RD90 - Crossroads Design, Development and Implementation WIC System Status Report


Executive Summary:
The Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Community Nutrition (the Division) is a partner with the WIC programs in Alabama, North Carolina, and West Virginia in the Crossroads Consortium. The Consortium is one of three groups working in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to design, develop, and implement State Agency Model management information systems which will be available for transfer to WIC programs in other states and territories.

This report details the project’s progress and is submitted to comply with Item 286 E of the 2011 Appropriations Act. Item 286 E requires the State Health Commissioner to report annually to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on (i) the progress of the multi-state procurement of a multi-state computerized database "WIC System" known formally as the Crossroads Design, Development and Implementation WIC System; (ii) the division's efforts to ensure that in designing and successfully procuring the WIC System that adequate participant access can be achieved without the current use of slotting or other similar vendor-limiting criteria and the system allows peer groups to be changed to reflect marketplace dynamics and ensure a more equitable vendor comparison; and (iii) the division's efforts to coordinate these changes in collaboration with the division's existing Retail Advisory Groups and other stakeholders.

The Crossroads system is being developed to issue food benefits via electronic benefits transfer (eWIC), similar to the system now being utilized for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). When Virginia implements the use of the Crossroads system, food benefits will no longer be issued on paper vouchers but will use electronic benefit cards. The cards will contain the specific food package that was designed for the clients as well as other information regarding their benefits, such as food items remaining and last date to spend. There is also an advantage to vendors as they will be reimbursed the next business day, instead of waiting for Food Instruments to clear the WIC program’s banking system as is currently the case.