Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment

WIC - State Plan for VENA Implementation

WIC VENA Plan

WIC staff around the state will be attending workshops this spring in preparation for submitting the State plan for VENA implementation by August 2007. What is VENA?

Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment - A Positive Approach for Positive Results

Why VENA?

VENA was developed in response to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report, which found that traditional diet assessment methods were not valid to determine an individual's WIC eligibility.
To maintain program integrity, and to retain WIC's status as a premier public health nutrition program, USDA - Food Nutrition Services (FNS) in conjunction with the National WIC Association, developed Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) Policy and Guidance. VENA defines a high quality and comprehensive WIC nutrition assessment, and shifts the focus of the assessment process from eligibility determination to a participant-centered health outcome based process.

VENA supports Revitalizing Quality Nutrition Services (RQNS) in WIC

VENA is an integral part of a continual quality improvement process for WIC - RQNS - that focuses on:

• WIC Nutrition Assessment Practices and Processes
• Staff Competencies/Training
• Quality Assurance/Monitoring

Vena Supports FNS Goals

• Supports USDA Strategic Plan Goal 4.2 by defining the process and content of a quality WIC nutrition assessment upon which nutrition education, food package selection and referrals will be based.
• Provides WIC participants with an assessment approach based on desired health outcomes rather than deficiencies.
• Improves program integrity by establishing guidance for WIC Nutrition Assessment policies and procedures.

Information above was taken from VENA WIC Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment - A Positive Approach for Positive Results, USDA pamphlet. For additional information please visit: http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/

This article was compiled by:
Lisa Rankine, RD
Quality Management Branch