Caitlin Speth, WIC supervisor for the Riley County Health Department, and Diane Creek, the county health director, updated commissioners about short-term funding uncertainty for the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition program.

Speth said administrative funds that carried staff for about 10 to 11 calendar days have been exhausted and that the department submitted a needs-assessment survey to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). KDHE later indicated it had received additional funds, but the county had not yet received a formal allocation amount as of the meeting.

“October 31 is still kind of our end date because that’s when the food ends, and that’s also when we’ve decided that salaries and and support that way will end unless something else happens,” Speth said. She added that staff were preparing contingency plans for prioritizing formula and other critical supplies if federal food benefits were depleted.

Creek said national discussions reflected the same uncertainty: federal options under Section 32 of the farm bill (customs receipts) have been discussed in national briefings as a potential short-term funding source, but states were still awaiting allocations.

Why it matters: WIC provides food benefits and nutrition services to low-income pregnant women, infants and young children. Local staffing and the ability to distribute formula and food benefits depend on state and federal disbursements; a funding interruption would force the local program to prioritize services.

Next steps: Speth and Creek said they will continue to update the commission at regular meetings (noted as weekly Monday and Thursday updates) and that the county is waiting for KDHE to confirm the size and timing of any additional funds before extending staff support or pausing services.