WIC Families

As a WIC participant, you have access to WIC program benefits and resources!

Welcome to WIC video for new or returning participants to the Missouri WIC program. The video provides what participants can expect from the WIC program, how to use the WIC card to purchase healthy food and participant rights and responsibilities. This first video is in English with English closed captioning. The second video is in English with Spanish closed captioning.

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Connect with your WIC local agency, the green heart icons.

Protect your access to WIC benefits by following WIC rules. WIC benefits include food, breast pumps and formula. Not following the rules can lead to your suspension or disqualification from WIC, having to pay back the money for benefits you should not have received and even criminal charges. You will be given the opportunity to review the WIC rules at every certification, and WIC staff will make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities.

Participants must reapply at the end of the certification period and be reassessed for program eligibility. Certification periods can last for up to one year.

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WIC Information

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program that helps each participant eat well and stay healthy by providing:

Nutrition education.
- Each participant will receive a nutrition assessment, including a measurement of weight, height and hemoglobin, to identify nutritional needs and interests.
- During every visit, you will have the opportunity to receive education and counseling on nutrition, healthy eating, breastfeeding and any special health concerns your family might have.
Health screening.
- Each participant will be screened for low iron.
- WIC provides referrals to health care and social services.
- WIC promotes a healthier outcome by encouraging early prenatal care and consistent health care.
Healthy foods.
- WIC provides foods that promote healthy choices and good nutrition.
- Foods provided by WIC are meant to supplement each participant’s diet and will not meet all nutritional needs.
- Talk with your WIC nutritionist about ideas to keep your family healthy.
- The food benefits are provided on a monthly, bimonthly or trimonthly cycle.

If you choose to fully breastfeed:

You will get more milk, cheese, eggs and the addition of canned fish.
At 6 months, your baby will get more infant fruit and vegetables, plus meats.

Breastfeeding mothers also:

Stay on the program longer–up to one year or until you stop breastfeeding.
Have access to trained staff to provide breastfeeding assistance if needed.
May be provided with an electric breast pump.

WIC supports breastfeeding because:

Doctors recommend breastfeeding for at least a year or longer if you want.
Breast milk is made just for your baby and changes to meet their needs as they grow.
Breastfed babies are healthier. They have less risk of diarrhea, colds and sudden infant death syndrome.
Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of cancer, diabetes and postpartum depression.
It is easier for breastfeeding mothers to lose weight gained during pregnancy.

WIC foods provide essential vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber and low in fat.

Whole grains
- Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals. You can choose whole wheat bread, whole grain tortillas, whole wheat pasta or brown rice.
Cereals
- WIC cereals are a good source of iron, vitamins and minerals. Many WIC cereals are whole grain and high in fiber.
Protein
- Eggs, dry or canned beans and peanut butter provide protein to build and repair body cells. Beans are also high in fiber and have some iron.
Dairy
- Dairy provides protein, calcium and vitamin D, which are important for healthy bones. Milk and cheese are available.
Soy
- WIC can substitute soy beverages or tofu for some of your milk, depending on your situation.
Juice
- WIC provides vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable juice.
Fruits and vegetables
- Fruits and vegetables have important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Plus, they are low in calories and high in fiber!
Infant foods
- Baby food fruit, vegetables and meats (for fully breastfed infants) provide vitamins, minerals and new tastes and textures.

Rights and Responsibilities

I understand I have the right to:

Participate in nutrition education, health and breastfeeding services.
Equal WIC program eligibility and participation standards, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), age, disability and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Appeal any decision made by the WIC agency regarding program eligibility or WIC benefits. I can request a fair hearing within 60 calendar days by contacting my WIC local agency or the Missouri WIC program at P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or calling 800-392-8209.

I understand it is my responsibility to:

Ensure my alternative representatives, proxies and I correctly use my WIC benefits to buy WIC approved food at an authorized Missouri WIC retailer as explained to me during my certification.
Receive WIC benefits from only one WIC agency at a time, as dual participation is illegal.
Participate in nutrition education and attend appointments in order to receive my food benefits.
Treat WIC and retailer staff with respect and courtesy.

By providing my signature, I confirm the following:

I have been advised of my rights and obligations under the WIC program. I certify that the information and documentation I provided for my household is correct.
I understand the WIC local agency may verify the information and documentation provided.
I understand that intentionally making a false or misleading statement or intentionally misrepresenting, concealing or withholding facts may result in paying the state agency, in cash, the value of the food benefits improperly issued to me and may subject me to civil or criminal prosecution under state or federal law.
If all documentation is not available at certification, I agree to furnish it within 30 days to remain enrolled and receive WIC benefits because this certification information is required to receive federal assistance. 246.7(i)(10).
I understand that selling, trading, or giving away my WIC benefits, including the WIC card, food, breast pump or formula, is a participant violation and could result in collections and repayment of a claim or disqualification from the WIC program.
I understand that exchanging my WIC food items for a non-WIC food item, cash or store credit is a participant violation and could result in collections and repayment of a claim or disqualification from the WIC program.
I understand the Missouri chief state health officer may enter into a written agreement to authorize the sharing of my participation, including my date of birth, phone number and address, in the WIC program for non-WIC purposes. This will only be used by WIC and other organizations in the administration of those programs that serve persons eligible for WIC. This information can be used to:
- Determine my eligibility for programs that the organization administers.
- Conduct outreach.
- Provide me with information about other DHSS programs, making the application process easier.
- Improve my health, education or well-being if I am already enrolled in their programs.
- Measure responsiveness to health care needs and outcomes.

Authorized Missouri WIC Retailers

Look for the red and green pins on the locations map, which includes phone numbers and addresses.

You can also find the WIC door sign at the store’s entrance.

WIC food items can be identified by looking for the WIC shelf tag.

WIC Shopper App

The WICShopper app is a free, smartphone application available to download from Google Play and the App Store. Search for WICShopper and download the app by JPMA, Inc.
When opening the app for the first time, select the state of Missouri then enter your 16-digit WIC card number two times. Registering your card or cards opens more features on the app.
Access the app’s menu by tapping on the three horizontal lines on the top left of the home screen.

The menu allows you to change your state, manage your registered WIC card(s), view appointments and access the settings.
- Appointments are for select WIC local agencies.
Under the settings you can change the app language and turn on or off benefit expiration notifications and appointments.

Features for registered WIC card(s).

Purchase History tracks the purchases made by the registered WIC card(s) for a three-month period.
My Benefits provides a breakdown of benefits issued to the registered WIC card(s), including a full list of WIC-approved items with UPC information and the allowable quantity of each item listed for the months with benefits issued.
My Appointments provides detailed information about scheduled WIC appointments, including time, location and any documentation you need to bring to the appointment. For select WIC local agencies.

Additional features.

WIC Approved Foods contains the Missouri WIC Approved Food List in an easy-to-read format, categorized by food type.
Scan Barcode and Key Enter UPC are tools to check if any item in the store, except fresh produce, is WIC-approved.
Note: All items scanned as WIC-approved may not be eligible for purchase. You must check your benefits to view the items you were issued.
WIC Stores and Markets and Find a WIC Office provides a map and directions to authorized Missouri WIC retailers and WIC local agencies.
Cereal, Produce and Whole Grains Calculators make it easier to fully redeem the amounts of these items issued each month.

WIC Shopping

When shopping for your WIC food benefits, below are a few tips to help make your trip easier.

Check the WIC Approved Food List before shopping to know what is approved to purchase.
Look for authorized WIC retailers near you with the red and green pins on the locations map.
Learn how to read your WIC receiptsArchived before shopping to know how to tell if your food benefits were removed correctly.
Learn the requirements for retailers to map fresh fruits and vegetablesArchived to understand why some may not show as WIC-approved when they are WIC-approved.
View a series of English videos that provide guidance on how to shop for WIC-approved foods, identify authorized WIC retailers and checking out with your WIC card.
View a series of Spanish videos that provide guidance on how to shop for WIC-approved foods, identify authorized WIC retailers and checking out with your WIC card.

Please complete the Retailer and WIC Card Redemption Complaint form to submit complaints against an authorized WIC retailer or to report WIC card issues.

WIC Health

Wichealth is an online education platform designed for WIC participants. It offers online lessons, tools to help nourish your family and hundreds of recipes that use WIC-approved foods. Wichealth is free and can be used from any device. It provides nutrition education at your fingertips.

Watch the What is wichealth? video to learn more.

Contact your WIC local agency if you have questions about completing lessons.

Set up a participant account

Please watch the How to Create Your Account video or follow the steps below.

Visit wichealth.org.
Select “Sign Up” to create your account.
Enter your information.
Set up your account. This involves your username, password and security questions.
Tell wichealth about your family to create a more personalized experience.
Explore wichealth.

Are you having issues logging in?

Select “Log In” on the main webpage.
Select “Forgot username or password”.
Choose either “By Email,” “By Text” or “By WIC ID” used during account setup. Enter information and submit.
Type your security question and select “Submit”.
You will receive a password reset link at your email address or text. Immediately open the link.
When the page opens, enter your new password and select “Reset Password”.
Your password should be updated, allowing you to log into your account.
Email help@wichealth.org or visit the WIC Client Frequently Asked Questions page for additional assistance logging in.

Special Formula

If your infant or child uses one of the following formulas, this change does not affect you.

Similac Advance.
Similac Sensitive.
Similac Total Comfort.
Similac Soy Isomil.
Enfamil A.R. (with medical documentation WIC-27).

To make things better for our WIC participants who require special formula, effective July 1, your child's doctor will work with your insurance company to provide it with a qualifying condition or diagnosis. This will be a positive change for a few reasons:

Your child's doctor would send a prescription to a pharmacy or a company that will mail the special formula straight to you, if that option is available.
You could receive more special formula per month than what is offered by WIC.
Your child's doctor is familiar with this process.

How do you make this change?

Contact your child’s doctor and ask them to send a prescription for the special formula to a pharmacy or a durable medical equipment (DME) company. The company providing the formula will bill your insurance, and you will pick up the formula at a pharmacy or receive it in the mail, if that option is available with the selected formula provider.

Who do you contact if you have questions?

Contact your child's doctor if you have questions about which formula would be best for your child.

Contact your insurance provider if you have questions about coverage. You can find your provider's customer service number on your insurance card.

If you are insured through MO HealthNet, you can contact your care manager. If you don't use a care manager, you can call the number on your insurance card or one of the following:

Healthy Blue: 888-757-9375.
Home State Health: 855-694-4663.
United Healthcare: 866-351-6827.
MO HealthNet participant services: 800-392-2161.

What if you are uninsured?

The initial step is to apply for MO HealthNet to see if you qualify. You can apply online on the Missouri Department of Social Services web page or by calling 855-373-9994.

If you don't qualify for MO HealthNet and you don't have private health insurance, WIC will still provide the special formula prescribed by your child's doctor, on the WIC-approved list, up to the allowed amount. Please work with your WIC local agency if this is the case.

What if you applied for MO HealthNet and are waiting for approval?

WIC will continue to supply the special formula your child's doctor prescribes, on the WIC-approved list, monthly while you complete your application. It is your responsibility to submit the required documents to the Missouri Department of Social Services to process your application before your WIC coverage month runs out.

Why is WIC making this change?

This change allows WIC to provide nutritious food to more eligible participants. Health insurance companies can provide special formula, and WIC can provide healthy food! If you are interested in learning more, you can read the federal policy memo connected with this change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to the WIC card of a foster child when they move to a different household?

The WIC card should follow the foster child. Each foster child is assigned their own WIC card. If multiple foster children reside in one household, the authorized representative may label each card with the child’s initials to keep them separated.

Why will some authorized WIC retailers accept WIC cards for approved food items that other authorized WIC retailers will not?

All authorized WIC retailers must allow participants to purchase all WIC-approved food items listed in their benefits. Available food items may vary by retailer. If a retailer does not allow a WIC participant to purchase a WIC-approved food item that is stocked in the store and listed on in their benefits, please contact your WIC local agency or the WIC state agency.

If I leave the state, how will I find a WIC local agency?

Check USDA’s website for WIC state agencies or contact the Missouri WIC state agency at 800-392-8209 to obtain the telephone number of WIC programs in other states.

How do I file a complaint about a WIC local agency?

Contact the Missouri WIC state agency at 800-392-8209 or email WICinfo@health.mo.gov.

How can I pay a fine to the WIC program?

Payments may be made online or through the mail.

If mailing a payment, please make your check or money order payable to DHSS Fee Receipts. Include a copy of the letter you received and indicate in the memo section of your check or money order that the payment is for the WIC program. Send your payment to:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
ATTN: Fee Receipts
P.O. Box 570
920 Wildwood Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65102
For online payments, please follow the instructions below.

Go to the DHSS Paying Online page.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Pay Online.
Select Make a one-time payment.
Payment Category = WIC and Nutrition Services.
Payment Type = Participant.
Complete the following fields:
1. Name. First and last.
2. Telephone Number.
3. Payment Amount.
Select Add Item and Checkout to make your payment and move to step 10 in these instructions.
Select Add Item to see the shopping cart on the right-hand side of the screen display the type of payment and the dollar amount. A projected fee will also display for making an online payment. The fee varies due to the amount of the payment and whether the payment is being made with a credit/debit card or eCheck.
1. To delete a payment, select the trashcan icon next to Participant.
2. To cancel the entire transaction, select Cancel Transaction.
Select Next Step: Payment Information.
Complete the following fields:
1. Name.
2. Address.
3. City.
4. Country.
5. State.
6. Zip Code.
7. Email.
8. Home Phone Number.
Select Next Step: Add Payment Method.
Choose the Credit Card or eCheck payment option and enter the needed information.
Select Next Step: Review Payment.
Ensure all the information is correct and check the box to agree to the Payment Terms of Service.
Select Make Payment if you are ready to make the payment. If needed, you can cancel the transaction by selecting Cancel Transaction.
After making the payment, a Thank You for Your Payment page comes up. Please print this page for your records. If you entered an email address, a receipt with the transaction information will be sent to that email address.

Will SNAP benefits and WIC benefits be on the same card?

No. The WIC card for the WIC program is separate from the EBT card for the SNAP program.

Can WIC cards be used at self-checkout registers?

No. Technology is still under development by retailers.

Can I shop in other states with my Missouri WIC card?

No. Missouri WIC cards are only accepted at authorized Missouri WIC retailers.

Can WIC cards be used at all stores?

No. Missouri WIC cards can only be used at stores displaying the Missouri WIC Authorized Retailer decal. The red and purple icons on our locations map show all authorized Missouri WIC retailers and pharmacies.

My partner and I share the shopping in our household. May we each get a card for the same account?

No. Only one card is assigned per household.

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