How do I apply for WIC in Tennessee?

Apply directly at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/wic/apply.html. Typical processing time is about 1 days. For help, call Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program at 1-800-342-5942.

Can I get WIC in Tennessee if I'm on Medicaid?

Yes. Under federal adjunctive eligibility (7 CFR 246.7), anyone enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid is automatically income-eligible for WIC. Enrollment happens at your local WIC clinic — bring your Medicaid card, proof of residency, and the person applying.

WIC · Tennessee

Tennessee WIC

Q: Who qualifies for WIC in Tennessee?

Tennessee WIC is run by the Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program. WIC covers pregnant women, postpartum women up to six months, breastfeeding women up to one year, infants, and children under age five if your household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty guideline — about $59,478 a year for a household of three in FY 2025 — or if anyone in the household is on Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF (adjunctive eligibility). You also need a single nutritional risk finding from a clinician, which the Tennessee WIC certification visit provides for free. The Tennessee food package loads onto an eWIC card monthly. Beyond the standard milk, eggs, cereal, peanut butter, and whole-grain bread, every WIC participant in Tennessee gets a Cash-Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables: $26 / month per child, $47 / month per pregnant or postpartum woman, and $52 / month per fully-breastfeeding woman. The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2025 made these levels permanent, replacing the lower pre-pandemic rates. WIC also funds breastfeeding peer counseling, lactation consultations, and nutrition counseling at every certification visit. Apply online, by phone, or in person at h

Run by the Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program.

The number

Tennessee WIC: Cash-Value Benefit (fruits + vegetables) per breastfeeding mom / month is $52, on top of the standard food package — milk, eggs, cereal, and infant formula or breastfeeding support.

Primary source: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/wic.html

Apply for Tennessee WIC 1-800-342-5942 Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program

Quick facts

Application channel: Multiple channels
Average processing time: 1 day
Cash-Value Benefit (fruits + vegetables) per breastfeeding mom / month: $52

Tennessee WIC in Tennessee

Tennessee WIC is run by the Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program. WIC covers pregnant women, postpartum women up to six months, breastfeeding women up to one year, infants, and children under age five if your household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty guideline — about $59,478 a year for a household of three in FY 2025 — or if anyone in the household is on Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF (adjunctive eligibility). You also need a single nutritional risk finding from a clinician, which the Tennessee WIC certification visit provides for free.

The Tennessee food package loads onto an eWIC card monthly. Beyond the standard milk, eggs, cereal, peanut butter, and whole-grain bread, every WIC participant in Tennessee gets a Cash-Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables: $26 / month per child, $47 / month per pregnant or postpartum woman, and $52 / month per fully-breastfeeding woman. The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2025 made these levels permanent, replacing the lower pre-pandemic rates. WIC also funds breastfeeding peer counseling, lactation consultations, and nutrition counseling at every certification visit.

Apply online, by phone, or in person at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/wic/apply.html or by calling 1-800-342-5942. The certification visit (measurements, hemoglobin draw, nutrition counseling) takes 30 to 45 minutes and happens at a local clinic. Bring photo ID, proof of address, proof of household income for the last 30 days, and ID for everyone applying. Federal regulations specifically prohibit the Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program from sharing applicant data with immigration enforcement; WIC has no citizenship test under PRWORA §402.

Tennessee WIC serves about 130,000 participants monthly. Memphis-Shelby County Health Department's CHOICES program and Nashville's Centerstone Maternal Mental Health initiative both cross-refer to WIC at intake. The state piloted Saturday WIC clinic hours in Davidson and Shelby counties in 2024.

For Black families in Tennessee

Roughly 53% of WIC-eligible Black women and children in Tennessee are enrolled, per the USDA WIC Eligibility and Coverage Rates 2021 release (October 2024) cross-tabulated against state-level Black-population denominators. Nationally, WIC reaches about 51% of all eligible postpartum women — meaning every state has eligible mothers leaving benefits on the table.

The biggest barriers in Tennessee, in order: WIC clinic hours that conflict with shift work, a single-clinic requirement that forces a full day off for the certification visit, and stigma about means-tested benefits left over from the food-stamps era. Federally Qualified Health Centers in the state cross-enroll WIC + Medicaid + presumptive Medicaid in a single appointment; most have certified application counselors on staff. The National WIC Association at nwica.org lists Black-led community partners in every state.

Where to get help

If you want help with the application or want to walk in and have someone sit with you through the forms, three places in Tennessee can do that for free:

Federally Qualified Health Centers in Tennessee — every FQHC has certified application counselors on staff and cannot turn you away for inability to pay. They cross-enroll Medicaid + WIC + SNAP at the same visit.
Tennessee Medicaid — if you qualify for Medicaid you are automatically income-eligible for WIC under federal adjunctive eligibility rules (7 CFR 246.7).
Medicaid for pregnant women in Tennessee — start here if you're newly pregnant and want WIC + prenatal Medicaid in a single appointment.

Other safety-net programs in Tennessee

SNAP in Tennessee TANF in Tennessee

References & primary sources

Tennessee Department of Health, WIC Program — the Tennessee program landing page.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service, WIC Program (fns.usda.gov/wic).
USDA WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines, FY 2025 (fns.usda.gov/wic/income-eligibility-guidelines).
USDA WIC Eligibility and Coverage Rates 2021, October 2024 (fns.usda.gov/research/wic/eligibility-coverage-rates-2021).
National WIC Association — community-organization directory (nwica.org).

Data refreshed: April 24, 2026