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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released SP 22-2021, CACFP 17-2021, SFSP 10-2021: Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021-2022, Q&A #2.
This memo includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to CNP operators during school year 2021-22. The following guidance is specific to CACFP operation with use of approved waiver(s).
Note: Non-congregate meal service is approved by OSPI on a case by case basis only when sites are closed due to COVID and are effective for a limited duration of time. Sponsor requests to use waivers for grab’n’go meal service must be made through the Meal Distribution Plan & Waiver Request Survey for School Year 21–22.
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Question 21: Can SSO and CACFP at-risk meal service sites be co-located if the at-risk meals are provided by a non-SFA? If so, can the meals for both Programs be bundled together and distributed at the same time?
- Answer: Yes. Even if a non-SFA provides the at-risk meals or snacks, SSO and CACFP at-risk meal services may be located at the same site, bundled together, and distributed at the same time. However, the maximum number of meals that may be offered to each child may not exceed the number of meals allowed by each Program. If both Programs are operated at the same site and all the meals for both Programs are picked up at the same time, each Program must keep accurate meal counts and claim only the meals served for that specific Program. For more information, please see Question #4 of SP 15-2021, CACFP 13-2021, SFSP 08-2021: Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021-2022.
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Question 22: Do traditional CACFP operators (institutions, sponsoring organizations, and centers) operating under the COVID-19 waivers need to maintain daily attendance records?
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Answer: Yes. CACFP operators approved to participate under the COVID-19 waivers must continue to maintain Program documentation as required under 7 CFR 226.10(d), 226.15(e), 226.16(e), and 226.17(b). This includes daily records indicating the number of participants in attendance and the time of service meal counts, by type, served to center participants.
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Question 24: Can Head Start programs deliver meals to children enrolled in the home-based program option?
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Answer: Head Start programs may only distribute meals to children who are enrolled to participate in the CACFP. Head Start children who do not normally receive meals under CACFP, such as children in the Head Start/Early Head Start home-based program option, can utilize open SSO sites in their community to get meals. The USDA Summer Meals Site Finder at https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids can help Head Start families locate open meal sites.
Please review the full memo for more details.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
Monthly claims are due by the 15th of each month following the claim period. All claims entered in WINS and in OK to Pay status will process for payment at the end of the month. Here are some important reminders about claiming in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS):
General Claiming Reminders
- Monthly claim data must be in "OK to Pay" status by 5:00 pm PT on the 15th.
- WINS will automatically log all users out of the system on the 15th of each month at 5pm PT.
- Ensure to give yourself enough time to input all claiming data so the claim is in “OK to Pay” status.
- Once WINS closes down the claiming option users are not allowed to input claim data until after the monthly claim reconciliation process is complete. This can take up to two business days.
- Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! File your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Example: The September 60-day claim deadline is November 29, 2021.
- Claim reimbursements that are not entered into WINS or not in OK to pay status will NOT process for payment by the end of the month.
- The 20-21 Claim Processing Dates Information Sheet takes weekends and holidays into consideration for the 60-day deadlines. You may want to print or bookmark this information.
- Refer to the Claims Reference Sheet for details on what to do if you don't submit your claims by the 60-day claim deadline.
- Errors must be resolved for claims to be paid. WINS has multiple edit checks to help resolve issues before your claim is submitted.
- Review the Claiming Error Messages in WINS Information Sheet for more details on possible errors.
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Common Errors
- Total Attendance is entered with the claim and is the sum of children in attendance each day during the month. Meals claimed in excess of Total Attendance will result in a claim error.
- WINS edit checks the number of approved operating days for each site to the number of operating days entered in the site claim. If these numbers don’t match, the claim will go into error status.
- Pro-Tip: Always select “Preview Errors” at the bottom of each site claim once information is entered.
Claiming Resources
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor.
As we continue to hear of the ongoing challenges around food and labor shortages we invite you to join OSPI Child Nutrition Services for a contingency meal planning webinar.
We will discuss menu planning when meal components are in short supply and how to continue meal service when centers are short staffed. Waivers allowed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for School Year 21–22, Fiscal Year 22 will be reviewed. Flexibilities within these waivers are available for use when circumstance interfere with CACFP operation continuing as planned.
Register for the Contingency Meal Planning Webinar
Date: Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Resources
The United Way of King County is hosting an Afterschool Meals Summit along with the American Heart Association and several community Sponsors to provide information about adding afterschool meals to provide 3 meals a day at school.
We encourage school nutrition staff to invite afterschool enrichment providers and school leadership at CACFP eligible schools to this webinar:
Register for the At-Risk Afterschool Meals Summit
Date: Tuesday, October 19
Time: 11 am - 12pm PT
School meals are more essential to students than ever before. Adding an additional meal may seem overwhelming in these challenging times, but it can significantly impact student health, wellbeing, and readiness in the classroom. Afterschool programs that serve meals also draw students into constructive activities that are safe, fun, and filled with opportunities for learning.
OSPI will participate in this summit to provide information about CACFP At-Risk Afterschool meals and snacks.
Can you believe it is already October?? It's time to implement Oz. Equivalents!
Ounce equivalents allow you to credit for the amount of grains in any given grain product. Many grain products have additional ingredients like oil, milk, and eggs that can increase the weight of the final products. Because of this, the amount of grains in a product can vary from item to item.
Make sure to do these things:
- Watch the OSPI CNS Oz. Eq. 101 Recorded Training Note: You will need a Moodle Account to view this training.
- Check your labels and compare grains served to the Grains Measuring Chart to ensure they meet requirements.
- Save your grain labels.
- Update your recipes to include the grains serving in ounce equivalents.
- Verify changes in your menus have been made to reflect necessary changes.
- Include Oz. Eq. training at regularly scheduled staff meetings
- This is a great time to remind staff of the requirement and can serve as an introduction to Oz. Eq. for newly hired staff.
- Share Oz. Eq. details with your teachers and other support staff so they are aware of the proper portion size to serve to their children.
- Check in with your Program Specialist if you have any questions about your menu or grain items you are serving.
Resources
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
Big shout outs to the following CACFP Sponsors!
Thank you to the Island of Angels Child Care Center, Spokane Head Start, YMCA of the Inland North West for serving local food, providing food educational activities, engaging in garden activities or garden-based education, and participating in Taste Washington Day and Washington’s Apple Crunch!
Spokane Head Start participated in Taste Washington Day and the Apple Crunch last week, two of the Farm to CACFP Week activities, by serving Washington grown broccoli, cauliflower, mixed berries (frozen), and apple slices as part of their lunch!
YMCA of the Inland North West served fresh tomatoes, squash, green beans, and fresh herbs picked from their greenhouse and garden! Students helped harvest the items that were used and will continue with garden-based education throughout the winter.
Farm to CACFP Week may be over, but your programming doesn’t have to be! OSPI’s new Farm to CACFP website has lots of great information about educational activities, purchasing local foods, and how to promote your efforts. Check it out and try offering more Farm to CACFP programming throughout the year, not just during Farm to CACFP Week!
To support school nutrition, child care, and adult care professionals' efforts to connect children and adults with nutritious meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) established nationwide waivers to allow program flexibility for School Year 2021–22 (SY 21–22) and Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).
Flexibility may be requested in circumstances where sponsors are experiencing food or labor shortages or altered facility operations due to COVID-19.
Use this checklist and submit your CACFP Meal Distribution Plan (MDP) & Waiver Request for current program operation through September 30, 2022.
Please review the 10/4 Waiver Article for more details on submitting your MDP.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
Missed the live Serving Snacks webinar? That’s okay!
This webinar shows Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators how to plan and prepare reimbursable snacks for the children and adults in their care. After completion of the post webinar practice questions your certificate will arrive within a week of viewing the recorded webinar.
This recording and other past webinars are available at the CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays webpage.
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