WIC Program Monitoring

Program monitoring is a routine, quality assurance function the WIC program uses to ensure high-quality, consistent services are provided to the communities we serve across Washington state and participating Tribal Nations. Monitoring is meant to be informative for both the local agency and state office, not punitive in any way.

The monitoring process is required by Washington State WIC Policy and federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Policy.  Monitoring must be performed for each local agency at least every two years and must include 20% of the clinic sites or one clinic site per agency, whichever is greater. FNS may request the state monitor more often as needed. Some monitoring activities must occur onsite and in person while others may be conducted remotely, as determined by state monitor staff.

Goals of the monitor:

• Identify areas of local agency strength and opportunities for improvement.
• Work collaboratively to address gaps in consistently good service to all WIC-eligible Washington residents.
• Identify areas of common confusion across local agencies to improve state policy and processes.
• Quality control for adherence to Washington State WIC policy and as mandated by the federal Food Nutrition Service.

2026 Program Monitors in Washington

WIC Monitoring Process

The monitor team runs on the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) schedule.

Q1: October-December

• State Program Monitors wrap up Common Trends from the previous FFY and prepare for the current monitoring process to begin.
• The state WIC office updates website and training materials, tools based on feedback and policy changes, and presents Common Trends to other state WIC office units to improve processes.
• We welcome feedback from local agencies on how to improve the tools, resources, and monitoring process to reduce burden on staff. To submit feedback, email WIC Program Monitoring.

Q2: January-March

• By mid-January, State Program Monitors will notify local agencies of a monitor for the fiscal year.
• Agencies have until March 1 to submit their documents on the checklist. The state monitor staff will send reminder emails to all or non-responsive local agencies as needed. Late submissions are taken into consideration as an area for improvement in the monitor.

Q3: April-June

• In the first two weeks of April, agencies receive an email with next steps and observation instructions.
• By June 1, the state must perform remote or in person observations of Certification appointment(s) completed by a Certifier and High-Risk appointment(s) completed by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
• The State Program Monitors are coordinating observations, reviewing submitted documents, performing chart reviews of participant files, and working with other state staff to capture needed information.
• The State Program Monitor uses the Monitor Evaluation Tool to review the local agency’s overall compliance to state policy with the data gathered throughout the monitor process.

Q4: July-September

• The State Program Monitor schedules a debrief with local agencies between July 1 through August 1 to discuss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for the local agency.
• Within five business days after the debrief, the Monitor Report is approved by the State Program Monitor Supervisor and sent to local agencies with their local program consultant (LPC) and breastfeeding peer counseling consultant (BFPCC) copied on the email.
  • The local agency has 20 business days from receiving the monitor report to submit their plan for improvement in the identified areas of weakness.
  • The State Monitor Staff will approve the plan or send it back to the local agency with comments for editing.
  • All plans must be final by September 30 as required by federal law. This is high priority for local agencies.
  • If local agencies are non-responsive to any step of the monitor process, state monitor staff may engage state WIC leadership and local agency leadership to discuss the issue.

Resources for Local Agencies

Resources for your monitoring and observation process.

• WIC Program Monitoring Information for WIC Local Agencies on SharePoint
• WA WIC Program Monitor Trainings:
  • WA WIC Monitor Introduction and Policy (YouTube)
  • WA WIC Monitor Process (YouTube)
  • WA WIC Evaluation Tool and Monitor Report (YouTube)
  • WA WIC Validation (YouTube)
• WIC Code of Federal Regulations
• WIC Nutrition Services Standards (PDF)
• WIC Policy Volume 2 Chapter 6 Monitoring and Audits (PDF)
• WIC Local Agency SharePoint site

If you have any questions about the information on this page or the WIC monitor process more generally, email WIC Program Monitoring.