The USDA/Tufts University Telehealth Intervention Strategies for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (THIS-WIC) https://www.nutrition.com has announced that seven WIC State Agencies are going to receive awards up to $1,000,000 each.
Extensive research has found that the WIC program improves the nutrition and health of low-income families, leading to more nutritious diets for pregnant and postpartum women, provides for healthier infants, more nutritious diets, and better healthcare for children, along with higher academic achievement for children. However, only half of those eligible to participate in WIC currently do so.
Selected through a competitive review process, the 24-30 month projects will use innovative telehealth solutions to deliver nutrition education and breast feeding support to WIC participants to overcome barriers to access, particularly encountered in rural settings.
The District of Columbia’s funding will be used to advance telehealth technology and innovation in the D.C WIC. The project will evaluate and identify ways to enhance the agency’s current telehealth activities, including existing telehealth education tools. The project will also investigate strategies for integrating telehealth into home visiting program delivery models.
The Georgia WIC plans to build on an existing statewide telehealth platform called Pathways to Telehealth. The plan is to extend services beyond present boundaries, expand telehealth options to web and mobile and decrease barriers to access in rural communities, and work to influence dietary habits and infant feeding practices.
The Michigan WIC will implement a pilot study in six rural counties to integrate telehealth into their delivery of nutrition education and breastfeeding support services to participants virtually. Telehealth appointments will allow certified professionals to provide high risk follow-up and secondary education to families. Staff will receive training throughout the study period on the telehealth solution.
The North Carolina WIC aims to decrease barriers of access to WIC services and increase the focus on tailored nutritional needs through 1) a participant portal app to use to streamlining the certification process 2) a video chat component available on the portal to host distance appointments, 3) fixed kiosks to be placed in high participant traffic areas of the community with participant portal capabilities, and 4) a TeleWICService Center to be used by local WIC agencies that are short staffed to facilitate distance-based appointments.
South Carolina’s WIC will develop an online mobile friendly telehealth application to enable WIC participants to access WIC services including high risk nutrition care planning, breastfeeding education, breast feeding support, and high risk assessment via one on one video chat, phone call, text messaging, and document sharing through the app.
The Vermont WIC will develop a game based telehealth solution for use during pregnancy and early postpartum weeks to promote breastfeeding initiation and longer duration. Through the game portal, qualified WIC staff will work to track a WIC participant’s progress in order to tailor counseling to their needs. The game is designed to work in low-bandwidth areas.
Wisconsin’s WIC plans to develop a multifaceted mobile optimized website through the ONE System, an innovative tool that will combine videoconferencing, online nutrition education, including lessons and secondary material, a messaging center, and a link to their existing WIC App. Through the tool, qualified WIC professionals will be able to share key information and content with participants so they will be able to use the materials when needed.