CACFP Manual Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms

Table of Contents

Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms

The following key terms and acronyms appear throughout this manual.

2 CFRTitle 2, Code of Federal Regulations—this is the part and/or section of federal regulations that governs the administrative requirements, cost principles, audit requirements, procurement of goods and services, related to the allowable use of federal funds for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

7 CFR—Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations—this is the part and/or section of federal regulations that includes regulations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

ADC Center—adult day care center—a licensed adult day care center approved to provide nonresidential adult day care services to adults that are 60 years or older and/or functionally impaired.

Administrative Costs—the costs incurred by an institution related to planning, organizing, and managing a food service under the CACFP.

Adult Participant—means a person enrolled in an adult day care center who is functionally impaired or 60 years of age or older.

ARA Center—at-risk afterschool center—a licensed or license-exempt center that administers the At-risk Afterschool Meals Component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

CACFP—Child and Adult Care Food Program; may also be referred to as the program.

CACFP Branch—Child and Adult Care Food Program Branch—the division within the California Department of Social Services that is responsible for administering the Child and Adult Care Food Program in California.

CACFP Operator—Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Operator—refers to CACFP institutions, defined in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 226.2 as follows:

A sponsoring organization, child care center, at-risk afterschool care center, outside-school-hours care center, emergency shelter, or adult day care center which enters into an agreement with the State agency to assume final administrative and financial responsibility for Program operations.

The agreement with the state (California Department of Social Services), as specified above, is the Permanent Single Agreement that all CACFP institutions were required to renew in 2022, or sign upon approval to operate the CACFP.

CB—Child and Adult Care Food Program Bulletin—policy issued by the California Department of Social Services.

CDE—California Department of Education.

CDSS—California Department of Social Services.

Center—a child care center, school-age center, at-risk afterschool center, adult day care center, or emergency shelter.

CC Center/CCC—a child care center, school-age center, at-risk afterschool center, or emergency shelter. This does not include day care homes.

Children—means:

  1. Persons age 12 and under;
  2. Persons age 15 and under who are children of migrant workers;
  3. Persons with disabilities as defined in Title 7, CFR 226.2;
  4. For emergency shelters, persons age 18 and under; and
  5. For at-risk afterschool care centers, persons age 18 and under at the start of the school year.

CNIPSChild Nutrition Information and Payment System—the online database used by the Child and Adult Care Food Program Branch to receive and maintain agency applications and to process claims for reimbursement. DCH—day care home—an organized nonresidential child care program for children enrolled in a private home, licensed or approved as a family or group day care home and under the auspices of a sponsoring organization.

CN Label—Child Nutrition Label—a product label includes a standardized food crediting statement from food manufacturers. CN Label must be authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), prior to use, and manufacturers must have quality control procedures and inspection oversight that meet the FNS requirements. Products produced in accordance with the CN Labeling Program are generally purchased by foodservice providers for FNS meal programs.

Combination Foods—food items that contain two or more meal pattern components in a serving; may also be called mixed component food items.

Creditable Foods—foods that may be counted toward meeting the requirements for a reimbursable meal/snack in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

DCH—day care home.

DCH Provider—day care home provider—an organized nonresidential child care program for children enrolled in a private home, licensed or approved as a family or group day care home and under the auspices of a sponsoring organization.

DCH Sponsor—day care home sponsor—an approved nonprofit or public agency that has a current, valid program agreement with the California Department of Social Services to participate as a sponsor in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Deep-fat Frying—a cooking method involves submerging a food in extremely hot oil until it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature. Limit serving purchased pre-fried foods to no more than one serving per week. Child and Adult Care Food Program prohibits deep-fat frying as way of preparing food onsite but allows centers and day care homes to serve pre-fried purchased foods. As a best practice, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service strongly recommends limiting the service of pre-fried foods that are purchased from a store, caterer, or vendor because they can contribute large amounts of saturated fat and calories to a meal.

Disqualified—the status of an institution, a responsible principal or responsible individual, or a day care home that is ineligible for participation.

Emergency Shelter—public or private nonprofit organization or its site that provides temporary shelter and food services to homeless children, including a residential child care institution (RCCI) that serves a distinct group of homeless children who are not enrolled in the RCCI’s regular program.

Enrolled Child—a child whose parent or guardian has submitted to an institution a signed document which indicates that the child is enrolled for child care.

Facility—a sponsored center or a family day care home operating under the administration of a sponsoring organization.

Family—in the case of children, a group of related or nonrelated individuals, who are not residents of an institution or boarding house, but who are living as one economic unit or, in the case of adult participants, the adult participant, and if residing with the adult participant, the spouse and dependent(s) of the adult participant.

Functionally Impaired Adult—chronically impaired disabled persons 18 years of age or older, including victims of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction, who are physically or mentally impaired to the extent that their capacity for independence and their ability to carry out activities of daily living is markedly limited.

Grain-based Desserts—Grain-based desserts are food items that are denoted with a superscript 3 or 4 in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Exhibit A Grain Requirement for Child Nutrition Programs Chart. The following foods are considered grain-based desserts: cookies, sweet crackers (e.g. graham and animal crackers), sweet pie crusts, doughnuts, cereal bars, breakfast bars, granola bars, sweet rolls, toaster pastries, cake, and brownies.

Independent Center—an agency that operates a center at one single physical site. Independent centers enter into an agreement with the California Department of Social Services to assume financial and administrative responsibility for program operations.

Institution—a sponsoring organization, child care center, at-risk afterschool care center, emergency shelter or adult day care center which enters into an agreement with the CDSS to assume final administrative and financial responsibility for CACFP operations.

MB—Management Bulletin—policy issued by the California Department of Education.

Nonpricing Program—an institution, child care facility, or adult day care facility in which there is no separate identifiable charge made for meals served to participants.

Nonresidential—the same participants are not maintained in care for more than 24 hours on a regular basis.

NSD—Nutrition Services Division—the division within the California Department of Education that is responsible for administering the School Nutrition Programs, Special Milk Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Food Distribution Program in California.

NSLP—National School Lunch Program—the program that assists schools and other agencies to provide nutritious lunches to children at reasonable prices.

Operating Costs—expenses incurred by an institution in serving meals to participants under the CACFP and allowed by the CDSS financial management instructions.

Outside-school-hours Care Center—also known as school-age center; a licensed or license-exempt center that provides organized nonresidential child care services to children during hours outside of school.

PFS—Product Formulation Statement—a signed certified document that provides a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s child nutrition programs.

Pricing Program—an institution, child care facility, or adult day care facility in which a separate identifiable charge is made for meals served to participants.

Reimbursement—financial assistance paid or payable to institutions for Program costs within the rates assigned by the CDSS.

SA Center—school-age center—also known as outside-school-hours care center; a licensed or license-exempt center that provides organized nonresidential child care services to children during hours outside of school.

SBP—School Breakfast Program—the program that assists schools and other agencies in providing nutritious breakfasts to children at reasonable prices.

Seriously Deficient—means the status of an institution or a day care home that has been determined to be non-compliant in one or more aspects of its operation of the CACFP.

SFA—school food authority—the governing body that is responsible for the administration of one or more schools and has the legal authority to operate the National School Lunch Program or be otherwise approved to operate the National School Lunch Program, may also be a public center.

SNP—School Nutrition Programs—within California, any of the following programs: the California Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Seamless Summer Feeding Option, Summer Food Service Program, or Special Milk Program.

SOUC—sponsors of unaffiliated centers—a sponsoring organization of one or more centers that are unaffiliated with the sponsor. Sponsors of unaffiliated centers enter into an agreement with the California Department of Social Services to assume financial and administrative responsibility for program operations.

Sponsoring Organization—a public or nonprofit private organization that is entirely responsible for the administration of the Child and Adult Care Food Program for: (a) one or more day care homes; (b) two or more centers (see definition of centers); (c) a center that is a legally distinct entity from the sponsoring organization (see definition of sponsor of unaffiliated centers) or (d) any combination of the above.

Standardized Recipe—a standardized recipe is one that has been tried, adapted, and retried at least three times and has been found to produce the same good results and yield every time when the exact procedures are used with the same type of equipment and the same quantity and quality of ingredients. A standardized recipe in the CACFP shows that the menu item meets the meal pattern requirements.

USDA, FNS—U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service—the federal oversight agency for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Whole Grain-rich—foods that contain 100 percent whole grain or at least 50 percent whole grain meal and/or flour. Any remaining meal/flour must be enriched, bran, or germ.

 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Child and Adult Care Food Program Logo, hands holding a heart shaped apple

Contact Us

CDSS Child and Adult Care Food Program
744 P Street, MS 9-13-290
Sacramento, CA 95814
833-559-2418
CACFPInfo@dss.ca.gov