Department of Social Services
Family Support Division
PO Box 2320
Jefferson City, Missouri
TO: ALL FAMILY SUPPORT OFFICES
FROM: KIM EVANS, DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: SELECT PARTICIPANTS AUTOMATIC ELIGIBILITY FOR MISSOURI WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAM (WIC)
DISCUSSION:
Participants enrolled in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance (TA) and select income qualifying MO HealthNet (MHN) programs are automatically income eligible for WIC. The Missouri WIC program provides supplemental food, health care referrals, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support.
Missouri WIC eligibility criteria can be found at Wic.MO.Gov and includes residents of Missouri who meet one of the following category guidelines:
- Pregnant women
- Women breastfeeding an infant up to the infant’s 1st birthday
- Postpartum women up to six (6) months after delivery or end of pregnancy
- Infants up to their 1st birthday
- Children until their 5th birthday
Fathers, grandparents, guardians and foster parents may also apply for benefits for infants and children living in their household.
Local WIC agency staff can search the Missouri Health Strategic Architectures and Information Cooperative (MOHSAIC) system to see if participants are enrolled in FSD programs such as SNAP, TA or MHN. If a participant is enrolled in a qualifying program, no further documentation of income will be required. Participants will be required to provide proof of identification and proof of residency.
Participants who are not enrolled in SNAP, TA or select MHN programs will need to provide income documentation to qualify for WIC. Income must be equal to or below 185% of the federal poverty level.
A list of income qualifying MHN programs can be found here.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
- Refer eligible households with young children or pregnant women to a local WIC agency in your area or to the WIC Participant Support Line: 800-392-8209 or email WICinfo@health.mo.gov.
- Share the Missouri WIC outreach flier, WIC is for You (WIC-58).
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