Module 6: Environmental: 900's
Almost to the Emerald City and on your way home, but there may still be missing pieces of the puzzle to discover.
Have On HAND
Workbook Pages 39-41ABCDE Assessment Tool
Referral Policy Website
Module Summary
Environmental factors, including abuse, smoking, substance abuse, and foster care, may affect a client's nutritional status and are important components of the WIC assessment. These factors can determine what additional referrals are necessary or additional components of the assessment that need to be taken into account. This Module discusses environmental factors and their potential impact on other assessment information. It also examines how to ask open-ended questions to determine environmental risks.
Module Goals
- To identify how environmental factors will affect nutritional needs
- Use open-ended questions to gather information and identify appropriate WIC codes
- To make appropriate referrals when necessary
Module Highlights
What Does it Mean
Environmental factors may affect nutritional status, in addition to causing health and safety concerns. Common environmental concerns we address in WIC are smoking, abuse, substance abuse and foster care.Why are these concerns?
WIC can offer recommendations which have an impact on the home environment, or provide referrals to local resources that specialize in specific concerns. For example, we ask about smoking because it could affect iron status and health of growing infants and children. AIM automatically assigns these codes for you. Do you know which ones? You are still responsible for asking about…- Smoking
- Abuse
- Substance Abuse
How Do You Ask
It may feel uncomfortable or difficult to ask some of the probing questions in this section; and some answers may be easier than others to gather. It is imperative that you ask and find out if any of the environmental topics are a factor for the participant.The power of reviewing the last assessment and notes.
Remember that the environmental questions can be asked without drilling the participant. Be sure you reassure them that you were listening at the last appointment. Think about asking the smoking question like this, "Last time you said no one in the house smoked, has anything changed?"If the participant said they were smoking the last time they were certified you might say, "I see that last time you were smoking but it looks like you were thinking of cutting back, how is that going?" Even if they have continued to smoke, you remembered what the participant said and that may be the power of encouragement for them to follow through with previous change talk. It could be YOU that changes their life!
Now it is time for you to view a video and then practice with the activities. Please first watch the video near the top of the screen on the right, then you will be able work on the activities located in the purple box on the right side. When you have completed watching the video and your activities check-in with your Helping HAND before continuing.
