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 Save the date and register for the 7th Annual Perinatal Mental Health Conference. This year they will be in-person at the Delta Hotel in Helena, MT. The state office will be granting free registration to our staff, however, spots are limited! Please email Alex Bostrom (alex.bostrom@mt.gov) for free registration.
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The new food package materials will be arriving to clinics by next week. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if they do not arrive to your clinic within the next couple of weeks.
Included in the packets are:
- Posters for WIC Clinics
- 2 different posters with generic information notifying participants there will be food package changes in January 2025.
- January 2025 Booklets and Accordions
- A reminder that booklets are always for new Accordions are available for all other participants.
Additionally,
- Digital resources for WIC staff, including printable handouts, were emailed to WIC directors. These will also be available in eLearn under “Local Agency Resources”.
- The 2025 eWIC cardholders including the food package changes will be sent to clinics in December.
- The 2-page handout will be available on the website beginning January 1, 2025.
- The WIC Shopper app will be updated on January 1, 2025.
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Reminder: New Food Rx for Jan 1st
All participants will need a new food prescription for January 1, 2025. The new default food prescription will be available on Oct 1st.
Food Package Tailoring for 6m Infants- January
When exchanging jarred fruits and vegetables for the infant CVB in January, documentation needs to show that an assessment has been done indicating that intro to solid foods is appropriate. Education must be provided, and documented, on developmental readiness, safe food preparation, storage techniques, and feeding practices including appropriate textures.
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Risk code 381 – Oral Health Conditions
- Oral Health Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- Dental caries, often referred to as “cavities” or “tooth decay”, is a common chronic, infectious, transmissible disease resulting from tooth-adherent specific bacteria, that metabolize sugars to produce acid which, over time, demineralizes tooth structure.
- Periodontal diseases are infections that affect the tissues and bone that support the teeth. Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontist.
- Tooth loss, ineffectively replaced teeth or oral infections which impair the ability to ingest food in adequate or quality.
- Presence of oral health conditions diagnosed, documented, or reported by a physician, dentist or someone working under a physician’s orders, or as self-reported by applicant/participant/caregiver.
What WIC Can Do:
- Provide individualized nutrition education in an easy-to-understand format that is appropriate for the learning level of the participant/caregiver. Most education materials should be written for a 5th to 7th grade reading level. Be sensitive to the unique learning needs and style of the participant/caregiver, which may mean using food models, posters, and handouts.
- Provide referrals to medical providers, Registered Dietitians, dentists, and other services that are available within the community.
- Providing individualized food packages, tailored to meet the needs of participants.
- Promote food choices of high nutritional quality while avoiding unnecessary or excessive amounts of calorie rich foods and beverages and reducing inactivity (like decreasing sedentary TV viewing).
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Omaha Nation WIC is designated as a USDA People’s Garden. The People’s Garden is a community that connects designated USDA gardens across the country. These gardens are responsible for producing local foods and providing local community members the opportunity to come together and practice sustainability. The garden at Omaha Nation WIC is named “Tiuzhi Garden”, which means Family Garden in the UmoNhoN language. Returning to the native language is important to the tribe, with the native language being displayed throughout Tribal land/reservation.
The People's Garden | USDA [usda.gov]
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