For Physicians: Make a Referral to WIC
As a physician or health care provider, your referral makes a difference. By providing nutrient rich foods, nutrition assessments and education, breastfeeding education and support, and referrals to health care and community services, WIC hopes to achieve the following goals:
- Decrease the complications of pregnancy
- Prevent low birth weight babies
- Decrease iron deficiency anemia
- Promote and support breastfeeding
- Promote optimum growth and development of infants and young children
Each WIC agency employs nutritionists who have completed a minimum of four years of education and training in dietetics or a related area at an accredited college or university. WIC nutritionists are trained to provide the following:
- Personalized nutrition counseling
- Promote nutritious foods
- Promote lifestyle habits for a healthy pregnancy, for young children and their families
- Provide breastfeeding education and support
- Provide education on parent/child feeding roles and safe and appropriate infant/child feeding practices
Referring Your Patients
It is easy to refer a patient to WIC.
Instruct your patient to contact the Delaware County WIC Appointment Call Center at 610-497-7660. You may also want to provide your patient with the toll-free phone number for the Pennsylvania WIC Program, 1-800-WIC-WINS or 1-800-942-9467. Trained operators will connect your patient to the WIC office nearest their home.
