Advance Letters

APPENDIX B - PROJ SPECIFIC LETTERS 1-30-09.pdf

National Survey of WIC Participants II

Advance Letters

OMB: 0584-0484

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OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

APPENDIX B
PROJECT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION COVER LETTERS

First Letter to State WIC Director, actually
sent
April 7, 2008

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

Second Letter to State WIC Director

[DATE]
[NAME]
[ADDRESS]

Dear [STATE WIC DIRECTOR]:
This letter is to update you on the second National Survey of WIC Participants, which the Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) first wrote to you about a month ago. (You can review that letter at
www.macrointernational.com/xx.) The study, as you will recall, has three components:




A mail survey for all geographic and Indian Tribal Organization State agencies (Telephone
option, if preferred)
An online survey for 500 randomly-sampled local agencies (Telephone or mail option, if
preferred); and
A telephone survey of 2,400 WIC participants (chosen by clustered random sampling from 80
local agencies). Half of them will be asked to take part in a follow-up in-home survey, for
which they will be offered $20. These 80 local agencies are located in the 23 States that have
already been sampled as follows: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana,
Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

Based on the WIC local agency participation numbers that you and others submitted, Macro has
drawn the sample of 500 local agencies for the Local WIC Agency survey and 80 local agencies at
which the WIC Participant survey will be administered. The local agencies in your State that have
been selected from the sample drawn are as follows:
WIC Local Agencies in your State that have been
sampled for:
1. The Local Agency Survey

[LIST AGENCY/IES]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2. The WIC Participant Survey

[LIST AGENCY/IES]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Note: Some agencies may have been selected for both of these surveys.
IF NO AGENCIES ARE SELECTED IN A CATEGORY, TABLE WILL SAY ‘None Selected”
AGENCIES SELECTED FOR THE LOCAL AGENCY SURVEY (#1):
At this juncture, we need you to let these local agencies know of the importance, legitimacy and
confidentiality of this endeavor. Individual agencies will not be identified and all data collected will
be aggregated into groups that will not permit identification of any one entity. The local agency
survey is estimated to take about 40 minutes online.

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

AGENCIES SELECTED FOR THE WIC PARTICIPANT SURVEY (#2):
To select the 2,400 individual WIC participants nationwide, Macro will draw a sample of data from
30 food instruments issued per participant from each of 80 selected local agencies. In order to draw
this sample, Macro needs you to draw the following fields of information for all food instruments
issued (not redeemed) for April and May 2008 that were issued by [NAME OF LOCAL AGENCY].
Note that food instruments may have been distributed at an earlier date, for example, in March; what
is important is that they were issued for and were valid for April and/or for May.





By sampling food instruments issued, we realize that WIC clients will appear more than once
on the lists submitted.
We would like separate lists for April and May, understanding of course that there will be
substantial overlap of individuals.
We would like the data submitted in Access, Excel, SAS or SPSS, preferably in a CSV
(comma separate values) format. If this poses a problem, please contact NAME at 301-572xxxx.
We will need an accompanying list of your State agency’s definitions for each of these
categories, so that we understand the labels and the assigned values for each record.

FIELD NAME

Description

Data Type
Preferred

Maximum
# of Data
Columns
Allowed

Local Agency ID

Local Agency ID assigned by SIC selected for
research
i.e., Pregnant woman, Postpartum woman,
Breastfeeding woman, Infant, or Child
Food coupon
Ex. First coupon for standard or model package
for a Pregnant Woman might be 2 gal’s milk, 2
containers juice (regular and concentrated), 36
oz or less of cereal and 18 oz beans and be
assigned a 3-digit FI number
Record the food package number that
corresponds to the participant’s age/category
and food package description. (Ex. Standard or
model food package for Infant 0-5 months who is
¾ time breastfed.)

Numeric or
Text
Numeric

Numeric

Date
(mmddyyyy)

Client’s WIC category
Type of Food
Instrument issued,
i.e. Coupon number
corresponding to food
items in food
instrument
Food Package Code
(of which Food
Instrument/Coupon is
a part)

First day to use –
coupon (Should be in
April 2008 or May
2008)

NOTE: An infant, birth-3 months, who is
exclusively breastfed and receives no formula
will not have a food package code.
First date coupon can be used

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

FIELD NAME

Description

Data Type
Preferred

Last day to use –
coupon
WIC client first name
WIC client last name
Unique client ID
Alternate WIC client
first name
Alternate WIC client
last name
Family ID

Expiration date of coupon

Date
(mmddyyyy)
Text
Text
Alphanumeric
Text

Identification number assigned to individual
A second first name by which client appears in
WIC records
A second last name by which client appears in
WIC records
Identification number assigned to any member of
family unit
Address – Line 1
Street address
Address –Line 2
Apartment number or other address addition
Address –Line 3
City, State
Address –Line 4
Zip code
Phone number
Primary phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Second phone number Other phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Third phone number
Other phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Proof of identification What type of ID was displayed – a driver’s
shown
license, birth certificate, etc.
Proof of residence
What proof of residency was submitted – a
shown
driver’s license, utility bill, etc.
Type of adjunctive
What program, if any, provided adjunctive
eligibility, if applicable eligibility – TANF, Food Stamps, Medicare, etc.
Proof of income
What documents, if any, were submitted as proof
shown
of income – W-2 form, 1040 tax form, etc.
Date of original
Date of first certification related to this child or
certification
pregnancy
Date of most recent
Date of most recent certification. Should be < 6
certification
months ago except for infants where it could be
< 1 year ago
Clinic where last
Local agency or clinic where most recent
certified
certification took place
Local agency corres- Local agency may be the same as “clinic where
ponding to clinic
certified” above.
where last certified
Language spoken by Optional field: if known
WIC client
Number of persons in Total number of adult and child household
family “economic unit” members of household who are part of economic
unit

Maximum
# of Data
Columns
Allowed

8
20
20
30

Text
Alphanumeric

Text
Text
Text
Text
Numeric
Numeric
Numeric
Numeric

25
25
25
5
12
12
12
6

Numeric

Date
(mmddyyyy)
Date
(mmddyyyy)

Numeric or
text
Numeric or
text

Numeric or
text

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

In addition, Macro is required to collect information about Denied Applicants (“Denials”) and Denied
Recertificants (“Terminations”). We realize that many State agencies do not collect this information
and that we may have to go to local agencies directly to obtain it. However, if your State agency does
keep complete records of Denials and/or Terminations, it would be helpful if it could be provided as
follows:
FIELD NAME
WIC client first name
WIC client last name
Unique client ID
Family ID
Address – Line 1
Address –Line 2
Address –Line 3
Address –Line 4
Phone number
Second phone number
Third phone number
Client’s WIC category
DENIALS
Notation of a Denied new
applicant
Reason for denial of Denied
new applicant
Date of denial for Denied
new applicant
TERMINATIONS
Notation of a Denied
recertificant
Reason for denial of Denied
recertificant
Date of denial for Denied
recertificant

Description

Identification number assigned to
individual
Identification number assigned to any
member of family unit
Street address
Apartment number or other address
addition
City, State
Zip code
Primary phone
xxx-xxx-xxxx

Data Type
Preferred

Maximum # of
Columns
Allowed

Text
Text
Numeric

20
20
30

Numeric

Text
Text

25
25

Other phone
xxx-xxx-xxxx
Other phone
xxx-xxx-xxxx
i.e., Pregnant woman, Postpartum
woman, Breastfeeding woman, Infant,
or Child

Numeric

25
5
12 (allows
for dashes, if
present)
12

Numeric

E.g. letter of denied benefits sent out

Numeric-binary
(yes or no)
Numeric

Date of denied eligibility

Date
(mmddyyyy)

E.g. letter of ineligibility sent out

Numeric-binary
(yes or no)
Numeric

Date
(mmddyyyy)

Reason for denied eligibility

Reason for denied eligibility
Date of denied eligibility

Text
Text
Numeric

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

For questions about these specifications, please contact Macro’s local agency technical assistance
hotline at 1-800-xxx-xxxx or [email protected]. Someone is usually available
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
We seek your cooperation in getting this data returned to us by [DATE]. The data may be sent
on disk by certified or registered mail to [ADDRESS] or emailed to
[email protected]

ALL STATE WIC AGENCIES
As a final task, we are requesting that all WIC State agencies fill out the enclosed State WIC Agency
Survey within the next 2 to 3 weeks and return it in the enclosed large-size pre-stamped, addressed
envelope. As you will see, the questions focus primarily on State agency certification policies,
nutrition services, and records-keeping. A representative from Macro will be following up in the next
2 weeks to answer any questions and/or see if you would prefer to have the survey administered by
telephone.
We really appreciate your time and cooperation in this valuable project! The overall results will
eventually be posted online in the research section of the FNS website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/research.htm
(Note: results will be summarized and not reported for individual States and agencies.)
Best Regards,

Daniel M. Geller, Ph.D.
Project Director

Enc/

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

First Letter to Local Agency WIC Director

[DATE]
[NAME]
[ADDRESS]
Dear [LOCAL WIC AGENCY DIRECTOR]:
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is conducting the second National Survey of WIC Participants
to follow up on the last study conducted in 1999. Through three separate but related data collection
efforts, the Survey will collect information from all WIC State agencies, 500 randomly selected local
agencies, and 2,400 WIC participants. FNS has retained our organization, Macro International, to
carry out the study.
By random draw, your WIC agency was selected to be one of the 500 local agencies to be included in
the Local Agency Survey. We and the FNS request your assistance and cooperation with this
important task.
The Local Agency Survey covers a) your procedures for certifications and denials; b) the gathering
and handling of applicant information: c) staff qualifications, caseloads and turnover; d) services
offered; e) hours of operation, location, space, and equipment onsite; f) distribution of Nutrition
Services and Administration (NSA) funds for various activities; and g) the demographics of the
clients served. It takes an estimated 45 minutes to complete, including time to consult with others on
your staff about questionnaire items that you, personally, may not know off the top of your head.
The survey is best taken online where your answers are automatically saved as you proceed. Thus, if
you need to stop, you can log back on and it will take you to the last page you completed before
breaking off. To access the survey:
(1) Type the following URL into your browser:
http://www.NSWP2localagency/xxxyyyzzz.com
(2) Enter your unique, personal password: ********
Questions about the survey can be addressed to [NAME] by calling 301-572-xxxx or emailing
[email protected]. [NAME] is also the person to contact if you would prefer to have
the survey sent in the mail or administered by telephone. Either way, we hope that you will be able
to complete the survey within 2 weeks of receiving it.

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

We appreciate your cooperation in this valuable project, the overall results for which will eventually
be posted online in the research section of the FNS website:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/research.htm (Note: Results will be summarized and not reported for
individual states/agencies.)
Best regards,

Daniel M. Geller, Ph.D.
Project Director

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

Second Letter to Local Agency WIC Director




WIC Participants will be administered a telephone survey about their program participation
and eligibility, satisfaction with WIC services and food packages, views of breastfeeding, etc.
Half of the participants will be randomly selected for an in-home interview, for which they
will be offered $20 cash compensation.
Denials will be administered a very short telephone survey about their program participation
and eligibility, and demographics.
Terminations will also receive a very short telephone survey about their program participation
and eligibility, and demographics.

FNS and Macro International guarantee that all data collected will be kept confidential.
Respondents will not be individually identified and there will be absolutely no impact on the
benefits and services provided to respondents.
There are two ways in which we seek your help. The first is to let all WIC applicants and participants
know about the survey and its validity and confidentiality. Through your diligent efforts over the
years helping WIC clients, it is readily apparent that the local agency staff is the entity most trusted
by them. We need your help in promoting the survey and alleviating any concerns that WIC clients
may have. We are including a hand-out about the survey that we hope will aid in assuaging any
concerns. We encourage you to make copies of it for display in the agency or hand it out
individually, whichever you think is best.
The second area in which we need help is collecting names of Denied applicants for a 1-month
period, since this is not data that is available to us through the WIC State agency database. The
procedure for doing this is pretty straight forward and we ask you to exert all effort to ensure that it is
thoroughly and conscientiously carried out, even though it may be a new procedure.

OMB Number: 0584-0484
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

Instructions for collecting information on Denied Applicants
1. We ask that your agency print out the following spreadsheet and write or type in the following
fields of information for all applicants who come into the clinic and fill out the paperwork
for WIC participation during the month of August 2008 and are denied eligibility.
YOUR AGENCY NAME: __________________________ STATE: ___________
DATE

FIRST & LAST
NAME OF
PERSON
COMING INTO
WIC AGENCY

FIRST & LAST
NAME OF WIC
APPLICANT, IF
DIFFERENT (e.g.
child’s name)

ADDRESS

1ST
PHONE #

2ND
PHONE #

CATEGORY OF
PERSON FOR WHOM
WIC BENEFITS ARE
SOUGHT

If available
If available

2. We also ask that your agency collect the following information for applicants who inquire
about WIC eligibility for themselves or their children by telephone and are told that
they do not qualify. This too is for the whole month of May 2008.
YOUR AGENCY NAME: __________________________ STATE: ___________
DATE FIRST & LAST
NAME OF
PERSON
COMING INTO
WIC AGENCY

FIRST & LAST
NAME OF WIC
APPLICANT, IF
DIFFERENT (e.g.
child’s name)

ADDRESS

Not needed
Not needed

1ST
PHONE #

2ND
PHONE #

CATEGORY OF
PERSON FOR WHOM
WIC BENEFITS ARE
SOUGHT

If available
If available

3. It is very important that the WIC staff person overseeing the two lists make sure that all
information is printed in legible writing or typed.
4. Please send the lists back to Macro no later than [DATE], via one of these methods:
-

FAX to NAME at 301-572-xxxx
EMAIL lists as a Word or Excel document to [email protected]
MAIL: Make a copy and send it by certified or registered mail to [ADDRESS].

Daniel M. Geller, Ph.D.
Project Director

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Contract: GS-23F-9777H Order: AG-3198-D-07-0105
Author	Marcia.L.Harrington
File Modified	2009-02-02
File Created	2008-09-26