WIC Nutrition Assessment Pre-VENA vs. Post-VENA

What is VENA?

VENA is a participant-centered, health outcome-based approach to the WIC nutrition assessment, and puts the participant's needs and the goal of a healthy outcome at the core of WIC nutrition services.

VENA Guidance assists WIC State agencies in developing policies and procedures related to the WIC nutrition assessment. The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) first issued VENA Guidance in 2006. Since then, State and local agencies have put new approaches into action and discovered more effective strategies to foster participants’ engagement in the WIC appointment and to encourage participants to adopt positive nutrition and physical activity behaviors.

Read more about VENA, and access the guidance right here on WIC Works.

The WIC nutrition assessment is the foundation for providing personalized WIC nutrition services to each participant. This job aid supports the WIC Learning Online course, Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA), and shows the difference between a WIC nutrition assessment prior to and after VENA implementation.