RIDGWAY — Officials with the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission are currently working on a project proposal to upgrade Ridgway’s facilities for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

The state WIC agency is currently looking for infrastructure or renovation projects to fund during the 2017 fiscal year.

In hopes of receiving some of the funding, North Central officials are working to complete a proposal prior to the Oct. 5 deadline.

North Central Executive Director Eric Bridges said the proposal would focus on accomplishing three goals at the commission’s Ridgway WIC clinic.

Bridges said the proposal would aim to increase client confidentiality during WIC appointments, improve traffic flow in the clinic and increase staff security.

“If funded, the completed project will improve the overall WIC clinic visit for both the client and WIC program staff members,” Bridges said. “We will improve the site, while maintaining a welcoming, safe, relaxed environment.”

To accomplish these goals, several changes are currently being looked at.

For starters, North Central officials are looking to change the layout of the clinic.

As part of this, officials are looking to strategically place entry and exit doors with the hopes that it will facilitate an improved, natural clinic flow.

Additionally, a new exit would be added to allow WIC staff to leave the clinic in an unforeseen or dangerous situation.

To further protect the WIC staff, all doors to the staff section of the WIC clinic would be equipped with electronic locks to ensure that WIC clients do not have access to the clinic area unless they are accompanied by a WIC staff member.

To assist WIC clients, North Central officials are proposing a new exit location for the Ridgway clinic that would make it more convenient for clients to access the designated breastfeeding room.

A goal of the proposal would also be to enclose a private space for the breastfeeding peer counselor.

To increase confidentiality at the center, North Central officials would look to separate the CPA and clinic clerk.

Additionally, a goal of the proposal is to add a wider range of interactive tools for parents and children in the clinic’s waiting area.

Finally, the proposal would include some maintenance items as officials look to update the clinic’s restroom and install carpeting in the waiting area of the clinic, which will be turned into an office.

Bridges said the proposed changes at the Ridgway facility come as part of an ongoing conversation to determine how security can be improved at North Central’s various locations.

Bridges added that he does not have a cost estimate for the project but hopes to have an estimate sometime during the beginning of this week.

North Central’s WIC program services approximately 3,400 clients per month. The commission provides services to residents in Elk, Potter, Cameron, Clearfield and Jefferson counties.

While the Ridgway location primarily services Elk County residents, Bridges said that residents from without the five-county region can use the site.

While McKean County is within the North Central region, McKean County’s WIC services are offered through Bradford Regional Medical Center.

The state WIC agency is expected to make decisions on which proposals to fund by the end of December.