WIC & Family Health

WIC & Family Health

WIC is a nutrition education program that provides supplemental foods which promote good health for pregnant, breastfeeding & postpartum women, infants & children up to age five.

who is eligible:

  • Illinois residents

  • Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or just had a baby

  • Infants/ Children under 5 years old (including foster children)

  • Families with a low to medium income

Use the Pre-Screening Tool to find out if you might qualify!

WIC provides:

  • An EBT card to buy healthy foods - like milk, cheese, tofu, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, juice, eggs, cheese, dry or canned beans, peanut butter, cereal, and other whole-grain foods

  • Supplemental formula

  • Nutrition and health information to help promote healthy eating for families

  • Breastfeeding support

For more information or to schedule a WIC appointment, please call 618-498-9565 ext. 325

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

A WIC peer counselor is a mother in the community with personal breastfeeding experience who is trained to give information and support to new moms. Our peer counselor  will mentor, coach, and support you along with:

  • Getting a good start with breastfeeding.

  • Information about breastfeeding and pumping.

  • Ideas on how your family and friends can support you.

  • Tips for a healthy supply of breast milk for your baby.

  • Support when you have breastfeeding concerns.

  • Advice to help you stick with breastfeeding after you return to work or school.

Our peer counselor is available outside of WIC clinic hours and locations too. We know breastfeeding questions can happen anytime, anywhere and we are excited to see you through your journey.

Better Birth Outcomes 

The Better Birth Outcomes program provides pregnant and parenting clients with a comprehensive nursing assessment and helps them connect with needed services in the community, such as: 

  • Medical Insurance/ Medicaid

  • Food Resources

  • Housing 

  • Transportation

  • Smoking Cessation

  • Substance Use Treatment

  • Child Care Services

  • Hearing, Vision, & Lead Screenings

  • Early Intervention for Developmental Issues

  • Help for Domestic Violence and Child Abuse 

Registered Nurses also help clients identify and meet their family's health and wellness goals. 

The BBO-C program provides these services through pregnancy and the first six months after birth. 

Call 618-498-9565 x 325 for more information or to sign-up. 

Pregnancy Testing

Urine pregnancy tests are done FREE​ for all residents, with results given at time of appointment.  Call 618-576-2428 to schedule an appointment.

Lead Screening

Pregnant women and children are screened for their risk of lead exposure and those at risk receive a blood lead screening by appointment. Education is provided on nutritional and environmental risks that can result in high lead levels. When an elevated blood lead level is identified, protocols are followed to decrease the level of lead in the blood and eliminate the source of lead exposure in the environment. The nurse will provide families education and counseling regarding nutritional and environmental interventions to decrease blood lead levels as well as education on the dangers of lead exposure.

To schedule a lead screening, please call 618-576-2428

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

07/25/2022