Big Changes for the WIC Program
Another BIG change for the WIC (Women, Infants, Children) program!! Not too long ago the WIC program converted its benefit issuance system from paper checks to an electronic benefit system e-WIC and now the BIG change is to its food packages. The new changes facilitate the tracking of clients, vendors and sales. On October 1st the WIC program began to issue its new WIC food packages. This was a long awaited change for the WIC program. Food packages had not been changed since the start of the WIC program 35 years ago. The change is due to the recent USDA requirement of adding new foods that would increase the nutritional content, variety, and acceptability of WIC’s food benefits. WIC staff, clients, and vendors are EXCITED about the new changes to the WIC food packages.
What are those changes? The new WIC foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, soy milk or tofu…just to mention a few. The food packages are lower in fat and higher in fiber, offer a variety of choices for all ages, and help maintain a healthy weight. Infant food packages (6mo -11mo) include baby food. To reduce the fat…women and children (2-5yrs) food packages contain less milk and can only purchase low fat milk, less cheese, less eggs, and less juice. The new food packages can also be customized for WIC participants with medical conditions to help meet the nutritional needs recommended by their health care provider. The new WIC food package for breastfeeding women encourages exclusive breastfeeding, provides more nutrition/foods for both mother and baby who don’t use formula or limit their formula use. Changes to the woman and infant food packages will assist in the increase of breastfeeding rates in the US.
To prepare for this BIG change…the NM WIC program began to educate and prepare its WIC participants during their nutrition education classes since August 2009. The positive feedback from the WIC participants has been overwhelming. Most NM WIC participants could not wait for October 1st to roll around so they could enjoy the new foods and recipes.
Recently the Region 5 WIC staff held a two day long training [September 28 and 29] for 60 WIC staff on the new WIC food packages and policies while the NM WIC computer system was upgraded to include the new food packages. Included on the agenda was a section on “food tasting.” The Region 5 WIC staff and Las Cruces local health office enjoyed tasting 10 different recipes containing the new foods. Food was prepared by Stella Alba (Community Wellness Program Health Educator), Ruth Bayardo (contract employee), and Renee Brown (NMSU student).
The Region 5 WIC program provides WIC benefits to approximately 17,100 WIC participants each month in Otero, Lincoln, Torrance, Socorro, Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, and Dona Ana counties. In the Las Cruces area the WIC program serves approximately 6,000 WIC participants of which 4,000 are from the main Las Cruces Public Health office while 1,000 are from the West Las Cruces/NMSU public health office and the other 1,000 are from the East Mesa/White Sands public health office. The impact the change can bring to WIC participants is significant. The WIC staff is elated for now they have an additional tool that they can use to assist the WIC participant in creating healthy lifestyles and making healthy food choices by providing healthy recipes, incorporation of motivational interviewing, and facilitated nutrition education.
For more information you can visit us at www.nmwic.org.
~Elsa M. Quintana, WIC Regional Supervisor
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Next Week On The Radio
The November 4th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature Travis Leyva, with the NM Dept of Health, to talk about Overdose Prevention Training and Narcan Distribution. Other guests will address health issues and offer advice to life a healthier and happier life.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
The November 4th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature Travis Leyva, with the NM Dept of Health, to talk about Overdose Prevention Training and Narcan Distribution. Other guests will address health issues and offer advice to life a healthier and happier life.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
We have just finished our community awareness campaign for National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Las Cruces. Each September SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health & Human Services) sponsors intensive efforts to disseminate public health messaging to promote the societal benefits of alcohol and drug use disorder treatment, recognize the contributions of treatment providers with best practices, and stress that patient recovery from addictions in all its forms is possible especially by reducing the stigma associated with seeking treatment and improving funding streams for comprehensive substance abuse treatment.
Our approach this year was multifaceted as usual with many community components regarding public health addiction services: we published and distributed our first edition of the Borderland Buprenorphine Bulletin; staff had an appearance on a radio talk show, a behavioral health clinician wrote an article for a local newspaper; health educators made presentations to other organizations that might refer patients to us for treatment, and we provided video clips to the City of Las Cruces to run on their community access TV channel on cable.
Our public health commitment to addiction services is a strong one that was initiated with the NM Harm Reduction Act of 1997. Within this philosophical framework harm reduction is any intervention, policy or practice to reduce the serious negative consequences of drug use without requiring drug use cessation or abstinence. We used this year’s events to promote our Public Health Buprenorphine/Suboxone Clinic we have operated in Las Cruces since July 2007. We presently have over 130 patients in treatment for addiction to heroin and/or prescription painkillers or as an option to methadone maintenance therapy. Some people drive two or more hours to receive services with us.
Our multi-disciplinary team of licensed professionals offers medicated assisted therapy along with one to one counseling and support groups. The many phone calls and emails from providers, consumers, and other stakeholders in the field of substance abuse treatment along with friends and family members affected by alcohol and drugs were very inspirational for us as we try to balance out our available resources with obvious community needs and priorities. This type of response from individuals and institutions validates our health-related initiatives and special projects that build programmatic bridges among infectious and chronic diseases with behavioral health disorders like substance abuse.
For more information, please visit the Recovery Month website http://www.recoverymonth.gov/ since the campaign is not limited to just a single month. You can participate any time of the year. We particularly recommend this Multimedia section of this Internet site. It has many informative audio and video podcasts that are appropriate for a wide range of audiences. Our website http://www.healthynm.org/ has a lot of materials that may benefit you, your family, and the community in terms of substance abuse service options.
~ Ray Stewart, Public Health Director, Region 5
We have just finished our community awareness campaign for National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Las Cruces. Each September SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health & Human Services) sponsors intensive efforts to disseminate public health messaging to promote the societal benefits of alcohol and drug use disorder treatment, recognize the contributions of treatment providers with best practices, and stress that patient recovery from addictions in all its forms is possible especially by reducing the stigma associated with seeking treatment and improving funding streams for comprehensive substance abuse treatment.
Our approach this year was multifaceted as usual with many community components regarding public health addiction services: we published and distributed our first edition of the Borderland Buprenorphine Bulletin; staff had an appearance on a radio talk show, a behavioral health clinician wrote an article for a local newspaper; health educators made presentations to other organizations that might refer patients to us for treatment, and we provided video clips to the City of Las Cruces to run on their community access TV channel on cable.
Our public health commitment to addiction services is a strong one that was initiated with the NM Harm Reduction Act of 1997. Within this philosophical framework harm reduction is any intervention, policy or practice to reduce the serious negative consequences of drug use without requiring drug use cessation or abstinence. We used this year’s events to promote our Public Health Buprenorphine/Suboxone Clinic we have operated in Las Cruces since July 2007. We presently have over 130 patients in treatment for addiction to heroin and/or prescription painkillers or as an option to methadone maintenance therapy. Some people drive two or more hours to receive services with us.
Our multi-disciplinary team of licensed professionals offers medicated assisted therapy along with one to one counseling and support groups. The many phone calls and emails from providers, consumers, and other stakeholders in the field of substance abuse treatment along with friends and family members affected by alcohol and drugs were very inspirational for us as we try to balance out our available resources with obvious community needs and priorities. This type of response from individuals and institutions validates our health-related initiatives and special projects that build programmatic bridges among infectious and chronic diseases with behavioral health disorders like substance abuse.
For more information, please visit the Recovery Month website http://www.recoverymonth.gov/ since the campaign is not limited to just a single month. You can participate any time of the year. We particularly recommend this Multimedia section of this Internet site. It has many informative audio and video podcasts that are appropriate for a wide range of audiences. Our website http://www.healthynm.org/ has a lot of materials that may benefit you, your family, and the community in terms of substance abuse service options.
~ Ray Stewart, Public Health Director, Region 5
Friday, October 2, 2009
Next Week On The Radio
The October 7th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature our regular special guest, Healthy U Magazine Editor Richard Coltharp, who will review the October issue of the magazine with us.
Also featured will be Julie "Cookie" Kennedy from La Casa, Inc., who will talk about Domestic Violence Awareness month and inform listeners about the important service La Casa, Inc. provides for our community.
Sally Kosnick with the New Mexico GRADS (Graduation Reality And Dual-Role Skills) Program will share with us information about this program and how its special approach works to improve the lives of teens affected by pregnancy and parenting.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
The October 7th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature our regular special guest, Healthy U Magazine Editor Richard Coltharp, who will review the October issue of the magazine with us.
Also featured will be Julie "Cookie" Kennedy from La Casa, Inc., who will talk about Domestic Violence Awareness month and inform listeners about the important service La Casa, Inc. provides for our community.
Sally Kosnick with the New Mexico GRADS (Graduation Reality And Dual-Role Skills) Program will share with us information about this program and how its special approach works to improve the lives of teens affected by pregnancy and parenting.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
Friday, September 25, 2009
Next Week On The Radio
The September 30th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature some inspirational stories about substance abuse recovery. A Las Cruces clinician will share some of the struggles and triumphs she has witnessed by those battling substance abuse.
Our guests also include our regular expert on relationships and communication, Kristin Wallin, with Wallin and Luna Counseling Associates and Jeri Remley with Dona Ana County Action for Youth. Jeri is bringing 2 youth to talk about their experiences in getting involved in the community.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.
Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
The September 30th Edition of "Prescription for Health" will feature some inspirational stories about substance abuse recovery. A Las Cruces clinician will share some of the struggles and triumphs she has witnessed by those battling substance abuse.
Our guests also include our regular expert on relationships and communication, Kristin Wallin, with Wallin and Luna Counseling Associates and Jeri Remley with Dona Ana County Action for Youth. Jeri is bringing 2 youth to talk about their experiences in getting involved in the community.
Prescription for Health is broadcast every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KSNM AM 570. Listeners are encouraged to call in at (575) 527-4570 or email the hosts at Rx@kgrt.com.
Visit our website at www.ksnmhealth.com.
~Amanda J. Lopez
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