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How Services Are Provided

Application for WIC is made available at 165 health departments, primary care centers and physicians' offices. In most cases eligibility is determined at the time of application. (Translation services are available in all languages.)

1. Applicants must provide proof for the following information:
   1. Show that they live in the state of South Carolina.
   2. Have an income below 185% of the poverty level. (Income is defined as cash income, such as wages, unemployment compensation or cash welfare.
   3. Must be certified as having a "nutritional risk" by a nurse, doctor or nutritionist etc. (Nutritional risk is defined as abnormal weight gain during pregnancy; history of high risk pregnancies, growth problems, iron-deficiency anemia, an inadequate dietary pattern, or other similar problems.)
2. Once eligible applicants are "certified" for a set length of time according to the following guidelines:
   1. Pregnant women are certified for the length of their pregnancy and for up to six weeks postpartum.
   2. Postpartum women are certified for six-month periods, ending with their breast-fed infants first birthday.
   3. Infants are certified for six-month periods or for the time period up until their first birthday.
   4. Children are certified for six-month periods, up until the end of the month in which they turn five years old.
3. Participation in the WIC Program has no effect on eligibility for other entitlement programs such as AFDC, Food Stamps, and Medicaid. Applicants who present ID cards for these programs are automatically considered to be income eligible for WIC.
4. Applicants are weighed, measured for height and assessed for iron deficiency anemia by a blood test in order to determine nutritional risk. In addition, an evaluation of the diet of the applicant is completed.
5. Following a health assessment, the program provides specific nutritious foods, (milk, cheese, cereal, fruit juices, eggs, beans, and infant formula) in quantities tailored to meet the needs of the participant.
6. Participants obtain these foods by use of vouchers in their local grocery store. Participants are never required to pay for their benefits. Visits to the health department to receive food vouchers also serve as an opportunity to provide follow-up for health problems.