Last Updated: January 29, 2024

Welcome to the my Texas WIC application (“the App”). This application is owned by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (“we” or “HHSC”), which administers the Texas Women, Infants, and Children program (“the WIC Program”). “Users” are individuals who obtain services through the WIC Program and access information about those services through the App.

Background

This Privacy Policy establishes the terms and conditions that apply to Users of the App and describes how we handle personal data that we collect or use while performing services of the App. This Privacy Policy does not apply to other information that we may collect through other means, including the HHSC WIC website.

What Does the App Do?

The App allows Users to view benefits and appointments associated with the WIC Program. The App is provided to support WIC Program communications by, between, among, and with the WIC Program and the User. The WIC Program, through the App, collects the information that it needs to provide WIC Program services to Users. Except as described in this Privacy Policy, the App does not collect, use, disclose, or share information for purposes other than those outlined in this Privacy Policy.

Personal Data Collected by the App

The App may collect the following information from Users:

• WIC Program participant information: the User’s name, ID, and password.
• Device information: the type of device on which the App is downloaded, operating system name and version, device manufacturer, application version, device ID, IP address, and geolocation data.
• Log file information: log files that record each time a device accesses the WIC Program servers, and information about the device.
• Usage information: data about User interactions, use, and experience with the App.

Location Permissions

To enable certain features of the App (for example, assisting a User in finding nearby WIC-friendly retailers) the App may need to access a User’s device geolocation data. The App collects and uses geolocation data for this purpose only with the User’s consent.

How We Use Personal Data

We use the data collected by the App to provide Users with a rich, interactive experience. In particular, we use data to:

• Provide the features of the App, which includes updating, securing, and troubleshooting, as well as providing support. It also includes sharing data, when necessary, to provide the features or carry out the actions Users initiate.
• Send Users electronic communications about the WIC Program.
• Perform data analysis and conduct audit and fraud monitoring and prevention.
• Compile data about User interactions, use, and experience with the App in an aggregated format for research purposes, assessing the effectiveness of the App, and improving the user experience.
• Perform any other functions that we believe in good faith are necessary to protect the security or proper functioning of the App and to prevent fraud and unauthorized use.

Sharing of Personal Data

We share data with vendors working on our behalf to support the App. All such third parties are only permitted to use the data to support the WIC Program’s business activities and may not use, sell, or otherwise share the data for marketing or other purposes, except as stated in this Privacy Policy.

We share data when required by law or to respond to legal process; to maintain the security of the App; and to protect the rights and property of the WIC Program.

Sharing Aggregate, Anonymized, or Otherwise Non-Personal Data

We may share personal data that has been aggregated, deidentified, or otherwise anonymized, and thus does not directly or indirectly identify Users and that cannot, with reasonable efforts, resources, and technologies, be used to reidentify any individual User. Such aggregated, anonymized, deidentified, or otherwise not re-identifiable information is not personal data within the scope of this Privacy Policy or applicable privacy laws.

Security

We employ reasonable organizational, technical, and administrative measures to provide a level of security appropriate to the risk associated with the personal data that the App collects. We protect personal data under its control against – and require its service providers to also protect against – accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to personal data that is transmitted, stored or otherwise processed. Users should not disclose their User ID or password required to access the App to any third party. 

Data Retention

We retain information about a User’s use of the App only as long as necessary to accomplish the purposes identified above. Some data collected by the App is stored on our servers. Users have the option of deleting their App account, which removes all data from the servers that is collected by the App. Some data is only stored within the device on which the App is installed. When a User uninstalls the App, that data is removed from the device.

Data not collected by the App but used by the App, such as benefits and appointments, is governed by other data retention policies. Please contact the WIC program if you have questions or to request more information about such data retention policies.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is subject to change from time to time.  We will post any revised version of the Privacy Policy at https://texaswic.org/about-wic/mytexaswic. 

How to Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy, please contact us by sending an email to: WIC[email protected].