Jul 17, 2015 2 min read

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey introduced an act Thursday that would eliminate a policy that can kick young children off of the state’s nutrition assistance program prior to entering school.

Casey’s Wise Investment in Our Children Act would extend nutrition assistance to 6-year-olds. WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, currently provides nutrition assistance to children who are up to 5 years old, when many would enter public schools where they may qualify for school breakfast and lunch programs. However, a child’s birth date impacts their eligibility to enter school and receive assistance, and many children remain ineligible well past their fifth birthday, according to a news release from Casey’s office.

“When children have the right nutrition early in life they’re healthier, do better in school and ultimately are better off when they enter the workforce,” Casey said in a news release. “By expanding WIC to age 6, we close that gap and ensure children have a strong health and nutrition foundation. No child should be placed at a nutritional disadvantage simply because of when their birth date falls.”

The act would also extend the certification period for infants from 1 year to 2 years.

There are 872 WIC participants in Greene County and 3,098 WIC participants in Washington County, according to figures provided by Casey’s office. The majority of participants in both counties are children, and Casey said roughly 10 percent of those children would be affected by the act. Across the state, there are roughly 259,000 women, infants and children receiving monthly aid. WIC provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income women, infants and children.