WIC Staff Training

Washington WIC provides a variety of education methods to support staff learning to provide WIC services.

• 2025 Nutrition Service Plan - Required Activities (PDF)
• 2024 Nutrition Service Plan - Required Activities (PDF)
• 2024-2025 WA WIC Office Hours (PDF)
• 2023 Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Training and Policy Resources
• 2025 Training Opportunities (PDF)
• Cascades
• Coordinator Training
• Core WIC Training
• Farmers Market Training Materials
• The Learning Center (LC)
• Nutritionist Training
• Remote Services Training and Materials
• Training Materials and Modules
• WIC Certifier Competency Training and Tools
• WIC Connects

Cascades

Cascades 3.9 Release Training Materials

We will implement Cascades 3.9 on Monday, September 19, 2022 in production and the sandbox. Please review the PowerPoint training presentation outlining the changes. The PowerPoint is self-guided without narration and will take about 30 minutes to review. We also provided a Notes handout with additional information. Please share your input about the training materials by completing the Cascades 3.9 Training Materials survey by September 30^th.

• Cascades 3.9 Training PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
• Notes hand-out (PDF)

Topics Include: Confirming Gender and Date of Birth for new participants and those who transfer in from out of state, correct certification ends date for participants who deliver or are born on the first day of the month, including 5 – 8 month old Assessment Questions for infants 0 – 4 months of age, and the 2022 federal nutrition risk revisions.

Cascades 3.8 Release Training Materials

We're implementing Cascades 3.8 on Monday May 16, 2022.

The PowerPoint is the training and takes about 30 minutes to review. It is self-guided and doesn’t have narration. We provided a Notes hand-out with additional information.

• Cascades 3.8 Training PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
• Notes hand-out (PDF)

Topics include: The Income Screening Calculator will assess adjunctive eligibility, staff can offer an option for fresh fruits and vegetables in place of some jarred fruits and vegetables for infants 9 – 11 months of age, Cascades provides correct Assessment Questions and risks for early subsequent certifications for infants and children turning 1 and 2 years of age, and a few nutrition risk factor fixes.

Cascades 3.7 Release Training Materials

We're implementing Cascades 3.7 on Monday October 18, 2021. We divided the training materials for this release into two presentations, one reviews changes to food benefit issuance and the second covers all other changes. The presentations are self-guided and don't have narration. Each has a Notes hand-out with additional notes and information. You can also see the notes using the “Annotation” view of the PowerPoint presentations.

Please review the training materials according to your staff role.

Food Benefit Changes

• Food Benefit Changes Presentation (PDF)
• Notes hand-out (PDF)

Topics include: Infant formula transition to rounding methodology, tailoring a full formula prescription in the first month of life, and the food prescription for participants breastfeeding multiple infants.

Non-food Benefit Changes

• Non-food Benefit Changes Presentation (PDF)
• Notes hand-out (PDF)

Topics include: Using current pregnancy status to determine weight-related risks, corrections to low and high weight gain risk assessment, transfer into state during the month a child turns 5 years of age and when an infant is certified between 7 – 12 months of age, and additional software fixes.

Top Issues Training

Clinic staff using Cascades shared some of the areas in the system they found confusing or challenging. We developed the following Top Training Issues PowerPoint presentations to assist you with these issues. Please note: The presentations are self-guided and don't have narration.

Cascades Participant Search (PDF)
Cascades Participant Search with Notes (PDF)

Topics include: How to complete a Statewide Search, Policy on Statewide Search, Questions to ask applicants/participants who have applied for WIC, How to Interact with Cascades Screens when Searching, Icons related to Duplicate Records, and Reasons a record isn’t found.

Issuing Food Benefits in Cascades (PDF)

Topics include: Issuing WIC Cards, Family Issuance Day, Proration, Replacing Food Benefits, Issuing Benefits at 1 and 5 Years of Age and Troubleshooting Benefit Issuance

WIC Foods with a Cascades Focus (PDF)

Topics include: WIC Food Benefits by Category, Aggregated Foods, Food Benefits in Cascades, and Tips of the Trade – Things you'll want to know before you issue benefits in Cascades

Cascades Software Training

As staff, you work closely every day with the computer system to capture valuable participant information. Transitioning to a new system can be scary and exciting. This page shares required training to build and strengthen your skills and knowledge in Cascades.

1. View the Computer Based Training (CBTs) in the Learning Center (LC). We strongly suggest viewing the Units (1-8) in order.

   View the training units

   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 1: Getting Started with WIC
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 2: Adding Families and Scheduling Appointments
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 3: Certifying a Pregnant Woman and Child
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 4: Manage a Care Plan and Issue Benefits
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 5: Subsequent Certification of BF Woman and Infant
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 6: Manage a Care Plan
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 7: Add a Foster Child
   • DOH STATE WIC CBT Unit 8: Manage a Care Plan & Issue Benefits for a Foster Child

2. Print the Cascades Training Supplements (CTS) designed to support each CBT. The Supplement supports your transition to a new system by sharing important highlights of the specific CBT. It also helps you link what you do now in Client Services to the way it works in Cascades.

   View the training supplements

   1. Unit 1–Getting Started
   2. Unit 2–Add a New Family and Schedule Appointments
   3. Unit 3–Certify a Pregnant Woman and Child
   4. Unit 4–Manage Care Plan and Issue Benefits
   5. Unit 5–Subsequent Certification of Breastfeeding Woman and Infant
   6. Unit 6–Manage Care Plan for a Woman and Child
   7. Units 7 & 8–Foster Families and Children & Manage Care Plan and Issue Benefits to a Foster Child

3. Practice your skills in the Cascades Sandbox using the scenarios provided in the Clinic Staff Self–Study Training Workbook.

Coordinator Training

Coordinator training is on hold until further notice. Please use the Coordinator Orientation Checklist (PDF) to begin learning for your WIC role.

Core WIC Training

Core WIC is for new and experienced WIC staff interested in improving their knowledge about fundamental WIC functions and procedures.

The Learning Center (LC)

We offer courses on a variety of topics in our LC to support training and continuing education. These courses are only available to Washington WIC staff. Learn how to access the LC.

Policy Training

Many policies and procedures changed to align with the Cascades system. We developed training modules for some of the key policy changes to help staff follow federal rules and state policy while using Cascades.

Please complete policy training modules based on your clinic role and job duties.

View the training units

• DOH STATE WIC Cascades The Care Plan: Module 1 (for staff who provide nutrition education)
• DOH STATE WIC Cascades The Care Plan: Module 2 (for staff who provide nutrition education)
• DOH STATE WIC Cascades Certification Policy Training–Part 1 (for all staff)
• DOH STATE WIC Cascades Income Assessment Policy Training (for staff who assess income eligibility)
• DOH STATE WIC Participant Centered Goal Setting (for staff who provide nutrition education)

If you view any LC training as a group, please use this Training Documentation Form (Word) to enter each staff name. We use the form to update your LC accounts to reflect that you completed the training. Send forms to WAWICTraining@doh.wa.gov.

Nutritionist Training

Nutritionist training is on hold until further notice. Please use the 2023 Nutritionist Orientation Checklist (PDF)  to begin learning for your WIC role.

Training Materials and Resources

Find webinars, tools, resources, and training materials on several topics on the Training Materials and Resources page.

WIC Certifier Competency Training and Tools

All new certifiers must complete the Certifier Competency Training. Get access to competency training guides, worksheets and more.

WIC Connects

WIC Connects is Washington WIC's participant-centered approach to providing WIC services. Learn more about WIC Connects.