MARWI C - USDA

1 PENNSYLVANIA SADAGIOALIQUIPPAWIC STARTSNEWYEAR WITHNEWOFFICEBy Barbara Jinar, CLE, IBCLC, Nutrition Services AncillaryServices Coordinator, Adagio HealthPennsylvania s Adagio Health received an opera-tional adjustment grant to relocate and upgradetheir Aliquippa WIC office. Aliquippa serves acaseload of approximately 1,000 participants a new location is approximately 1,500 square feet ofoffice space. The building was renovated from plansspecifically designed to serve WIC customers in anattractive, flow-efficient, friendly area. The spaceincludes a customer waiting area, business/receptionistoffice, an education area, nutritionist office, counselingoffice, laboratory, secured voucher and distribution area,play area for the children, peer counselor office, a privatearea for breastfeeding moms, satellite office, storage, andseparate staff and client restrooms.

2 Like all Adagio Health/WIC offices, the AliquippaWIC office has a nutrition education area equipped withthree kiosks from which the customers can access over50 different learning modules. Adagio Health also offersweb from home nutrition education for their the kiosks or web from home for nutrition educa-tion enables staff to individualize nutrition education foreach participant with follow-up education from staff dur-ing their WIC visit. The nutrition education area alsopermits enhanced flexibility for customers to scheduletheir WIC appointments. Extra counter space allows forconvenient placement of educational displays, brochuresand referral materials which highlight WIC services andthose services provided by other programs.

3 Children enjoy visiting the office becasue multiplewall toysentertainthem as theirparents areattendingtheir a greatway to startoff the NewYear! AdagioHealthadministersthe WICP rogram infive countiesin westernPennsylvania. , INFANTS, ANDCHILDREN New Jersey sNewark WICC elebrates Food Day inInternational 3 Delaware WICP rogram IncreasesDental 5 Maryland s CCI-WIC Looks to LocalMedia to 6 Idle WaitingRoom TV? CheckOut What We Didat Pennsylvania sCrozer-ChesterWIC!..Page 8 West Virginia sValley Health CabellWIC CelebratesSpring withContainerGardening 9 SPRING2013 WESTVIRGINIA SRANDOLPH-ELKINSWIC PROGRAMRECYCLESWe have all heard about the benefits of recycling. Green living practices preserveresources, protect the environment and benefit the economy.

4 So how is Randolph-Elkins WICtaking action?The WIC staff participates in office waste recyclingby copying on the back sides of paper, cutting scrappaper into notes and message pads, using shreddedpaper at our homes as compost and animal bedding,and by donating cardboard boxes and other office paperto the Tygart Valley Youth Group recycling takes little effort and makes a big differ-ence. We can encourage our WIC families to partici-pate in outdoor activities enjoying the clean air, cleanwater and litter-free landscapes that recycling helpsmake possible. NEW DIGS Sarah Selby RD, LDN,enjoys the new office!The MARWIC TIMES newsletter is now available online at IN Taking steps to make things green areRandolph-Elkins staffers (left to right) Vicky Howes,Nutritionist/RN; Sandra Miller, WIC Program Director;Blanche Simmons, OA; Susan Foster, RD; and DorothyGarcia, Breastfeeding Counselor.

5 MARYLAND SLOWEREASTERNSHOREWIC STAFFHELPSHURRICANESANDYSURVIVORSBy Shannon MorrisStaff from Maryland s Lower Eastern Shore WICP rogram responded to the needs of the victimsaffected by Hurricane Sandy by providing refer-rals to the Food Stamp Program and the names andlocations of organizations that offered , the staff donated cash and items andvolunteered at various organizations. Two staff wereleaders in helping those in need. Emma Zeltmanworked with her fellow tenants in her apartmentcomplex collecting food and cleaning supplies andCaroline Johnson helped members of her church col-lect money for the Hurricane Sandy victims. 2 The Road to Success was this year s themefor the FY 2013 Mid-Atlantic RegionalWIC State Directors Meeting that providedtime to share updates, promote discussions andprovide networking opportunities between MAROand State Agency staff.

6 The event was held at theRegional Office in Robbinsville, NJ from February5-7. MARO s Regional Administrator PatriciaDombroski agreed in her opening remarks thatthis year s theme was appropriate, stating espe-cially in these times when new challenges seemto come from every direction and often try todivert our attention from the important work thatwe do. She also added that working together toprotect the integrity of WIC is a high priority. Debra Whitford, Director of the SupplementalFood Programs Division, gave the national per-spective, highlighting the status of both fundingand implementation plans for meeting theElectronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) mandate by2020 and the importance of being good stewardsof Federal Funds.

7 roberta Hodsdon, MARO s Branch Chief,Supplemental Food Programs (SFP) began herupdate on the 2013 MARO WIC/FMNP/SFMNP work plan with an optimistic Power Point presen-tation featuring Louis Armstrong s song, What aWonderful World that used amusing road signage that had attendees reflect on the unusualroutes we encounter during our work roberta was Amy Holtan, SFPN utritionist and Joni Garcia, SNAP Nutritionist,who covered topics such as VENA, nutrition riskcode updates and national studies currently takingplace. Shirley Sword, PA WIC, spoke regardingthe PA WIC Breastfeeding Performance BonusAward received from the USDA in FY2011 toenhance breastfeeding promotion and supportactivities. Carol Smith, Senior Program Specialist, SFPand Justin Wohlsifer, Program Specialist, SFPbegan the second day with What s Trending inVending?

8 Detailing program integrity, best prac-tices and compliance investigations in the vendormanagement area. Eric Ratchford, Branch Chief inMARO SNAP, continued the theme and providedinsight into SNAP s retailer management and sug-gested procedures to improve the applicationscreening process for high risk vendors. TheMIS/EBT Update was presented by SFP SeniorProgram Specialists, Robert Logan and BrianBuszko, which included updates on variousguidelines/requirements that are either in draft orunder FNS review, such as: Handbook 901, WICEBT Operating Rules and TechnicalImplementation Guide (TIG) and NationalUniversal Product Code (NUPC) Database. Connie Kramer-Walker, Senior ProgramSpecialist, SFP offered Q&A guidance for navigat-ing the WIC ME Tool along with Brian Buszkowho took the audience through a live demon-stration.

9 WIC Policy issues concerning extendedcertification periods, verification of certificationcards, waiting lists and subpoenas were coveredby Jaime Van Lieu, Team Leader, SFP and SylviaNah, Program Specialist, SFP. The final day began with an overview of the WIC Customer Service Toolkit by AltarumInstitute s Senior Policy Associates, Diane Phillipsand Karen Deehy. The Toolkit provides 16 indi-vidual training modules on 7 topic areas that rein-force various customer service aspects to WIClocal staff through interactive activities and videos. Next up was MARO s Civil RightsDirector, Michele Sazo; she reviewed the newcivil rights organization, her role in handling par-ticipant complaints and provided guidance onapplicable laws and regulations.

10 Kirk Groomes,Financial Management Specialist in MARO,explained FM s role in the data mining processand how it will be used in conjunction with WICreviews to maximize the effectiveness of opera-tions and minimize participant and vendor procurement and contract requirementswere summarized as well. Da a Lewis,Program Specialist, SFP, explained the process forthe FY13 Operational Adjustment Fund Projectsand provided a funding update. Throughout the three-day meeting, WICD irectors and staff were provided opportunities toshine and share highlights from the past year. DEprovided its updated vendor and participant mate-rials, displaying its professional and consistentbrand. DC highlighted its success with MD in theSenior Farmers Market Nutrition Program collab-oration.