by the State Agency Breastfeeding Coordinator q. Other professional organizations. Note: Contact hours must be interactive, i.e., ability to communicate and ask questions of the presenter. Therefore, video or audio tapes, journal articles, or research materials do not qualify as contact hours. National training hours are usually approved at the national level. 6. Recommended topics for continuing education for include, but are not limited to: a. Review of MyPlate and the US Dietary Guidelines Page 4 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ b. Food safety c. Food labeling d. Nutrients contained in WIC-approved foods--protein, iron, calcium, vitamins A and C e. Iron-deficiency anemia f. Folic acid and neural tube defects g. Update on infant nutrition, including breastfeeding: i. Failure to thrive ii. Low birth weight and /or prematurity iii. Constipation or diarrhea iv. Gastroesophageal reflux v. Breastfeeding problems and solutions h. Update on exempt formulas or WIC-Eligible Nutritionals i. Update on maternal nutrition: i. Adolescent pregnancy ii. Diabetes in pregnancy iii. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy iv. Multiple gestation v. Obesity and pregnancy vi. Underweight and pregnancy vii. Constipation, heartburn, and nausea/vomiting j. Update on child nutrition: i. Constipation and diarrhea ii. Obesity iii. Underweight or Failure to Thrive iv. Vegetarian v. Children with special dietary needs vi. Congenital disorders vii. Inborn errors of metabolism k. Weight control l. Food preparation, and budgeting m. Substance abuse related to pregnancy, lactation, and outcomes for infant; examples: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome n. HIV exposure during pregnancy, lactation, or infancy o. Vegetarian diets p. Food intolerances and allergies q. Lead poisoning r. Teaching methods and presentation for group classes and nutrition contacts s. Ideas for exhibits or bulletin boards t. Preparation of lesson plans u. Interviewing and counseling skills v. Evaluation and development of education/outreach materials w. Sources of education and breastfeeding materials in the Local Agency library x. Monitoring requirements y. Communication/rapport building z. Multicultural awareness aa. Critical thinking bb. Positive counseling approaches Page 5 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ D. Training Packets and Documentation Requirements 1. New Employee/Crossroads training conducted by the State Agency Staff Development Specialist/Trainer will be documented on Attachment #1 Training or Continuing Education Activity Form and will be maintained at the State Agency. 2. New Employee training conducted by the State Agency Nutrition Unit will be documented on Attachment #1 Training or Continuing Education Activity Form and will be maintained at the State Agency. 3. All other Local Agency training must be approved by the State Agency. a. The Local Agency must provide the following information (Training Packet) to the Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator at least one week in advance of the scheduled training: i. Completed page one (1) of Attachment #1 Training or Continuing Education Activity Form(s): only one Activity per Form; include the goals and objectives for the activity/training. ii. Agenda, including exact times. iii. Named speaker(s), including a brief biographical sketch/Curriculum Vitae (see Attachment #2) iv. PowerPoint (or Google Slides) and/or handouts that have been provided. b. The Staff Development/Training Coordinator will review the Training Packet to determine that all information has been submitted. i. If the required components are not submitted, they will be requested within one week of submission. ii. The reviewing State Agency staff can request additional information. iii. When a completed Training Packet has been obtained, the State Agency has 15 (calendar) days to respond to the Local Agency with an approval or denial. 4. The Training Packet sent to the State Agency Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator will be distributed to State Agency staff as follows: a. Civil Rights: Staff Development Specialist/Trainer b. Outreach: State Agency Outreach Coordinator c. Nutrition Education: State Agency Nutrition Coordinator d. Breastfeeding: State Breastfeeding Coordinator e. Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program: FMNP Coordinator f. Policy and Procedure: State Policy and Procedure Coordinator g. General Training/Help Desk: Staff Development Specialist/Trainer h. Food Packages: Crossroads Coordinator or Staff Development Specialist/Trainer and Policy and Procedure Coordinator Page 6 of 7

West Virginia WIC Policy and Procedure 11.01 Effective Date: 5/2/2022 11.01 WIC Staff Training __________________________ i. Other Topics: determined by the Staff Development Specialist/Trainer Note: each State Agency Coordinator will review the agenda (timing) to determine the number of continuing education hours credited; credit hours will be determined in fifteen (15) minute increments. The Local Agency may submit adjustments to continuing education credit hours may be submitted to the Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator within one (1) week after the presentation(s), based upon actual timing. 5. The reviewing State Agency staff will complete their section of Training or Continuing Education Activity Form (Attachment #1) and return to the State Agency Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator; the State Agency Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator will send the completed packet to the Local Agency. a. Each person attending the training must sign the Training or Continuing Education Activity Form (Attachment #1); only original signatures will be accepted. b. A copy of the completed Training or Continuing Education Activity Form (Attachment #1) will be maintained at the Local Agency. 6. The Local Agency will maintain the WIC Staff Continuing Education Hours Form (Attachment #3) and the Training Tracking Report (Attachment #4). a. The Training Tracking Report (Attachment #4) must be submitted biannually to the Staff Development Specialist/Training Coordinator; this report will be due April 1 and October 1. 7. The Local Agency will maintain all required training documents; these must be available for review by the Local Agency Monitor. REFERENCES: 1. WIC Regulations 246.11 Nutrition Education 2. NAWD/FNS Joint Statement on Quality Nutrition Services in the WIC Program, January 1993 3. USDA WIC Nutrition Services Standards August 2013 #5- Staff Training 4. West Virginia WIC Standard Operating Procedure, Training ATTACHMENTS: 1. Training or Continuing Education Activity Form 2. Biographical Information Form 3. WIC Staff Continuing Education Hours 4. Training Tracking Report Page 7 of 7