Happy New Year WIC Colleagues

by | Feb 4, 2021 | Blog

Happy New Year WIC Colleagues,

It is difficult to think about all that has occurred since this time last year. While 2021 got off to a rough start, we remain hopeful we will see significant support from the current administration for the WIC program, inclusive policies for everyone, and the success of young families. This time last year rollout was still a long way from being finished. The new technologies have served WIC well and there is much to celebrate. In 2021 we will engage in promising opportunities to advocate for permanent improvements in WIC and help each other  get past the pandemic. CWA is committed to supporting you in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion and expanding WIC improvements. Look for more employee wellness offerings for WIC Worksite Wellness, with an emphasis on compassion and self-care. We always want to hear what is on your mind, so feel free to contact us.

Karen, Jodi, Sarah, Meghan, and Lena

PROGRAM EDUCATION & ADVOCACY

NWA National Policy Conference Feb. 16-19

We hope to see lots of CA WIC staff at the NWA National Policy Conference. Without travel, this is an outstanding opportunity to provide front line staff, Peer Counselors, new staff, staff who could not travel but wanted to go…the chance to grow their understanding of WIC and also participate in meetings with members of Congress. This is also an opportunity to have the voice of WIC parents heard. CWA will be attending and presenting at the conference and setting up virtual meetings with members of Congress.

ACTIONS: *Recommend WIC parents who would be interested to participate, CWA will pay their costs. *Can’t afford for your staff to attend? Ask CWA for support.  *Let Sarah know you are attending so she can get you set up for the virtual visit with your member for WIC education. *Join the prep webinar on Feb. 3, which will also be recorded.

EDUCATION EVENTS

California WIC: Integration, Collaboration, and Coalition Building

Fall 2020 Management Meetings-Dec. 14-17

It seems like ages since the Fall conference, but it was just about a month ago. Attention attendees:  the presentations are available on the conference platform through March xx for on-demand viewing. You will find the recordings and Powerpoint presentations and can still receive CE units by watching the recorded presentations and completing evaluations.

Save the Dates! Spring Conference-May 3-7, 2021

We are open for business for the Spring Conference!  Attached to these updates is a draft agenda, that outlines the daily themes. The agenda is also posted on the conference webpage. We will regularly update the agenda as we confirm speakers and topics. We hope this is helpful for your clinic scheduling, and conference attendance approvals. Registration is open! All sessions will also be available post conference, on-demand, for 3 months. Attendees will be able to view all presentations and obtain all possible CE units for RD, IBCLC/lactation and RN continuing education. If you have any questions contact Lena, Jodi, or Karen.

LOCAL AGENCY SUPPORT & UPDATES

Local Agency Contract Flexibilities

WIC local agency contracts have been problematic for several years resulting in returned funds to USDA, missed opportunities for services and improvements, and local agency organizations assuming WIC costs. Efforts to create contract flexibilities have not been successful. Current contract flexibilities during the pandemic have been extremely useful. CWA is advocating for language to be in the proposed state Budget, to include an exemption for WIC local agency contracts in the Public Contracting Code that would provide flexibilities. We need your help asking your CA Assembly and Senate representatives to ‘sponsor’ the Budget language request. Budget hearings begin early-February, fast-tracked due to COVID. Attached is the fact sheet for the ask. Please contact Sarah or Karen for more info about how to help. 

Addressing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in WIC

NWA is leading a national project, the AHEAD project, to systematically build capacity within the WIC community to incorporate a health equity framework into WIC research, policy, and practice. As part of the project, NWA is working with the Nutrition, Obesity, and Health Equity Research Laboratory (NOHE) at the University of Illinois at Chicago to conduct a landscape scan of promising practices at the WIC state and local levels related to equitable, diverse, and inclusive practices being implemented across the country. Your help is needed to identify promising health equity practices, and training and resource needs, to support implementation and dissemination of those practices.

This survey is not a test. You and your agency will not be judged or scored based on your survey responses. The survey is confidential. Individual responses will not be shared in written documents or reports without your permission. It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. Respondents who wish to complete the survey in multiple sessions will need to access the survey on the same device each time.

Additionally, CWA will provide support to the local agencies over 2021 to address equity, diversity and inclusion with access to consultants, webinars and resources. We hope you complete the NWA survey which will help us better serve you.

Surviving Compassion Fatigue Through an ACEs Lens

We are happy to announce that Beverly Kyer, who presented very popular workshops on self-care during the Spring Conference, selected the CA WIC local agencies for an extended training on self-care to support the WIC staff. CWA is working out the details, but we expect the dates to be half days, May 25-27. The trainings will be open to all staff. This is a free opportunity and CE units will be provided. Details will be coming very soon. To learn more about Beverly Kyer, visit her website.

Flash newsletter and WIC Watch magazine!

We hope you are successfully receiving the Flash. Please encourage all staff to subscribe with their email address.

Print copies of the most recent WIC Watch are in the mail.

The Spring 2021 WIC Watch will be released at the Spring Conference. We are collecting your stories, now, through March 5. Readers are interested in promising practices, pandemic adaptations, breastfeeding support, wellness stories-personal journeys and agency efforts, partnerships in your community, and more! CWA just needs the seeds of a story, we can develop the text!

Job Openings

Check the CWA website for open positions in WIC and related services. And send us your jobs postings. This information also goes out in the Flash.

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Flash! You should be receiving the Flash newsletter every other Tuesday. ACTION: If not, subscribe here. Please recommend your staff subscribe. Stay connected!
  • WIC Agency Roster: Please remember to notify us when you have updated contact information. Note that we do not share your email addresses on our public web page.