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WIC Portal Training for Personnel

Local Agency New Employee Orientation

Refer to your human resource director and WIC policy "Local Agency Personnel Training" for guidance on minimum local agency orientation requirements.

New Employee Focus Training

Complete Focus Training and Homework

WIC staff must complete Data System Training before being granted security rights to the data system production system. To schedule Focus training, WIC coordinators need to send a New User Form to wichd@idph.iowa.gov to schedule a three-hour training with the state office. The New User Form and additional information can be found on the Focus Security tab. Additional on-the-job training must be provided by someone with equal security rights.

New Employee Training Course (NETC)

Links and resources to the required training activities can be found here. The Iowa WIC Program requires all training activities to be successfully completed and documented according to the instructions in policies. Completed training must be documented in the "Staff Training" panel in the WIC Data System.

Modules, Online Courses and Activities

Level 1

Level 1 NETC Modules will help build a common knowledge base about program operations while emphasizing a team approach. Level 1 modules need to be completed within one month of hire for all required staff. At the conclusion of each module, the online post-test is required.

Level 2

Level 2 NETC Modules address nutrition and breastfeeding topics, discuss the normal nutritional needs for participants and identify resources for use in providing nutrition services. Level 2 modules need to be completed within six months of hire for CPAs, Non-CPA professionals, Health Professional Lead Staff and WIC coordinators. At the conclusion of each module, an online post-test is required.

Note: Post-tests are to be taken after you have finished reading the corresponding module. Once you finish the test and click submit you will get a pop-up box. Click on "View Score" and review your answers.  If you answered any questions incorrectly you will want to close out of the review and go back to the pop-up box and click on "Edit Your Response." Review those parts of the policy/module again that you missed and correct those answers before submitting them again. After you have corrected your test and resubmitted your response you can close out and proceed to the next step in your New Employee Training.

Level 3

Level 3 NETC Modules address how staff can engage the participant in dialogue about their needs and goals of healthy behavior. This process is critical in meeting the nutrition education goals of WIC. Level 3 modules need to be completed within nine months of hire for CPAs, Non-CPA professionals, Health Professional Lead Staff and WIC coordinators. The module is interactive, answers within the slide show are recorded and must be completed including the request for feedback at the end. To play audio click on the headphones icon on the bottom right-hand side of the slides and then select the play button.

NETC Documents

Cheat Sheets

Cheat Sheets are not meant to replace policies, procedures, or training but are meant to provide key points and some of the most important points of those areas in one document that staff can easily access. 

Additional New Employee Training

Bloodborne Pathogen Training

All employees at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens must take this training within the first month of employment and annually thereafter. See Policy See Blood Tests Policy and Local Agency Personnel Training Policy for additional information about the required training.

Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training

Mandatory child and dependent adult abuse reporters include nurses and dietitians. See Local Agency Personnel Training Policy for additional information about this required training.

Civil Rights

All personnel should complete the Civil Rights Training during New Employee Orientation and then annually thereafter. Upon completion of the training, remember to record it on your Staff Training Panel in the WIC Data System.

Prepare Iowa Learning Management System (PILMS) Training

There are a few training modules that staff is required to take through the PILMS system. See Local Agency Personnel Training Policy for additional information about this required training.

Local Agency WIC Coordinator Training

Training requirements for new WIC Coordinators are outlined in Local Agency Personnel Training Policy.

Local Agency Staff Continuing Education

Participation in continuing education events offers WIC personnel the opportunity to learn new skills, increase competence, and maintain professional credentials. All information should be recorded in the staff Training panel of the WIC data system.  (Nutrition Services Forms: Training and Education Records).

For more information about WIC training and staff developments, read the Local Agency Personnel Training Policy or contact your state WIC consultant.

Step-by-Step: Client-Centered Skills for WIC Counselors

This program is designed to complement WIC staff training. The focus here is on the basic skills that are the foundation of quality nutrition counseling. It is recommended that you work these units slowly over a number of weeks. This allows you to practice one skill at a time. It can take a lot of practice to incorporate these skills so it's a good idea to cycle back through the units again every six months or so.

This program has been offered on the "honor system." This means you are welcome to download the handouts and MP3 files to save for your use but please do not share them outside your WIC Program: www.mollykellogg.com/StepWIC6h.html.

The cost is $15 per RD. To complete, go online to the link above and submit payment. You will then send the form which includes how many hours spent on it, to Molly Kellogg. Molly will provide a certificate for the number of hours claimed on the form. For RNs: If additional information is required by the state Board, Molly is typically able to assist with that. Note: This information will have to be submitted to the Iowa Board of Licensure.

WICHealth Academy

WICHealth Academy is an online training designed to help you learn how to use, promote and integrate wichealth.org into your daily clinic workflow. The entire training consists of nine courses which contain 26 lessons in all, and would take about one hour and 50 minutes to complete in its entirety. (You can start and stop it as needed and come back to it.) This training can be found on the wichealth.org support site. www.wichealth.org/support You will need a staff account to complete the training. To obtain a staff account with WICHealth, you will need to email: help@wichealth.org with your first and last name, email address, state, agency and clinic. Once your request has been approved, they will send you an invitation to create your account and then you can start the training. Below you will find the required form to use when completing the training. The form lists the required courses according to staff role along with any additional requirements.  Upon completion obtain your supervisor's signature and file with your other training records.

WIC Program: Non-Discrimination Statement

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 1-800-877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, or by calling 1-866-632-9992 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 mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410; or by fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or by email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.