Community Nutrition - CACFP Updates for the Week of 11/8

• Update: Entering Administrative Expenses When Submitting Claims
• Update: Study Months, Claims, and WINS
• Update: FDA’s Updated Guidance About Eating Fish
• Update: Grant Opportunity to Use Washington-Grown Foods in Your Program!
• Reminder: USDA Memo Released—Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions
• FYI: Sponsoring Organizations Online Training Available
• Important Dates to Remember

Update: Entering Administrative Expenses When Submitting Claims

October Claims Due 11/15

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. 

Administrative Expenses

Sponsors may elect to use CACFP reimbursement to cover administrative expenses in their Food Service Budgets this fiscal year. This election requires sponsors to track yor administrative expenses using accrual-based accounting financial methods. These expenses are tracked in WINS by entering labor, services, supplies, travel, as well as indirect costs while filing claims.

Sponsors are approved to use up to 15% of their reimbursement on administrative expenditures. The new format in WINS will help track your spending to ensure that you do not exceed the 15% limit.

Sponsors must keep supporting documentation and enter costs in monthly claims. Sponsors may also be asked to participate in an audit of these costs or to demonstrate spending during an administrative review.

Resources

Resources on the CACFP Requirements and Materials webpage reviews allowable administrative expenses.

• FY22 CACFP Budgets Lunch 'n Learn
• Allowable Cost Reference Sheet
• Administrative Expenditure Worksheet
• Personal Activity Form-Labor Worksheet

Update: Study Months, Claims, and WINS

Required to complete a study month?

Study month data must be entered into the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) prior to the first claim of the fiscal year being processed. Study month numbers entered in WINS sets the rate of reimbursement for the new fiscal year.

Entering Study Months in WINS

WINS is currently experiencing a bug where the study month tab is not populating for some, but not all program sponsors. It is anticipated that this will be fixed by early December.

If you are affected by this bug, you will need to wait to enter your October and November claims until after the fix has deployed in December. Once the study month tab populates you will be able to enter your study month and submit claims for those months. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. 

Questions? Please contact your program specialist.

Update: FDA’s Updated Guidance About Eating Fish

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued updated advice about eating fish that incorporates the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2020-2025.

Nutrients in fish can support a child’s brain and immune system development. It is recommend that children should eat fish 2 times per week (for a total of 2 to 8 ounces, depending on age). Children should eat fish lower in mercury which are listed in the “Best Choices” category below.

What’s New

• Children 1 year of age can eat about 1 ounce of fish 2 times a week (from the “Best Choices” list).
• Fish provides key nutrients that children need for their brain, immune system, and spinal cord development. The nutrients omega-3 and omega-6 fats, iron, iodine, and choline support brain development. Choline also supports the development of the baby’s spinal cord. Iron and zinc support children’s immune systems.
• Strong evidence shows that eating fish as part of a healthy diet may help your heart health. Moderate scientific evidence shows that healthy diets that include fish are associated with lowering the risk of becoming overweight or obese and the risk of hip fractures, colon cancer, and rectal cancer.

Additional Information

• Advice about Eating Fish
• Questions and Answers on the Advice about Eating Fish
• Technical Information on Development of the Advice about Eating Fish
• Social Media Toolkit on the Advice about Eating Fish
• Infographic on Eating Fish - Children
• Infographic on Eating Fish - Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• FDA Constituent Update

Update: Grant Opportunity to Use Washington-Grown Foods in Your Program!

OSPI Child Nutrition Services is partnering with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) on a new grant opportunity! The Farm to School Purchasing Grant is available to schools, child care centers, and summer meal program operators for the purchase and use of Washington-grown foods in child nutrition programs.   Application Details Applications will be available soon and funding will be for January 2022 – August 2022. Funding levels will be based on annual meal participation rates.    View the How to Apply for the Farm to School Grant Webinar   Questions? Visit the WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grants website for more information.

Reminder: USDA Memo Released—Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released CACFP 02-2022: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions.

This memo outlines existing flexibilities available to all CACFP operators experiencing supply chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The memo also encourages State Agency and sponsoring organization discretion when monitoring for compliance with meal pattern requirements. To the extent practicable, discretion should be used to provide technical assistance in lieu of fiscal action when noncompliance related to meal pattern requirements is observed due to COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions in fiscal year 2021–22.

Please review the full policy memo for additional details.

Submit Your MDP to Use Flexibilities 

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.

Resources

• OSPI’s CACFP Contingency Planning Webinar
• OSPI Nutrition & Meals Guidance During COVID
• CACFP Nationwide Waiver Reference Sheets
• Procuring Local Foods During COVID-19 Shortages Recorded Webinar

Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist. 

FYI: Sponsoring Organizations Online Training Available

As a sponsoring organization (CACFP sponsors with 2 or more sites) are you familiar with:

• CACFP’s Performance Standards and requirements specific to financial viability?
• The purpose and importance of monitoring, monitoring review elements, and best practices for conducting monitoring reviews?
• The purpose of the serious deficiency process and the six steps of the serious deficiency process for day care home providers?

Training Designed for You!

The CORE team is pleased to announce availability of the CORE online training courses. Each online course is designed to train on these importance Program Requirements. The courses are animated, self-paced, interactive, and informative.

Available courses include:

• Financial Viability
• Monitoring and Oversight
• Serious Deficiency (intended for day care home Sponsors only)

The online courses can be accessed using a desktop, laptop, or Android or iOS mobile app. Register for CORE training today!

Important Dates to Remember