Update: Section 5.3.2 Hematological Assessment
Exceptions to required hematological measurements has been updated in Section 5.3.2: Hematologic Assessment (PDF) which has been updated in the broader Section 5.3: Nutrition Risk Assessment (All Sections) (PDF). A new option was added to the section. WIC staff may defer a participant hemoglobin measurement when it is determined that the health and safety of other (WIC clinic personnel) are a risk. When deferring the measurement in this situation, document the plan to obtain referral data.
Requirements and considerations for this deferral option are listed in Update: Section 5.3.2 Hematological Assessment (PDF).
Peer policy updates and relocation
Peer policies have been updated and moved to Chapter 4: Local Agency Management & Staffing in the in the Minnesota Operations Manual (MOM). If you have any of these resources bookmarked, please update the websites.
The updates to Section 4.8: Breastfeeding Peer Program Management aim to align the policy with the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum by revising language, updating job titles, and removing outdated practices like paper documentation. The document's organization was improved to clearly separate required procedures from best practices, and relevant references were added for consistency and guidance.
Updates to Exhibit 4-C: Peer Breastfeeding Support Program Sample Job Descriptions included expanding job descriptions for peer support staff and Exhibit 4-D: Breastfeeding Peer Support Confidentiality Checklist and Agreement included converting the confidentiality checklist into a fillable form to better support local agencies.
Exhibits 6-M: Sample Peer Documentation Form and 6-N: Sample Peer counselor Weekly Activity Report were removed from MOM as they were no longer useful.
National WIC Association (NWA) recipe books - extra
NWA WIC cookbooks are still available in English. All the Spanish versions have been requested.
If interested, please reach out to nadia.anderson@state.mn.us. Please include how many and a shipping address. They are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Give Kids a Smile - free dental care resource
Help get the word out about "Give Kids a Smile," a unique program coordinated by the Minnesota Dental Association. Children can receive much-needed free dental care from volunteer dentists and other dental professionals who donate their time during the annual event.
This year free care will be provided on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8.
All children must have an appointment in advance.
- Appointment slots fill up very quickly, so parents should call as soon as possible to: United Way 211 (1-800-543-7709) to find the closest participating clinic. They will then need to call that dental clinic to schedule an appointment.
- Referral specialists can assist in Hmong, Somali and Spanish. They can also place a three-way call to the dental clinic to help parents make an appointment.
Services will vary from preventative care to restorative care (fillings). Typically, clinics treat children 18 years and younger. Go to Give Kids a Smile for more information.
 WIC Breastfeeding Support - Learn Together. Grow Together is a breastfeeding promotion and support campaign created by the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
The USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support website is now available in 14 languages, making it easy for participants and staff to navigate the various resources.
The campaign launched in August 2018 and utilizes a social marketing approach based on extensive formative research. State and local WIC levels can implement the campaign to equip WIC moms with the information, resources and support they need to successfully breastfeed.
Local agency staff should talk to their supervisor for approval before registering for training.
Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinar
Register for the December 26, 2024, Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinar "Skin to Skin is Not Universal: Teaching Equity" presented by Raeanne Madison, MPH. Registration opened December 26, 2024, to watch whenever and wherever. Approved for one L-CERP, one nurse’s contact hour, one community health worker CEU, one certified health education specialist CECH, and one CME until December 24, 2025. Social work CE hour pending.
Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinars can be viewed on Michigan Breastfeeding Network’s learning management system. Visit glbw.thinkific.com and make an account/log into existing account to view new and existing webinars.
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The Week Ahead
Check out upcoming trainings and meetings: Local Agency WIC Calendar
Find new job opportunities on the WIC Job Postings webpage.
Submit job postings using the WIC Job Postings survey.
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