CACFP DCH Providers and CalFresh Participation

This management bulletin (MB) notifies Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) day care home (DCH) sponsors of a change in the process for reporting CACFP DCH provider eligibility based solely on provider participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as the CalFresh Program in California.

Background

• Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations , Section 226.6(f)(1)(viii)(E), requires DCH sponsors to annually notify the state agency of providers determined to be Tier I solely based on their participation in the CalFresh Program.

• The California Department of Education (CDE) requires DCH sponsors to submit the information of providers determined to be Tier I based solely on their CalFresh Program participation, and to indicate if each provider serves his or her own children through the CACFP based on the provider’s CalFresh Program eligibility. This information is submitted in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS). All CACFP Operators are required to have established procedures to ensure the accuracy of the information in the CNIPS at all times.

Actions Required

DCH sponsors must take one or more of the following actions:

• For all providers that are Tier I based solely on their participation in the CalFresh Program , designate Meal Benefit Form—CalFresh in item number G2 of the CNIPS provider application.

• For all providers that serve their own children through the CACFP based solely on the provider’s CalFresh Program eligibility , designate Meal Benefit Form — CalFresh in item number F3 of the CNIPS provider application, and indicate the CalFresh Case Number in item number F4 of the CNIPS provider application.

• If, as of March 15 each year, a DCH sponsor does not have any provider’s CACFP eligibility based solely on the CalFresh Program participation , the sponsor must send an email message to CACFPInfo@dss.ca.gov by March 31 each year, with No CalFresh entered as the email message subject or title. The email message must be sent from either the Authorized Representative or Program Contact email address listed in the CNIPS DCH Sponsor Application, as this allows the CDE to identify the DCH sponsor submission.

Consequences of Not Completing the Required Actions

Failure to maintain the CNIPS as required, or the nonsubmission of the required email each year, may result in the CDE declaring the DCH sponsor seriously deficient.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact your assigned CACFP DCH specialist found on the Child and Adult Food Care Program Contact List. 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.