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Frequently Asked Questions about
WIC 4.2General Intake Demographics Infant & Child Health
Group Data Checks Food Package Tables
As you implement WIC 4.2, the newest version of the WIC System, you may have questions about new or modified procedures and screens. This FAQ file will list the questions most often asked about WIC 4.2. Click on any screen name above, or scroll through the questions using the "down" arrow. If your question isn't here, please contact the Help Desk.
E-Mail us. Your comments about the FAQ are welcome.
General
| Q: | How do I recertify a participant who also needs to have an "old" food package changed or replaced? |
| A: |
First: Reissue the checks that need to be changed or replaced. Then: Recertify the participant. Note: The reason you reissue checks first is because after you answer "Y" to the recertification question, the package assignment on the Risk Assessment screen is cleared. |
Intake Screen
| Q: | When would I use code "H - not applicable" for proof of Date of Birth? |
| A: |
"H - not applicable" may be used for:
- pregnant and postpartum women who are between 19 and 35 years of age (Proof of DOB needed for risk factors MA, MB, NA) - participants who transfer in from other Massachusetts WIC sites for whom you don"t have the Eligibility form for the first certification - participants who were certified before Proof of DOB was required, i.e., July 1, 1996. |
| Q: | When would I use code "G - deferred to next visit" for proof of Date of Birth? |
| A: | You could use this code in the case where a foster parent does not have proof of DOB for a child that just came into her care. |
Demographics Screen
| Q: | What do we enter in the Mom"s Maiden Name field if we don"t have access to that information? |
| A: | Put "XXX" in the field. |
| Q: | If we use code "G - other" for proof of residency - do we still have to document what proof we saw on the Eligibility Form? |
| A: | Yes. |
| Q: | Do we still need to document proof of DOB and proof of residency on the Eligibility Form? |
| A: | For now, yes. Jane Dvorak is on a national fraud taskforce that will be coming out with some recommendations in the near future. We don"t want to change our procedures now, and then change them again in response to the recommendations from the taskforce. |
| Q: | In the middle of a certification period, if we change any information on this screen, the computer makes us enter a Proof of Residency code; what should we use? |
| A: | Except for change of address, use "Code G - Other". Note: If you are changing the address, you should be asking for proof of residency. |
Infant/Child Health Screen
| Q: | If I go into this screen to correct data when the caretaker is not present, what do I enter in the Caretakers field? |
| A: | Choose 'C - other', so you won't have to enter the date of birth. A report will be sent out at a later date listing participants with Other Caretaker, so that you can make a note to collect the correct information at recertification. Note: Over time this will no longer be an issue Caretaker and DOB will have been filled in on all participants at re/certification. |
| Q: | Do we have to ask the activity questions for all children? |
| A: | No, for now only the DQE sites are asking these questions, and only for children over 2 years. |
| Q: |
When a participant (breastfed infant) comes in to be recertified as a child prior to their termination date, and is owed checks we must fill out the breastfeeding questions on Infant/Child Health before we can print checks. We do a Visit Type "F - follow-up" on Infant/Child Health and then print checks.
The problem occurs when we go to the Infant/Child Health screen for the certification, we get the warning that "A visit record already exists with today's date and will be modified". What should we do, just modify the follow-up visit? |
| A: | No. Backdate the follow-up visit, print the checks, then do the recertification. Backdating the follow-up visit allows you to then enter a visit record for the certification with today's date.
** UPDATE: Deborah and Tina have come up with an easier solution. On the Print Check screen press "Continue" in response to the breastfeeding question. This will allow you to print the remaining checks without answering the questions on the Infant/Child Health screen. Then, when you do the recertification you will be able to enter a "C" in visit type on Infant/Child Health and then you can answer the breastfeeding questions. |
Group Data
| Q: | Is this a new screen? |
| A: | No. This screen used to be called Group Demographics. You still use this screen to change group information such as address. Nutritionists now have access to this screen so that at DQE sites they can ask the food availability questions. Note: If you enter Change of Residence on this screen and there is a foster child in the group, you will get a warning message that the foster child"s information will not be updated. The foster child"s information must be updated on the Demographics Screen. |
| Q: | In the middle of a certification period, if we change any information on this screen, the computer makes us enter a Proof of Residency code; what should we use? |
| A: | Except for change of address, use 'Code G - Other'. Note: If you are changing the address, you should be asking for proof of residency. |
Checks
| Q: | Why would the computer print a different package from the one I assigned? |
| A: | It's a prorated package. On the Risk Assessment screen, you always assign a full package, which ends with '1' or 'A'. Prorated versions of packages end in '2', '3', '4', or 'B', 'C', 'D'. For example, you assign package 'B121', but the computer might print package 'B122', or 'B123', or 'B124'. |
| Q: | Why do I get an error message when I void and reissue lost checks? |
| A: | When you are voiding and reissuing an 'old' food package you must: A. change all of the packages on the Risk Assessment screen B. void and reissue the entire package. Note: See the 'Checks' handout in the training packet for specific descriptions of the different errors you may encounter. |
Food Package Tables
| Q: | Package 7C1A is listed twice. Is this a typographical error? |
| A: | Yes, the package containing 18 quarts of milk and 2 pounds of cheese should be package 7C2A. |
| Q: | I don't see Neocare - is it now called Neosure? |
| A: | Yes. |
| Q: | When we printed a package BC11, lines of the food message on the check printed over each other. What can we do? |
| A: | Nothing. For now, don't assign that package. This problem is being worked on at the State Office. ** UPDATE: This fix is going to take a while. In the interim you have several choices, substitute packages would be PC11 (this does not include tuna and carrots), or the regular Exclusively Breastfeeding package B111. If you do assign package BC11, please notify the vendor where the checks will be redeemed. |
Deval L. Patrick - Governor
Timothy P. Murray - Lieutenant Governor
Judyann Bigby - Secretary of EOHHS
John M. Auerbach - Commissioner - Department of Public Health
Sally Fogerty - Director - Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition
Mary Kelligrew Kassler - WIC Program Director
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