Six years ago, New Mexico replaced the previously used paper checks for Women, Infants & Children (WIC) benefits with more efficient plastic cards known as Electronic Benefit Card). The WIC EBT cards are very similar to traditional credit and debit cards. The data for your WIC benefit package is preloaded into a chip within the card. WIC EBT cards allow for faster checkout times at the register and the ability to purchase food items at different times throughout the benefit period. A WIC EBT card is protected by a PIN that can only be used in accordance with that number. The PIN is required at all card terminals.

The New Mexico WIC Program serves infants from birth to age 12 months and children from age 1year to their 5th birthday. Nutrition education to pregnant and breastfeeding women is critical to the infant's development, so WIC nutrition education focuses on these participant categories and lasts through the toddler stage. In clinic classroom sessions, such as breastfeeding peer counseling discussions, for WIC participants amplify one-on-one nutrition and parenting counseling. Children are offered physical development education and reading skills. The WIC Program will be focusing on retaining participants in this age group by providing parents with additional counseling on the benefits of the WIC Program as their infant grows closer to one year of age. WIC is a nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition, and stay healthy. WIC's mission is to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. New Mexico WIC is administered by the New Mexico Department of Health, Family Health Bureau.

In 2007, New Mexico replaced the previously used paper checks for Women, Infants & Children, or WIC, benefits with more efficient plastic cards. The WIC EBT cards resemble traditional credit and debit cards. The data for your WIC benefit package is preloaded into a chip within the card. WIC EBT cards allow for faster checkout times at the register and the ability to purchase food items at different times throughout the benefit period. A WIC EBT card is protected by a PIN that can only be used in accordance with that number. The PIN is required at all card terminals.

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet the following criteria:

1. Live in New Mexico. WIC participants usually receive services in the county where they live (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for eligibility).
   
2. Be a Pregnant, Breastfeeding or Postpartum woman, an infant under one year of age or a child less than 5 years of age. (Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents of infants and children under 5 can apply for their children).
   
3. Meet the income guidelines which are outlined in details in the following website. Households with incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty income level are eligible. WIC determines income based on gross income. WIC counts all of the members of a household, related or non-related. WIC counts an unborn baby as a household member.
   
4. Be at nutritional risk. WIC participants receive an initial health and diet screening at a WIC clinic to determine nutritional risk. WIC uses two main categories of nutritional risk: 1) medically-based risks such as history of poor pregnancy outcome, underweight status, or iron deficiency anemia, and 2) diet-based risk factors such as poor eating habits which can lead to poor nutritional and health status. Participants will be counseled at WIC about these risks and the outcome influenced by nutrition education and nutritious foods provided by WIC.

In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the state of New Mexico; a pregnant, breastfeeding and/or postpartum woman; an infant or child up to 5 years of age; and individually determined by a health professional to be at nutrition risk.

In order to qualify, you must also have an annual household income (before taxes) that is below the following amounts:

Household Size	Gross Annual Income
1	$20,665
2	$27,991
3	$35,317
4	$42,643
5	$49,969
6	$57,295
7	$64,621
8	$71,947

For households with more than eight people, add $7,326 per additional person.

WIC Application Instructions

WIC applicants must apply in person. Application process means that you set up an appointment at the WIC clinic closest to you. This website shows a contact list of all WIC agencies in New Mexico: www.health.state.nm.us/phd/wicsite/locations

If you wish to contact New Mexico WIC online, please go to the New Mexico Department of Health website at: www.health.state.nm.us/phd/wicsite

You can also call the NM Department of Health toll-free at: 1 (866) 867-3124.