The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Goal of the CACFP

• Subsidize eligible institutions for serving nutritious meals to children and eligible adults

• Foster lifelong healthy eating and physical activity habits

Background of the CACFP

The CACFP is a Federally funded Child Nutrition Program.

• Authorized by the United States Congress

• Federally administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Administered in Virginia by the Department of Health

Who is Implementing the Program?

• Afterschool Care Programs

• At-Risk Afterschool• Outside School

Hours Care

• Child Care Centers

• Adult Day Care Centers

• Emergency Shelters

• Family Day Care Homes

USDA Handbooks• Serious Deficiency, Suspension, & Appeals

for State Agencies and Sponsoring Organizations• Released: December 2013• Users: State Agencies and Sponsors

• At-risk Afterschool Care Handbook• Released: July 2013(revised)• Users: State Agencies and Sponsors

• Guidance for Management Plans and Budgets• Released: December 2013• Users: State Agencies and Sponsors

USDA Handbooks• Adult Day Care Handbook• Released: January 2014• Users: State Agencies and Sponsors

• Independent Child Care Centers Handbook• Released: May 2014• Users: State Agencies and Sponsors

CACFP Resources on the Web

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/child-and-adult-care-food-program

http://www.vahealth.org/DCN/cacfp/index.htm

Updates on the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) from VDH and the USDA

Training Objectives

• List the reasons that VDH might disallow meals and/or snacks for reimbursement.

• Describe which deficiencies require VDH action.

• Discuss changes to the USDA’s guidelines for CACFP programs related to milk

• Explain what is required for smoothies to be deemed creditable items

Reasons for Disallowing Meals/Snacks• Claiming meals for participant not enrolled• No written menu for claimed meals or snacks• Required food component(s) missing• Non-creditable items being counted as a component• Less than 2 servings of fruit and/or vegetable component being served for lunch or supper• Planned portion sizes not age appropriate

Reasons for Disallowing Meals/Snacks• Day Care Home provider claiming own child

for meals when no other child is present• Serving meals/snacks outside of approved

hours• Meal counts exceed # of participants in

attendance• Inadequate quantity of milk/food provided for

# of meals served• Meals served with substitute of component

for medical reasons without a proper medical note on file

Reasons for Disallowing Meals/Snacks• Insufficient quantity of milk/food purchased

to meet amount required for the claimed meal service

• Meals claimed on a day institution is not in operation

• Absence of daily attendance records, enrollment records, or daily meal counts to substantiate # of meals claimed

• For-profit centers not meeting 25% eligibility requirement

Deficiencies Requiring Fiscal Action • Expenditures not identified in approved

budget• Expenditures for which there are no receipts

available or for which receipts do not support the meals served;

• Audit report findings of questioned costs

Milk in the CACFP • Milk is a required component of all meals in the CACFP except for snack and

supper in adult day care center. • With snacks, milk may be served as a component when the other component is not

juice• When used as an ingredient in cooked meals,

the milk serving requirement has not been met.

Milk in the CACFP Allowable types for participants > 2• Low fat (1% or fat free)• Lactose-reduced or lactose free, buttermilk or

acidified milk• Unflavored or flavored, including chocolate or

strawberry• Goat’s milk (only if pasteurized) • USDA-approved non-dairy milk substitutes

products (e.g. some brands of soy milk) at the participant’s (or, for children, parent/guardian’s) request as long as it is nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk.

Milk in the CACFP: Exceptions Medical or Other Special Dietary Need• If a participant cannot consume fluid milk due

to medical or other special dietary needs (e.g. vegetarian), non-dairy beverages may be served in lieu of milk

• If the substitute is not nutritionally equivalent to milk (e.g. juice, water), a signed medical statement is required for the meal to be claimed.

Milk Served in the CACFP: ExceptionsDisability

If a disability directly affects a participant’s ability to consume milk and a signed medical statement is on file, the facility must purchase and can claim alternatives that do not conform to the meal pattern. Statement must include:• Participant’s disability and why it restricts

participant’s diet• Major life activity affected by the disability• Food(s) to be omitted from the participant’s

diet; and• Appropriate substitutions

Creditable Smoothies • Milk and fruit • Milk and pureed fruit

**Milk used must be 1% or fat free for participants > 2 years old and whole for children 12-24 months

Non-Creditable Smoothies • Vegetable • Commercially prepared• Served as a snack without a second

component• Added nutritional supplement• Yogurt except when used to credit as a

meat/meat alternate for the breakfast meal pattern

Smoothies and Meal Components • May be credited toward the fluid milk

requirements for lunch and breakfast. **Fluid milk must also be offered in the required quantity to meet the meal requirements.

• Juice and pureed fruit may be credited as fruit juice **Program operators are strongly encouraged to offer additional fruit options.

Questions?