Appendix D1 Introductory Email from FNS to SA

OMB Control No: 0584-XXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Appendix D1. Introductory Email from FNS to SA

Dear WIC State Agency Director,

I am pleased to inform you about the FNS-sponsored WIC Nutrition Assessment and Tailoring Study (WIC NATS), and to ask for your support.

As you are well aware, the nutrition assessment process is central to enabling WIC staff to understand the individual needs of every WIC participant and, in turn, provide personalized services to improve the health outcomes of the populations we serve. The purpose of the WIC NATS is to provide FNS with a comprehensive understanding of the WIC nutrition risk assessment process in action and the ways in which the information collected is used to tailor Program benefits. The results of this study will be used to identify best practices and further improve upon the administration of WIC services and benefits.

FNS has contracted with Westat to conduct the study. The study team will collect quantitative and qualitative information from several sources as follows:

• 10 selected State Agencies (SAs) will be asked to provide policy documents and MIS data.

• All Local Agencies (LAs) within the 10 selected SAs will be invited to complete a web-based survey on protocols for nutrition assessment and tailoring of Program benefits.

• 30 LAs will also be asked to provide information about their WIC clinics, such as policy and procedure documents.

• 30 local WIC sites (1 per LA) will be selected to participate in a week long site visit, which will include:

  • Observations of clinic environment and nutrition risk assessment and benefit tailoring.

  • In-depth interviews with the WIC Clinic Director and up to five staff members who conduct the nutrition risk assessment and tailoring.

• About 500 WIC participants at the 30 selected local WIC sites who consent will be observed during their nutrition risk assessment session and invited to participate in an interview.

Thank you for your support of this important FNS study.

Sincerely,

Sarah Widor

Director, Supplemental Food Programs Division

USDA Food and Nutrition Service

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in obtaining a comprehensive and detailed description of the WIC nutrition risk assessment process and the ways in which participant benefits are tailored to address the assessment results. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to improve the delivery and tailoring of WIC services and increase satisfaction of both staff and participants. This collection does request personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 4 minutes (0.07 hours) per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5^th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314 ATTN:  PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.