12VAC5-195-140: Food instruments

A. Food instrument issuance. All food instruments shall be issued through the automated system only after eligibility has been documented and when the participant, parent or legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy is physically present at the local agency to have their food benefits loaded, except when there is a system outage or system failure. Failure by the participant, parent, legal guardian, caretaker, or proxy to attend the initial nutrition education appointment may result in reduced WIC benefits for that month.

B. Lost food instruments. Lost food instruments shall only be replaced for one of the following situations:

1. A participant leaving home because of domestic violence;

2. A change in full legal custody, including when infants or children are removed from home and placed in foster care or parental custody is changed; or

3. An event out of the control of participant, such as a fire or natural disaster that is publicly documented.

C. Stolen food instruments. Food instruments reported as stolen shall only be replaced when a police report is provided that states that the valid, not redeemed, WIC food instruments were stolen. Stolen food instruments shall not be replaced without a police report, unless costs are associated with the police report and a waiver is granted by the state agency.