WIC and Bozeman Health Partner

WIC and Bozeman Health Partner to Make Programs More Accessible

Nurturing a young child and creating healthy habits for the whole family can take a village. That’s where WIC comes in.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has served Montana families since 1974 by providing nutrition education and healthy food options, breastfeeding support, developmental milestone assistance and more. They also offer eligible participants access to nutritionists or registered dietitians with the ultimate goal of promoting long-term wellness for Montana families.

WIC includes approximately 29 local agencies and over 80 clinic sites on average across the state, which provide services to all 56 counties and seven Tribal reservations across Montana.

Now, the Gallatin County Health Department WIC clinic has partnered with the Montana Nutrition Access Program and Bozeman Health to pilot a new model of outreach—an alternative to families needing to apply for services at their local WIC office.

The staff from the Health Department have developed a relationship and agreement with the Mother-Baby unit at Bozeman Health hospital to visit several times a week to meet new moms and their infants. During their hospital stay, families or individuals will receive a free screening of food security needs. Those who qualify for WIC, and other health services, are in the unique position of applying for benefits at the hospital. In fact, several women or families who have participated in these screenings have left the hospital with active WIC benefits at their disposal.

In addition to applying for WIC benefits, it is common practice of WIC local agencies to refer families to other community resources that may be useful to them. In addition to applying for WIC benefits, families can be given free children’s books and provided with information about public health nurses and family support workers who offer free in-home parenting support to families with children ages 0-5.

These in-hospital screenings are so tremendously useful to new mothers or families who lead a busy life. Findings from the WIC Needs Assessment Survey 2021 show that the major barriers to care for the Montana WIC population, as perceived by WIC staff, are transportation concerns and the time required of participants to take off from work or school or other commitments to apply for services in the physical WIC office.

“This system allows for better coordination between providers and WIC, making it easier to enroll in WIC and have data sent to WIC, which will then lessen appointment [waiting] time,” said Kate Girard, Montana WIC Director/ Section Supervisor.

Before they even leave the hospital, new families can apply for WIC benefits, along with several other services, like SNAP and TANF. It’s important to note that income requirements for WIC are less stringent than some other supplemental programs. Meaning WIC is accessible to a broad range of socioeconomic statuses. Nearly 50% of all babies born in Montana qualify for WIC.

Though WIC services are primarily geared toward pregnant women, breastfeeding and postpartum mothers, they also extend to other caregivers like grandparents, foster parents, single fathers and kinship placements.

“We want to get in front of every new family member and reach people who don’t even know they qualify,” said Amie Gatterdam Maternal Child Health Services Group Manager at the Gallatin County Health Department.

So, if you’re a mother or family expecting, or have a toddler under the age of five, reach out to your local WIC office to see if you qualify for benefits. These services are available to Montanans with the goal of making us stronger, happier and healthier as a whole.

“I do believe WIC is necessary and important. I believe that there are people out there who are shy or have some sort of stigma about needing help. It’s OK to need help,” WIC participant Brandy said.

Visit www.signupwic.com for your local WIC office information to learn more about this program, services offered and eligibility.