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Peoria County health official warns WIC may need to prioritize services if federal shutdown persists
Summary
Board of Health representative Monica told the county health committee that SNAP benefit interruptions tied to the federal shutdown could increase demand on WIC; Illinois has assured funding through November but the county may need to prioritize pregnant women, postpartum clients and infants.
Monica, a health department representative, told the Peoria County Health Committee that a continuing federal shutdown is already affecting nutrition programs and could increase demand for the county's WIC (Women, Infants and Children) services. "As many of you are aware, starting on Saturday with continued, federal shutdown, SNAP benefits will, no longer go into play in November," Monica said, adding that Illinois had assured the county WIC funding through November.
Monica said the county serves about 3,300 WIC clients and that roughly half of that caseload (about 1,500) is in the program's priority group of pregnant women, postpartum clients and infants. To manage potential higher demand, she said staff are discussing shifting services to prioritize those highest nutritional risk. "We primarily look at infants that due to hemoglobin levels or growth charts are not meeting marks, we'll be focusing on them," Monica said.
The county's WIC program relies on multiple funding "buckets," Monica explained: two types of USDA funding (administration and food funds), state rebate-derived dollars and USDA contingency funds. She told the committee Illinois estimates about $5,000,000 per month is spent statewide on WIC food funds and that the state anticipates WIC will remain open through November if contingency funds and state budgeting hold.
Committee members asked about communication plans for informing clients that WIC remains operating while SNAP coverage may be interrupted. Monica said the health department is using social media and the statewide iWIC software system to push targeted messages and reminders at client appointments. She emphasized the outreach challenge: "a lot of people confuse the 2 as being 1 and the same," referring to SNAP and WIC.
The committee did not adopt any new policy during the update; Monica said staff are preparing prioritization scenarios and will adjust services if federal funding gaps widen. The committee's next procedural steps on WIC funding will depend on state and federal budget developments.
