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Our WIC CAN HELP campaign is designed to help the one million California families we serve to survive and protect their children’s health in these tough times. The campaign builds local agency staff capacity to inform and connect WIC families with all possible community assistance programs, from dental care to foreclosure counseling to utility assistance.

WIC CAN HELP identifies lesser-known referral resources, and makes sure the local WIC network can easily share the information with WIC participants using downloadable multi-language flyers or information. Each month, we share a new resource and referral “survival kit” which highlights assistance or program linkages that local WIC staff might suggest to young families in need. WIC CAN HELP is funded by grants from The California Endowment and Kaiser Permanente Community Benefits.

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Home›Focus Areas›WIC Can Help

JUNE: Alcohol and Substance Use

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Perinatal alcohol and substance use damages the physical, mental, and social well-being of women and hurts children, families, and communities. Evidence shows that alcohol exposure, smoking and illicit drug use during pregnancy result in unfavorable birth outcomes including preterm labor, premature birth, stillbirths, low birth weight, congenital anomalies, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, and more.

Of all the substances of abuse (including cocaine, heroin and marijuana), alcohol produces by far the most serious neurobehavioral effects in the fetus. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are a leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects, with brain damage being the most harmful effect.

About 13% of California women (15 years and older) who gave birth in 2008 reported consuming alcohol during the first or third trimester of pregnancy. About 1 in 10 of those giving birth in 2006 reported binge drinking at least once during their pregnancy. Over 11% of all infants were born substance-exposed in California in 2000. No surprise, then, that one priority of California’s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Programs is to prevent and decrease perinatal substance use.

WIC Can Help! WIC agencies are in a prime position to ensure that women know of the dangers of alcohol and substance use and where they can turn for help. Tap into the resources for participants and professionals listed here to provide information and referral and help prevent these harmful effects.

RESOURCES:

California Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (ADP): prevention, treatment, and recovery services

  • Find crisis intervention contact information by county here.
  • The Resource Center: free non-emergency information for all Californians:
    Mail:     1700 K Street, 1st Floor, Sacramento, CA 95811-4037
    Email:     This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
    Fax:     1-916-323-1270
    Phone: 1-800-879-2772     or 1-916-327-3728  (ADP)
    1-800-662-4357 (US Department of Health and Human Services)

Participant/Consumer Materials:

Treatment Referral/Locators:

 General Information & Professional Publications: