At a glance
The Developmental Milestone Checklist Program can help WIC staff engage WIC families in monitoring their child's development. This online implementation guide can help you get your Milestone Checklist Program up and running.

Online implementation guide for WIC staff
WIC providers know that how a child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves for his or her age are important signs of a child's healthy growth and development.
When a child's development is delayed, WIC providers also know the value of a timely referral to support both the child and the family.
Developmental Milestone Checklist Program for WIC: Using the checklist during in-person visits
Developmental Milestone Checklist Program for WIC: Using the checklist during virtual visits
Developmental Milestone Checklist Program for WIC: Training video
The Developmental Milestone Checklist Program, developed in collaboration with WIC staff and tested in WIC clinics, helps you engage parents in monitoring their children's development and support them with timely referrals when needed.
Learn more about the program:
The Program has 3 core components:
- Environmental graphics—Engaging graphics on the walls and floors of the clinic introduce milestone monitoring in a fun and friendly way.
- Administering checklists—Staff invite the parent to complete a parent-friendly milestone checklist during certification and mid-certification visits, or whenever there is a question or concern.
- Making a referral—Staff review checklists and make referrals if there are any missing milestones or other concerns noted.
Simple messages and easy-to-use tools are integrated seamlessly into a WIC family's regular visits, typically taking less than 5 minutes per visit.
This guide provides all the guidance you need to get your Milestone Checklist Program up and running. Remember, you can adapt this model to best fit your clinic and processes.
Why WIC?
- WIC staff are likely to encounter children with developmental disabilities because developmental disabilities are common—affecting about 1 in 6 children—even if they are not always readily apparent.
- Children with nutritional risk factors are at increased risk of developmental delay and need close monitoring. Early identification can open the door to services and support that can help the child gain skills and help parents better support their child's needs.
- Nutrition and development go hand in hand. Tuning in to their child's development can help parents be more responsive to and supportive of their baby's feeding cues, boost parents' feeding confidence, and lead to positive feeding interactions.
- WIC staff can benefit from the tools and resources provided by this program when talking with parents about their child's development, especially when parents raise a developmental concern.
- Making referrals for potential developmental delay supports the WIC framework of monitoring children's growth and development and making referrals to community resources.
- WIC staff have reported that this program engages families, educates, and empowers staff members, and leads to completed doctor referrals.
States supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC
LocationSort by Location in descending order | ParticipationSort by Participation in descending order | ContactSort by Contact in descending order | Contact 2Sort by Contact 2 in descending order |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Alaska | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
American Samoa | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Arizona | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Arkansas | INTENSIVE STATE - RECEIVING FUNDING - States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Ruth Ann Looney - Ruth.Looney@arkansas.gov | |
California | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Colorado | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Connecticut | States promoting LTSAE in WIC | ||
Delaware | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Brittany Powers - CDC Act Early Ambassador to Delaware - bblument@udel.edu | |
District Of Columbia | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Florida | States promoting LTSAE in WIC | ||
Georgia | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Cheryl Riley - Program Coordinator | |
Guam | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Godfrey Wong - Godfrey.Wong@dphss.guam.gov | |
Hawaii | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Kirra Borrello - Project Assistant for LTSAE - kirrab@hawaii.edu | |
Idaho | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Illinois | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Indiana | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Laura Chavez - Indiana WIC Director - Lchavez2@isdh.in.gov | |
Iowa | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Charles Lorinser - Community Health Consultant | |
Kansas | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Kentucky | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Louisiana | INTENSIVE STATE - RECEIVING FUNDING - States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Leslie Lewis - leslie.lewis@la.gov - Nutrition Operations Manager | |
Maine | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Ginger Roberts-Scott - State Program Manager - ginger.roberts-scott@maine.gov | |
Marshall Islands | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Maryland | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Massachusetts | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Kara Ghiringhelli - kara.ghiringhelli@state.ma.us - State Nutritionist | |
Michigan | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Micronesia | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Minnesota | States promoting LTSAE in WIC | ||
Mississippi | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Missouri | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | D'Anne Ward - Danne.Ward@health.mo.gov | |
Montana | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Lacy Little - LaLittle@mt.gov | |
Nebraska | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Nevada | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Lara Evans - Health Program Specialist - WICgeneral@health.nv.gov | |
New Hampshire | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Frances McLaughlin - Nutrition Services Manager - WIC@dhhs.nh.gov | |
New Jersey | INTENSIVE STATE - RECEIVING FUNDING - States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Mary Higgins - Public Health Consultant - Mary.higgins@doh.nj.gov | |
New Mexico | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
New York | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
North Carolina | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
North Dakota | INTENSIVE STATE - RECEIVING FUNDING - States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | ||
Northern Marianas | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Ohio | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Karen Charvat - Karen.Charvat@odh.ohio.gov | |
Oklahoma | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Oregon | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Palau | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Pennsylvania | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Puerto Rico | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Wilmarie Muniz Forestier - Wilmarie.muniz@salud.pr.gov | |
Rhode Island | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Denise Tamburro - denise.tamburro@health.ri.gov - WIC Client Services Manager | |
South Carolina | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Berry Kelly, MBA, -kellybb@dhec.sc.gov - Director Bureau of Community Nutrition Service | La'Keisha Coker, MS, RD, LD, - cokerla@dhec.sc.gov - Nutrition Services Unit Manager |
South Dakota | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Tennessee | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Texas | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Kaylene Thompson- kaylene.thompson@hhs.texas.gov - Nutrition Education Specialist | |
Utah | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Jennifer Porter - jporter1W@utah.gov | |
Vermont | States promoting LTSAE in WIC | ||
U.S. Virgin Islands | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Virginia | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
Washington | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC | ||
West Virginia | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Emily Jarvis, - Emily.R.Jarvis@wv.gov - Nutrition Program Coordinator | |
Wisconsin | States/Territories supported by CDC/Association of State Public Health Nutritionists to promote LTSAE in WIC | Virginia Loehr - virginia.loehr@dhs.wisconsin.gov | |
Wyoming | No known participation of LTSAE through WIC |
The guidance provided in this guide is based on the WIC Milestone Checklist Program designed and tested by the University of Missouri in partnership the Missouri Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, and supported with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This guidance was updated by the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) through the Developmental Monitoring Project for WIC, supported with funding from the CDC.