Additional Resources
- Feeding Is Parenting: Parent-Child Feeding Tasks – English | Spanish
- Food Guide for Women – English and Spanish
- Healthy Foods for Mental Health – English | Spanish
- MyPlate for Gestational Diabetes – English | Spanish
- Referrals: How Can We Support You? – English | Spanish
- Tips for Picky Eaters – English | Spanish
- Tips to Reduce Sodium – English | Spanish
- Ways to Help a Child Who is Underweight – English | Spanish
- WIC Health Promotional Flyer – English | Spanish
- The Power of Buying Local Produce – English | Spanish
- Research Articles Supporting the Benefits of Buying Local – English
- Ventura County WIC Authorized Farmers Market – English | Spanish
- How to Use FMNP Checks – English
- New 10 Cent Deposit Fee on Bottled Juices
- Nueva tarifa de depósito de 10 centavos para los jugos embotellados
Nutrition Education
Group education sessions are offered on topics requested by participants and/or health and nutrition concerns common to the target population. Our goal of preventing and improving nutrition related medical problems isaddressed in the group and then, more specifically, in the individual sessions. Topics offered includes: benefits of breastfeeding, infant feeding during the first 4-6 months, infant feeding during 6-12 months, toddler feeding questions, preventing anemia, obesity, tooth decay, child safety, food safety, getting the most nutrition for your money and others. The lasting effects of nutrition education help families years after their program participation ends.
Individual Counseling
Each WIC location has a full time Registered Dietitian who supervises and assures accuracy of the nutrition information disseminated by the trained nutrition paraprofessional staff at each WIC Center. Individuals who have medical conditions that impact their nutritional status are counseled by the dietitian. Some of the conditions include: gestational diabetes, inadequate weight gain during the last half of pregnancy, low birthweight infants, inadequate growth patterns during infancy and early childhood, obesity, anemias and others. Low risk clients are counseled by our trained paraprofessional who has passed WIC competency-based testing. The food prescription is made for each individual based on nutritional needs identified in the assessment. Each participant brings medical information from their physician or clinic to WIC every 6 months. This information is used to assess nutritional need, identify medical/nutritional risk factors and determines information appropriate for counseling.
Breastfeeding Support
The WIC Program is committed to helping women understand the benefits to both mother and infant of breastfeeding their baby. Breastmilk is uniquely designed for each infant’s individual need and bestows unique health benefits that artificial baby milk (formulas) can’t supply. If after researching breastfeeding information on our linked sites you have a question for our Breastfeeding Coordinator or Trained Lactation Counselors, please call our tollfree number 1-800-781-4449 then press 3.
Supplemental Foods
The foods provided by WIC are those supplying nutrients commonly inadequate in the diets of lower income people surveyed in the United States. WIC foods are inexpensive for the amount of nutrients they provide, are widely available throughout the state and are packaged in a way that monthly allotments can be readily obtained by participants. The nutrients of concern are protein, calories, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C. As a supplemental program WIC does not provide all the foods and nutrition to cover nutritional needs of the participants. Through nutrition education and counseling, participants learn which other foods they need to add to improve their diets and meet their nutritional needs. The food prescription is based on individual needs, therefore the foods and the nutrients supplied vary depending on category, age and medical condition.
WIC Staff Forms
- 2023 Contract and Therapeutic Formulas – English
- California WIC Program Self Declaration Statement – English and Spanish
- Know Your Rights and Responsibilities – English | Spanish
- Notice of Action During WIC Certification Period – English and Spanish
- Notice of Action at Initial Certification and Recertification – English and Spanish
- Notice of WIC Certification Expiration – English and Spanish
- Parent Guide: Medi-Cal Coverage of Therapeutic Formula – English | Spanish
- Parent Guide: Private or Military Insurance Coverage of Therapeutic Formula – English | Spanish
Testimonials