Local Agency Portal - Reports and data page updates
Reports added:
- National WIC Association Local Agency Survey results: The PowerPoint presentation dashboard for local agencies has now been posted under the Participation and Demographics page. Before downloading, ensure you select your agency from the third page in the presentation. Please contact mccoy@state.mn.us or Joni.geppert@state.mn.us with any questions.
Temporary CPA staff list
Minnesota WIC maintains a list of staff who may be available to fill temporary CPA openings. Demand for temporary CPA assistance has been high and the list is currently very limited!
If you work as a WIC CPA part-time and have capacity to help at other agencies, in-person and/or remotely, consider adding your name to the list. Recently retired CPAs or past staff who are pursuing other careers or college are also encouraged to consider this opportunity.
The state WIC office provides the names of potential temporary staff to interested agencies and the temporary positions are arranged directly with the contracting agency. To add your name to the list, contact your state WIC consultant or email health.wic@state.mn.us
Policy Update: Separation of Duties
Section 1.18: Separation of Duties to Assure Program Integrity (SOD) (PDF) has been revised with the following changes:
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Timing flexibility: Two-person separation of duties can occur up to 21 days before certification. If income is verified by a second person (before or during certification), separation of duties documentation can occur up to 14 days after the certification. The second person does not need to be in the clinic at the time of certification.
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One-Staff Certifications: The definition is clarified; two-person separation of duties remains the preferred approach whenever possible.
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Scanning proofs: New guidance discourages unnecessary scanning.
New resource: Exhibit 1-P: Two-Person SOD versus One-Staff Certifications (PDF) was developed to show key differences between the processes. Use it to determine which process best fits your circumstances.
2026 Coffective coaching and grants for up to $5,000 available
The Minnesota WIC program is partnering with Coffective to provide support to five local WIC agencies to initiate new or work on existing projects that support breastfeeding and increase collaboration with community partners. Local agencies will meet individually with Coffective staff and as a group/collaborative throughout the grant period.
Interested agencies should complete the 2026 Coffective Community Partnership Collaborative Interest Form by the end of day Friday, April 3 (deadline extended).
Your WIC agency can receive up to $5,000 to support your project to increase access to breastfeeding support and services. Purchases are processed on your behalf by Coffective and generally do not require local budgetary approvals.
Review the overview Community Partnership Collaborative (PDF) for more details on project ideas, timeframes, funding, and participation requirements.
Local agencies awarded this funding will be contacted directly in April, with an expected start date between April-May, and funding spent by September 30.
2026 state sponsored lactation courses
Dates are now available for the 2026 state sponsored lactation courses. Registration will open in early April. Watch for another announcement in the WIC Weekly Update and an email to WIC breastfeeding coordinators.
The Minnesota WIC program offers continuing education courses at no cost for WIC staff to increase their knowledge of various lactation topics. More information about courses and registration tips are available in the 2026 State Sponsored Lactation Courses (PDF).
Training information is available at MWRTrainings.com
Questions? Contact Rosie Pierce-Martin
There will be no new Topic of the Month for April. We are working to update past topics to ensure content is up-to-date and links are working. Review older topics to see what’s new!
As we advance this year, we will have a new topic every few months instead of monthly. These topics are a valuable resource for staff! They can also be counted towards the 10-hour continuing education requirement that WIC staff have annually (Keep track of the actual time spent reading and discussing each memo.) Learn more about other training options in the WIC Staff Training- Topic of the Month (PDF) or simply scroll through our WIC Local Agencies webpage to explore all there is to offer.
Have questions about training or a suggested topic to cover? Contact Carole Kelnhofer.
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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 HIV for the Minnesota Department of Health, and Jennifer Schoenberg, MSW, LISW, program director of the Children’s Minnesota, Perinatal and Pediatric HIV program.
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Date: Thursday, April 9
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Time: 9- 10 a.m.
Description: This session will provide a comprehensive overview of 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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Shopping experience training
Minnesota WIC will offer more opportunities to attend a live webinar on WIC Foods and Shopping Experience training. The training will be offered quarterly in 2026, beginning on Thursday, April 2. Continuing education credits will be awarded. These sessions WILL NOT be recorded. The same information will be presented at each presentation.
Presenters: Erin Kelsey from the Vendor Team and Mary Frances Guiney from the Nutrition Team.
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.
Tax resources
The April 15 tax filing deadline is approaching. The Minnesota Department of Revenue has resources to support families as they file their taxes.
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Free tax preparation sites
- WIC families may qualify for free tax return preparation through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance or AARP Tax Aide.
- Families may also qualify to file their own income tax return electronically at no cost.
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Child tax credit information
- WIC families may qualify for a Child Tax Credit of $1,750 per qualifying child, with no limit on the number of children claimed.
- Qualifying families can receive this refund even if they do not owe tax.
Perinatal health data dashboard
The Innovations for Maternal Health Outcomes in Minnesota (I-MOM) program at MDH launched the first topics of a new online perinatal health data dashboard. This first release shares data from 2017-2023 that focuses on infant outcomes and care delivery, such as fetal and infant death, preterm births, and method of delivery. For each topic included in the dashboard, there is an overview page with key data highlighted, as well as an interactive page where users can look at the outcomes geographically and by additional demographic and program use factors such as maternal age, maternal race/ethnicity, and Medicaid paid deliveries.
The dashboard was created to focus on infant or maternal outcomes or care delivery, and the data is intended to help inform partners and programs as they work with their communities to provide perinatal health services.
Additional topics related to maternal health will be released in the future. Please direct any questions to: health.mch@state.mn.us.
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