WIC Policy and Procedures

This page contains policies for the Washington WIC Program. If you have questions about policy and procedures, please contact staff at the state WIC office:

• Call 1-800-841-1410, choose option 3, then option 1 for Policy Support.
• Email us.

Policy chapters revised to align with the Cascades software have a different format than those written for the Client Services system. We are in the process of revising the Client Services chapters to reflect the terminology and practices used in Cascades.

All files are in PDF format unless otherwise noted.

Required Local Agency Policies, Permissions or Approvals

The Required Local Agency Policies, Approvals or Permissions (PDF):

• Lists required local agency policies for each chapter of the WIC Policy and Procedure manual.
• Identifies situations when a local agency must have permission or approval from the state WIC program to perform an action but doesn’t have to develop a written policy.

Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Policies

Beginning September 1, 2023, Washington WIC agencies must offer in-person appointments for participants who want to come into the clinic for their services; and continue to offer remote services for participants who want to complete their appointments remotely.

Washington WIC received the following two waivers for providing post PHE services effective September 1st:

• Physical presence for each certification and subsequent certification
• Remote benefit issuance

Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Required Guidance

• Certification Appointment Flow Chart (PDF)
• Domestic Violence Assessment Question during Remote Services (PDF)
• Mailed WIC Card Letter (PDF)

View other Mailed WIC Card Letter languages

• Amharic (PDF)
• Arabic (PDF)
• Burmese (PDF)
• Chinese (PDF)
• Korean (PDF)
• Oromo (PDF)
• Russian (PDF)
• Somali (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)
• Tigrinya (PDF)
• Vietnamese (PDF)

• Measurement and Bloodwork Information Form (PDF)
• Remote Benefit Issuance (PDF)
• Remote Certification (PDF)
• Remote Mid-Certification Health Assessment (PDF)
• Remote Nutrition Education (PDF)
• Remote Presume Eligible Certification (PDF)
• Remote Presume Eligible – Complete Assessment (PDF)
• Remote Transfers (PDF)
• Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Waiver Separation of Duties File Review (PDF) (Effective May 1, 2024)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form (Fillable PDF)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form – Blank (PDF)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form (Fillable Word)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form – Blank (Word)
  • Staff Tool: Cascades Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties Report (PDF)
• 2023 Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Training and Policy Resources (PDF)

Volume 1

• Notice of Revision Log (PDF) (July 2023)
• Volume 1: Log of Revision Dates (PDF) (July 2023)

Chapter 1: Positive Client Relations - Quality Service Delivery

• Chapter 1: Positive Client Relations - Quality Service Delivery (PDF) (January 2019)

Chapter 2: Program Compliance

• Chapter 2: Program Compliance (PDF) (May 2020)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Agreement for Clinic Staff - Fillable form (Word)
• Agreement for Clinic Staff - Print and fill (PDF)

Chapter 3: Application and Processing Standards

• Chapter 3: Application and Processing Standards (PDF) (April 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Best Practices for Scheduling New Applicant Certification Appointments (PDF)

Chapter 4: Vacant Chapter

Chapter 5: Priority System and Waiting List

• Chapter 5: Priority System and Waiting List (PDF) (January 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 6: Income

• Draft Chapter 6: Income (PDF) (January 2019)
• 2024-2025 WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Military Income Guide (PDF)
• Temporary Certification for Missing Proof of Income Form
• WIC Statement of Income – Affidavit for Income (PDF) | Additional languages
• Income Intake Form (PDF)

Chapter 7: Rights and Responsibilities

• Chapter 7: Rights and Responsibilities (PDF) (January 2019)
• Rights and Responsibilities Form

Chapter 8: Farmers Market Nutrition Program

• Chapter 8: Farmers Market Nutrition Program (PDF) (Effective June 1, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Local Agency Farmer Market Nutrition Program Policy (Template) - Fillable form (Word)

Chapter 9: Anthropometrics

• Chapter 9: Anthropometrics (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Unknown Measurements (PDF)
• Buying Height and Weight Equipment (PDF)

Chapter 10: Hematology

• Chapter 10: Hematology (PDF)
• Cascades Steps: Documenting Bloodwork (PDF)

Chapter 11: Assessment

• Chapter 11: Assessment (PDF) (August 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Assessment Questions for a Participant-Centered Risk Assessment
• How to Access a Language Link or LionBridge Interpreter (PDF)

Chapter 12: Referrals and Coordinating Services

• Chapter 12: Referrals and Coordinating Services (PDF) (Effective September 1, 2023)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Referrals (PDF)

Chapter 13: Vacant Chapter

Chapter 14: Nutrition Risk Criteria

• Chapter 14: Nutrition Risk Criteria (PDF) (Effective February 10, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Nutrition Risk Factors (Excel)
• Staff Tool: Professional Discretion High Risk (PDHR) (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Health Conditions and Nutrition Practices to Assigned Risks (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Facts for WIC Staff About Feeding Donor Milk (PDF)

Chapter 15: Breastfeeding

• Chapter 15: Breastfeeding (PDF) (May 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 16: Nutrition Education

• Chapter 16: Nutrition Education (PDF)
• Drug and Harmful Substance Information (PDF) (Effective March 3, 2025)
• Nutrition Education at the Initial and Subsequent Certification and Presume Eligible Complete Assessment (PDF)
• Nutrition Education at the Mid-Certification Health Assessment (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Individual (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Group Class (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – High Risk with a WIC Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – High Risk by a Non-WIC Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Online Education (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Required Documentation at Nutrition Education Contacts (PDF)

Chapter 17: WIC Eligibility

• Chapter 17: WIC Eligibility (PDF) (August 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 18: Certification Issues

• Chapter 18: Certification Issues (PDF) (October 2023)
• Policy revision: Certifying Participants after Delivery (PDF)
• Race and Ethnicity Tool
• Staff Tool: Cascades Required Fields (PDF)
• Staff Tool: WIC Acronyms and Abbreviations List (PDF)

Chapter 19: Special Living Situations

• Chapter 19: Special Living Situations (PDF) (October 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Facility Agreement Form - Fillable form (Word)

Chapter 20: Notification, Fair Hearings and Civil Rights

• Chapter 20: Notification, Fair Hearings and Civil Rights (PDF)
• Using WIC's Nondiscrimination Statement (PDF)

Chapter 21: Transfers/Verification of Certification

• Chapter 21: Transfers/Verification of Certification (PDF) (April 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 22: Issue WIC Food Benefits

• Chapter 22: Issue WIC Food Benefits (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: WIC Card Education (PDF)
• WIC Card Daily Check-out & Inventory Log - Fillable form (PDF)
• WIC Card Daily Check-out & Inventory Log - Print and fill (PDF)
• WIC Card Inventory Log - Fillable form (PDF)
• WIC Card Inventory Log - Print and fill (PDF)
• WIC Benefit Replacement Form (PDF)

Effective June 30, 2025

• Chapter 22: Issue WIC Food Benefits (PDF)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 23: WIC Foods

• Chapter 23: WIC Foods (PDF) (August 26, 2024)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Breastfeeding Participant With Multiples Table - Food Prescriptions (PDF)
• Unused and Returned WIC Formula Donation Guidelines (PDF)
• Local Agency Policy Review Checklist (PDF)

Effective June 30, 2025

• Chapter 23: WIC Foods (PDF)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 24: Medical Documentation for Formulas and Foods

• Chapter 24: Medical Documentation for Formulas and Foods (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Effective June 30, 2025

• Chapter 24: Medical Documentation for Formulas and Foods (PDF)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 25: Legal Considerations and Confidentiality

• Chapter 25: Legal Considerations and Confidentiality (PDF)
• Staff Confidentiality Agreement - Fillable form (Word)
• Staff Confidentiality Agreement - Print and fill (PDF)

Volume 2

We are revising all Volume 2 chapters. Completed chapters are posted.

• Volume 2 Revision Log (PDF) (October 2022)

Chapter 1: WIC Contract

• Chapter 1: WIC Contract (PDF)

Chapter 2: Nutrition Services Plan

• Chapter 2: Nutrition Services Plan (PDF) (April 2020)

Draft Chapter 3: Budget Report and WIC Expense Report

• Draft Chapter 3: Budget Report and WIC Expense Report (PDF)

Chapter 4: Allowable Costs

• Chapter 4: Allowable Costs (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Local Agency Allowable Cost Determination Form (Word)

Chapter 5: Purchasing and Inventory

• Chapter 5: Purchasing and Inventory (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Inventory Log (Word)
• Itemization Worksheet (Excel)
• Purchasing & Additional Funding Request & Approval (Word)
• Small Purchase Process – Request for Quotes (Word)

Chapter 6: Monitoring and Audits

• Chapter 6: Monitoring and Audits (PDF) (October 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 7: Record Retention

• Record Retention (PDF)

Chapter 8: Electronic Devices, Security, and Service Interruption Plan

• Chapter 8: Electronic Devices, Security, and Service Interruption Plan (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Cellular Device Authorization and Agreement (Word)