January local agency call minutes
Review the WIC Local Agency Conference Call (PDF) - Jan. 21 minutes.
Minnesota WIC sends quarterly text messages promoting the program to Medical Assistance (MA) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, who qualify for WIC.
- Medical assistance and SNAP texts will start the week of Monday, Feb. 9.
Few reminders:
WIC uses lists of new recipients who are younger than 5 years, are pregnant or are six months postpartum for the text outreach efforts. We carefully review the data to make sure outreach texts go to potential WIC participants, not current participants.
- The texts are sent to recipients over five weeks.
- The texts are available in English, Spanish, and Somali.
- There will be two versions of the medical assistance text message, one tailored for pregnant enrollees and one for all other enrollees. There will be one version of the SNAP text message.
For more details, refer to our quarterly medical assistance and SNAP texting on our WIC Communications and Outreach webpage.
At a glance food package exhibits revised
Exhibit 7-J: Mom and Baby WIC Food Packages and Exhibit 7-K: Standard Food Packages at a Glance - Children & Women have been updated with the revised whole grain and cash value benefit amount.
Meaningful minutes: WIC skills in 10
Preventing anemia in infants, the second in the training series, is now available at Meaningful Minutes - WIC Skills in 10. To view, scroll down to the training videos and worksheets section.
Action steps:
The meaningful minutes series is part of the federal fiscal year 2026-2027 nutrition education plan goal to enhance WIC staff assessment and counseling skills for common nutrition risks.
Time spent viewing the video and discussing the questions can be included in the hours required for annual continuing education for the competent professional authority Section 4.5: Staff Training.
For questions, please reach out to Blair Haesly.
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Sue Gerval’s retirement
Sue Gerval is retiring from Anoka County WIC after 29 years. A former Every-Day Hero recipient, Sue had embodied the spirit of participant-centered services, displayed exceptional customer service skills and has a knack for putting clients at ease. It’s impossible to measure the impact she had on families in our community over her tenure.
We thank Sue for her years of service and will miss her positive attitude and service-minded work ethic but are excited for her to begin her next chapter. In retirement, Sue is looking forward to having more time for her many hobbies and interests, including skiing, reading, camping, gardening, biking, baking and spending more time with her family.
Best wishes, Sue, and many thanks!
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Local agency staff should talk to their supervisor for approval before registering for training.
Refer to WIC Annual Required Trainings for staff training requirements.
Upcoming trainings
Perinatal HIV in Minnesota
Register for: Perinatal HIV in Minnesota: Creating Opportunities for Education, Support and Advocacy
Presenter: Jean Larson, MS, APRN, PMHNP-BC, nurse specialist in the infectious disease, epidemiology, prevention, and control unit at the Minnesota Department of Health, and Jennifer Schoenberg, MSW, LISW, Program Director of the Children’s Minnesota, Perinatal and Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) program.
When: Thursday, April 9: 9- 10 a.m.
Description: This session will provide a comprehensive overview of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Minnesota, including current recommendations for HIV testing during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Participants will learn about the importance of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) and its role in reducing stigma and supporting disclosure. The webinar will also review updated infant feeding guidelines for people living with HIV, with guidance on how to best support parents in informed, patient-centered decision-making. In addition, attendees will be introduced to statewide resources available to support women living with HIV and their caregivers.
Questions: Contact Carole Kelnhofer
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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. This week includes:
Submit job postings using the WIC Job Postings survey.
Mental health services
We added a new mental health category to our Additional Support for Families webpage. Please feel free to include the links listed in this category to any resource list you may offer to participants.
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Monday, Feb. 16 - Presidents' Day (state offices closed)
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