West Virginia’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has joined 19 other states in the WIC Developmental Monitoring Project through a partnership with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Learn the Signs Act Early (LTSAE) program to promote developmental monitoring.
LTSAE aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need. Through the WIC Developmental Monitoring Project, the WV WIC Program will implement virtual options for promoting developmental monitoring, help test and provide feedback, and receive technical assistance on LTSAE and will also partner with the WV Home Visitation Program for integration of the LTSAE program in maternal and child public health programs statewide.
“The WV WIC Program has begun sharing routine guidance from LTSAE for engaging and educating families concerning developmental milestones through the use of technology tools,” said Heidi Staats, Director of the Office of Nutrition Services within the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health. “The WICShopper app directly links WIC participants to the CDC Milestones Tracker, and the WICSmart nutrition education app offers lessons developed by the CDC on signs of healthy development by age.”
The WIC Program will also partner with the WV Home Visitation Program for integration of the LTSAE program in maternal and child public health programs statewide. Additional information and materials are available for download at www.cdc.gov/ActEarly/Materials.
“West Virginia children and families are very important to us and we are excited to be a part of these programs,” said Dr. Ayne Amjad, State Health Officer and Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health.
WIC provides pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 with nutritious, supplemental foods, as well as nutrition and breastfeeding education and referrals to health and social services.