State agencies worry about program funding as government shutdown approaches week 3

ALABAMA (WHNT) — As the United States approaches week three of the government shutdown, the Alabama Department of Public Health is sounding the alarm about one vital program.

The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, is vital to nearly 112,000 Alabamians, according to ADPH. The program provides funds for women to buy healthy food and baby supplies.

With the government shutdown still in effect, ADPH officials said funding is running out.

“We are concerned, because these are very vulnerable people. And, while we have money to serve these people at the moment, you know, we have to look long term,” ADPH Dr. Karen Landers said.

While the program provides mothers and children with funds for groceries, it goes far beyond food assistance. Dr. Landers said WIC recipients meet with dieticians and nutritionists to ensure children are being adequately nourished.

The program also provides specialized care and supplements for children with unique conditions, which Dr. Landers said makes it vital in Alabama.

“We are not only speaking to the issue of ensuring that otherwise healthy women or otherwise healthy infants have appropriate nutrition. But again, the small but important specialized population where we work with the children’s hospital, such as Children’s of Alabama.”

Dr. Landers said the program’s successful dietician programs made medical advances on issues she witnessed when first practicing medicine almost 50 years ago.

“By having the WIC program, which is a nutritional education program, we have largely eliminated our deficiency anemia in the infant and child population in the state of Alabama,” Dr. Landers said. “Because we have this educational program and because we have these appropriate foods for infants, and, again, information related to the importance of nutrition, we have largely eliminated a problem that was common 50 years ago.”

Beyond concern for WIC recipients, ADPH said the program largely impacts the state’s economy. ADPH officials told News 19 that while the final reports for FY 2025 are not in yet, WIC spends around $110 to $120 million annually on the program in Alabama alone.

That large sum of money is drawing concern to economic rifts if the program runs out of funding, with some local grocers relying heavily on WIC spending.

“All that money for food, for food products, for these nutritional products, it goes, you know, into the economy. Those vouchers are used at these local stores,” Dr. Landers said.

ADPH said it should have enough funding to get through October, but is uncertain about the future of the program if the shutdown continues. The health department said it is monitoring any guidance for potential use of state funding or reimbursement.