This policy memo revises Policy Memo 83-16, dated July 21, 1983 and supersedes all previous policy clarification on this same subject.
In the wake of the recent natural disasters experienced by several states, a number of questions have been presented to this office regarding WIC's role in providing assistance to disaster victims. This memorandum is intended to clarify some of the issues that surfaced pertaining to these occurrences.
These Q&A's were developed with the assistance of the regional offices as the Interim Homeless Rule was implemented and the Final Rule was being crafted. Although all of the issues raised in the Q&A's are important ones, they represent areas of policy interpretation that were not appropriate for inclusion in the regulation itself.
This is to provide guidance related to the hematological testing requirement for WIC certification. We have also attached a summary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Dec. 6, 1991 final rule on Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens, because the provisions of this rule affect WIC clinic operations.
This memorandum provides guidance on the determination of lump sum-payments for WIG income eligibility purposes.
Based on the comments we received as well as extensive discussions at this level, we are re-issuing this policy as Policy Memorandum 92- 1A (attached) . Essentially, we have restated the principles included in the November 15 memo, without suggested methods for accomplishing them.
We believe WIC staff need to provide additional support for breastfeeding at the time of certification and food package issuance in the following areas: providing complete information to participants on WIC benefits for breastfeeding women; resisting the distribution of unwanted infant formula to breastfeeding women; and, obtaining the cooperation of retailers in not redeeming unused infant formula for WIC participants.