Program Update
Block Claiming
USDA regulations require that follow-up must be done when a child care provider "block claims" to validate that the child care provider is claiming accurately. A block claim is defined as claiming the same number of children for the same meal(s) or snack(s) for 15 or more consecutive operational days in the same month.
Child Enrollment Forms
Any child claimed for reimbursement must have a current Child Enrollment Form completed and signed by the child's parent or guardian. Child Enrollment forms expire one year from the date it was signed by the parent or guardian. USDA regulations do not allow sponsors of the CACFP to pay for any child that does not have a current Child Enrollment form on file.
Training
In addition to Heartland's annual spring training, USDA mandates annual training on program compliance. This training will be conducted during a provider review where five core areas of CACFP policy and procedure will be reviewed.
Click here for the latest information on the USDA CACFP. www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Care/CACFP/cacfphome.htm
For more information about services that promote the continuous improvement of Child Nutrition programs, click here.
www.nfsmi.org
Release: April 2003
Food Program Must Be Available to Infants
Effective October 1, 2003, child care providers participating in the CACFP must make the food program available to infants in their care, according to a recently issued USDA rule. This reverses an earlier USDA ruling which said that child care providers had the choice to claim, or not claim infants on the food program.
This means that a provider must offer at least one or more types of formula to all infants in her/his care. A provider may not choose to not claim infants or to not offer any formula. The basis for this ruling is that to deny benefits to any child is discrimination. If the parent does not want their infant served any of the formulas offered by the provider, then the parent may complete an Infant Formula Waiver (supplied by Heartland) and be willing to bring their infant's formula to the daycare.
A CACFP provider that is currently not offering any formula to the infants in her/his care has the option to continue these same infants on this policy until October 1, at which time the infant will probably be on table food. However, any new infants enrolled in her/his care between now and October 1 must be offered a formula.
Questions About the Infant Meal Pattern Provisions
Q: If Mom comes into the home to breast feed her child, can those meals/snacks be claimed for reimbursement?
A: No.
Q: How should breast milk be handled?
A: All breast milk should have a label stating the child's name. The child care provider must ensure that the child receives only the breast milk supplied by its mother.
Q: When an infant is transitioning from breast milk to formula, it is common to provide the infant with both foods, to gradually ease the infant into consuming formula in place of breast milk. During this transition period, when an infant is receiving both breast milk and formula, is the meal reimbursable?
A: Yes. From birth through 7 months, any one meal which contains some quantity of breast milk is reimbursable.
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