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IV.(A). ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

GOAL:

In early 2023 it became clear from WV WIC data that caseload counts were dropping indicating a lack of connection to and sustained engagement between WV families with young children and WV WIC. As local agency directors and state agency staff discussed the issue it became clear that Outreach (its staff and activities) are the cornerstone of WV WIC. Reaching out to, connecting, and forming relationships with WIC clients is the foundation for bringing nutrition services and health surveillance to WV’s young families. Through the use of outside consultants WV WIC will create an outreach framework that highlights outreach as a cornerstone of the WV WIC program.

METHODOLOGY: Through consultant facilitated meetings, state and local agency teams will continue work on standard operating procedures for key areas of work related to outreach, engage in peer-to-peer learning and information sharing, and increase the overall capacity of WV WIC to more effectively engage in outreach work.

EVALUATION: The WV WIC program will have an outreach training packet used to onboard new outreach coordinators, new standard operating procedures for key areas of work related to outreach, and a new annual reporting tool for the whole WV WIC program.

STATUS:

2023 WIC Infrastructure funding has supported this initiative throughout FY2024 with status updates provided via FNS-908 quarterly reporting.

The WV WIC Outreach Quality Improvement (ORQI) initiative had a quarterly meeting October 16-19, 2023. Sessions developed the basic content needed to develop Local Agency Outreach Liaison job descriptions, an orientation training guidebook, and developing a standard operating procedure for contacting eligible Medicaid recipients identified through a data-sharing report. Likewise action plans were developed for each Local Agency to host a partner meeting to introduce a digital referral process with Google Forms.

The WV WIC Outreach Quality Improvement (ORQI) initiative had a quarterly meeting January 22-25, 2024. Sessions finalized the Local Agency Outreach Liaison job description, drafted version 2 of an orientation training guidebook and defined the top 3 priority areas for development, and shared a picture of achievements, challenges and solutions with hosting partner organization referral sessions with clinic tours. The State Agency presented a PPT and evaluation tools for assessing partner presentations effect on electronic referrals.

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