Another Voice / Erie County budget
Legislators must find a way to maintain WIC services
The Erie County budget is under review and the WIC Program — Women, Infant and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program — must be carefully monitored so that all participants continue to receive services when there are relocations, consolidations and mergers of WIC sites.
WIC is one of the best government programs in existence. It protects vulnerable mothers, infants and children. Infants and children up to 5 years old are the largest category of participants. All WIC participants receive a three-part program: vouchers to buy specific nutrient-dense foods; nutritional and health counseling; and referrals to health care (check ups, immunizations) and social-service providers.
Any attempt to relocate, close or consolidate an existing WIC site must be followed up with phone calls and letters to make sure all participants are accounted for and are still in the system. It is unsafe merely to assume clients will all be reabsorbed. A three-mile relocation to another site is no big deal for someone with a car, but to a mom with an infant or toddler in a stroller and no transportation, it could make the transfer nearly impossible. The county bus system is difficult to negotiate at best.
When you think WIC funding don’t think money; instead, think baby formula and iron-enriched cereal (not Fruit Loops), juice, milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, vegetables (including farmers market vouchers), tuna and eligible medical foods.
There is an informal term used in local clinics called WFW syndrome — Waiting for WIC syndrome. The reality is when moms, especially young teen moms, are out of WIC vouchers for formula, their babies get any liquid that is cheap as a substitute. Kool-Aid, soda and juice drinks are the choice for their baby’s nutritional needs. The effects of childhood eating patterns begin early.
County leaders need to think outside the box and consider working with other providers. For instance, a partnership with Planned Parenthood of WNY to use its mobile unit could be a possible solution to maintain existing sites.
While reproductive services and family planning are taking place in the mobile unit, there also would be room available for WIC services, eliminating the need for rental properties. These moms do not need another baby and should participate in family planning until they are more financially stable. Housing both services in the mobile unit would make tax-dollar sense.
A former teen mom, when asked to summarize her thoughts about WIC, said: “Everyone talks about Main Street vs. Wall Street, but this is Sesame Street. These are children living in poor neighborhoods and struggling parents living below the poverty level. I do not know how I would have been able to buy the formula my little girl need when she was an infant if I did not have WIC.”
Linda Ulrich-Hagner is a retired teacher in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District. Ginger Vogt is a former student of hers. Both testified at the Erie County budget hearing on WIC.
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