West Virginia Awarded Grant for WIC Clinic Upgrades
The state received federal funding to replace finger-prick blood draws with non-invasive hemoglobin testing technology.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Healthy Food
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The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has awarded West Virginia $195,825 to modernize its Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics. The funds will allow the state to implement non-invasive screening technology for hemoglobin and iron levels.
Why it matters
The transition to new screening technology is designed to improve the patient experience by eliminating the need for traditional finger-prick blood draws. Additionally, the move aims to reduce clinic waste and lower operational costs across the state system.
West Virginia received a grant totaling $195,825 to deploy Masimo Pronto spot-check devices. These sensors can perform iron level measurements in under three minutes, with full implementation expected across 55 clinics by December 2026.
The players
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
This federal agency is responsible for administering the WIC program and distributing grant funding for clinic improvements.
West Virginia Department of Health
This state agency oversees public health clinics and will manage the implementation of new screening technology across West Virginia.
The details
The West Virginia Department of Health will utilize the grant to purchase Masimo Pronto spot-check devices for use in all 55 statewide WIC clinics. By transitioning to this non-invasive technology, clinics can screen for hemoglobin and iron levels without requiring physical blood draws.
Timeline
A phased rollout of the new screening technology will begin in late 2026.
Full implementation across all 55 statewide WIC clinics is expected by December 2026.
Roadmap
The transition to non-invasive screening technology represents a broader move toward clinical modernization within the public health sector. By adopting these digital diagnostic tools, the state department of health aligns itself with national trends in minimizing invasive procedures and reducing medical waste.
Patients visiting local WIC clinics will no longer need to undergo finger-prick blood draws to have their hemoglobin and iron levels tested. This change reduces the physical discomfort of clinic visits and streamlines the screening process for families across the state.
The takeaway
The move to non-invasive testing serves as a model for using federal technology grants to improve basic patient care experiences. Patients and clinic staff can look forward to a more efficient and less invasive health screening process as the rollout progresses through 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about nutritional access and program standards in our Healthy Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wvva.
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